Question GPU bottleneck

[tb2388]

Hi everybody,

I'm having an issue where my i7-7800x will not go past 1.2Ghz clock speed. I've been using CAM to monitor my system to confirm this and the fact that the CPU is also not being thermal throttled because it typically doesn't get hotter than 27 Celsius. I've also tried changing my Power Options on Windows to High Performance mode trying to see if that might have been an issue. My belief is that my GPU which is an Gigabyte Radeon RX 560 is bottlenecking my CPU but it does strike me as strange that the CPU at no point exceeds 1.2Ghz even if it is a GPU bottleneck. In all I'm hoping someone with a little more experience can either confirm that it most likely is the GPU just bottlenecking my CPU or if there could be an issue with the CPU itself.

Complete Specs
i7-7800x
16 GB Corsair Vengeance 3000MHz
X299 MSi Tomahawk AC
Kraken X62 Liquid Cooler
500 GB Samsung Evo SSD

 

[rgd1101]

new build? upgrade?
make and model of the psu?
cpu temp?

 

[tb2388]

New build
Corsair RM750x
Average CPU temp around 27 degrees Celsius and hasn't exceeded 29 degrees Celsius

 

[rgd1101]

latest bios?
what version of windows? up to date?

 

[tb2388]

bios is up to date and im running Windows Version 1607 (OS Build 14393.2941)

 

[King_V]

Is this occurring during gaming?

My initial thought is that the RX 560 is definitely holding you back, but I'd need to know what your monitor's resolution and refresh rate are - as well as if this is happening specifically during gaming, or other types of use, and if so, what those use-cases are.

 

[tb2388]

Ya it happens during gaming and regular use. I plan on upgrading the GPU but I wanna make sure there isnt something wrong with my CPU first. Right now I game in 1080p with a 144hz monitor

 

[King_V]

I'd say run something like HWInfo when gaming (or even other tasks where it seems like things are being held up) so it can graph CPU, GPU, RAM, etc usage over time.

If something is pegging at 100% regularly, that's likely your weak link.

 

[sizzling]

Some motherboards have a ‘Slow Mode’ that is set by a button or a jumper. No idea about your motherboard but something worth looking into.

 

[tennis2]

Run Prime95 stress test and monitor CPU frequency. That test has nothing to do with the GPU, so the CPU behavior will be isolated.

I doubt the GPU is causing the CPU to go to or stay at idle speed regardless.

 

[tb2388]

Okay so I ran CINEBENCH R20 and from what CAM says my CPU still did not go above 1.2Ghz and the final score on CINEBENCH was 852. Any other ideas based on this?

 

[tb2388]

Also interesting my CPU frequency in my BIOS shows 1.20GHz as does the CPU speed in BIOS

 

[tennis2]

Try using some other software. Such as CPUz to monitor CPU frequency. Same result?

Drawing a blank, is Cinebench a CPU-only test?

 

[icedog]

I will say its probably your gpu that is bottlenecking your system.
Get a new gpu like the nvidia rtx 2080 if that fits your budget.

 

[sizzling]

Did you rule out the Slow Mode feature?

 

[tb2388]

So I have not entirely ruled out slow mode but only because I haven't found an area on the motherboard that looks like the are that would be used to turn it off and on but I just tested Prime95 one the system because I know it only tests the cpu and it returned the same results I have been getting where the CPU does not go over 1.2GHz.

 

[DanielSpaending]

Also interesting my CPU frequency in my BIOS shows 1.20GHz as does the CPU speed in BIOS

If it says 1,20 ghz in BIOS, then its no surprise that it only runs at 1,2 in windows. Try setting it to 4,0 or auto in Bios?

But it is definitley not the GPU, sounds more like a BIOS or mobo issue.

 

[tennis2]

Agreed, GPU is no longer a suspect in this investigation.

 

[tb2388]

Is anyone familiar with MSI’s UEFI that could be able to guide me towards something I could look for to change how it limits my cpu? I’m currently on the latest version 7B05v1A

 

[SgtScream]

Check this setting:

https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/support/X299-TOMAHAWK-AC

The system will run high performance with Hardcore Mode Enabled. Hardcore mode Enabled will change the following BIOS settings - Intel C-State set as Enabled, Package C-State Limit set as C0, CPU Current Limit (A) set as 256, Set Max. Turbo for all cores, EIST set as Disabled and CPU Fan Smart fan control set as Disabled.

Also please post what your bios version is on.

 

[tennis2]

That certainly would fix the issue, but it sounds like your CPU would never clock down (at idle) and your CPU fan would be at 100% all the time? Good for a quick fix, but probably not something I'd personally leave on as a permanent solution. We can get into all those details later. Right now, you just need to get your CPU running at normal frequency, so go for it.

Resetting the BIOS (CMOS) should disable whatever odd throttling settings are being applied. That's another easy fix alternative.

 

[SgtScream]

Also this:

My CPU is 7900X and overclocked to 4.6GHz. The CPU temperature is good and there is no throttling happened during running Cinebench. However, I can only get about 1400 points. Any suggestion?
Please be noted that overclocking will depend on the detailed configuration and settings. It is possible that VCCIN drops when CPU is overclocked and under loading. Please try to set CPU Loadline Calibration Control as Mode 3 first. If the score of Cinebench does not improve, please try Mode 2 or even Mode 1 for CPU Loadline Calibration Control. If problem still persist, please contact MSI.

 

[SgtScream]

I doubt he's on the latest bios. I'd double check that first before trying the above.

 

[SgtScream]

Also how many memory modules do you have? You should be running 4 for quad channel.

 

[tb2388]

Thats one thing I was curious about and I guess I should have stated earlier I have 2 more sticks of RAM on the way. They for some reason got shipped separately from my other 2 stocks so I am currently only running it on dual channel. Could the lack of the other set of ram be causing this