[SOLVED] GPU low usage in games

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Aug 23, 2019
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I have a problem with my gpu. It's sapphire rx 560 4gb version. So when i start playing any game gpu usage is at 100% and a bit later it drops down to 0-5% usage, it stays like that for 15-30 sec and goes back up to 100% and repats the process. Game's fps drops from 50-60 to 5-15 so game becomes unplayable. I have tryed it in couple of games but mostly i play ets2 and bf5 and it's always the same. I have tried to install diferent gpu drivers, change power plans, install new os, try using stronger power supply (750w) and mess with bios settings but unseccessfuly. It have worked fine with old motherboard and cpu and now with fx 6300 and biostar A960D+ is giving me a problems.
My pc specs are:
Fx-6300 6core 3.5ghz
Sapphire pulse rx 560 4gb
8gb ddr3 @ 1333mhz
Biostar A960D+
1tb hdd
500w power supply
 
Solution
That's not what i was talking about, in afterburner you can see at fps graph that lag spikes i was talking about and in second picture of OCCT in bottom left corner, you can see cpu frequency graph. They look similar
Hmm, looks like thermal throttling...
The 1400mhz is one of the cpu's low power states, and this occurred whenever the cpu temp hit a certain point, then tanked - along with core voltage.
What is your cpu cooler?
Aug 23, 2019
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OP, I need you to run the heaven benchmark again with Msi Afterburner. Either let it finish, or 10 minutes is fine. I need to see the core clock and power graphs after the test has expired.

To confirm what others have said, that mobo is a really basic model.
That Rx 560 draws 150w of power = 6-pin cable(75w) + mobo pcie(75w)
Problem with some low end boards is that they don't/can't supply the 75w needed through the pcie slot - say, 40w.
In this case, your card would be power throttling. When you run the benchmark - if I'm correct - the gpu will be hitting and dropping boost clocks throughout.
There is pic of graphs but i can't get voltage monitoring in it, i have checked it in settings but it doesent appear in graphs. Do you have any idea how can i enable it?
https://ibb.co/89BHYQc
 

Phaaze88

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There is pic of graphs but i can't get voltage monitoring in it, i have checked it in settings but it doesent appear in graphs. Do you have any idea how can i enable it?
https://ibb.co/89BHYQc
Not voltage, but power(probably just needed to scroll down the graphs on the right)
But this is fine - this was after a Heaven benchmark run?
The core clock was steady throughout, so that rules out power throttling.

The gpu looks to be fine. I now believe the problem lies elsewhere.
 
Aug 23, 2019
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Not voltage, but power(probably just needed to scroll down the graphs on the right)
But this is fine - this was after a Heaven benchmark run?
The core clock was steady throughout, so that rules out power throttling.

The gpu looks to be fine. I now believe the problem lies elsewhere.
Yes, this was after Heaven benchmark run. I can't see anything power related in graphs neither in monitoring settings. Do you have any other suggestions? I was thinking swaping my gpu to other pc to check it's performance there and put other gpu in my pc.
 

Phaaze88

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Yes, this was after Heaven benchmark run. I can't see anything power related in graphs neither in monitoring settings. Do you have any other suggestions? I was thinking swaping my gpu to other pc to check it's performance there and put other gpu in my pc.
You can check by way of Settings, then Monitoring tab.
At this point, I don't believe changing gpus is going to do much.


Download Prime95.
In Msi Afterburner, go into settings > Monitoring tab. Enable cpu clock for each of your cores.
Run Prime95(small FFT mode) for 10mins. Afterwards, take a screenshot of the graphs showing cores' clock speeds.
 
Aug 23, 2019
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You can check by way of Settings, then Monitoring tab.
At this point, I don't believe changing gpus is going to do much.


Download Prime95.
In Msi Afterburner, go into settings > Monitoring tab. Enable cpu clock for each of your cores.
Run Prime95(small FFT mode) for 10mins. Afterwards, take a screenshot of the graphs showing cores' clock speeds.
I couldn't get Prime95 to work, it was throwing some strange error on startup but i have downloaded OCCT and tested cpu and power suplly (whole system on 100%) and here are the results:
https://ibb.co/JrzWkb0

https://ibb.co/bHYHk6q

https://ibb.co/P5bTWsw

https://ibb.co/KFx892D

https://ibb.co/pjgP9hp

https://ibb.co/1Rrr9rz

Only thing i'm worried about is that drops of cpu core to 1400mhz, idk if that's part of the stress test or it's something wrong with it. At the end it said "No errors detected"
 
Aug 23, 2019
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You really have 5000rpm fans in your system???
What is your case, and how many of these fans do you have?
No, that's cpu fan. Case is just standard 30$ case. There is a thing i have noticed. I was playing BF5 for 15min and after that i took a look at afterburner's graph and there are similar fps drops just like core frequency. Here are the graphs:

https://ibb.co/m05JbjJ

https://ibb.co/JrzWkb0

As you can see fps graph is similar to core frequency graph i did with OCCT stress test, maybe cpu does have something to do with lag spikes.
 
Aug 23, 2019
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In Afterburner, you've confused Cpu Frequency with CPU USAGE. They're not the same.
Go back into Settings, Monitoring tab, check CPU CLOCK, and run it again.
That's not what i was talking about, in afterburner you can see at fps graph that lag spikes i was talking about and in second picture of OCCT in bottom left corner, you can see cpu frequency graph. They look similar
 

Phaaze88

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That's not what i was talking about, in afterburner you can see at fps graph that lag spikes i was talking about and in second picture of OCCT in bottom left corner, you can see cpu frequency graph. They look similar
Hmm, looks like thermal throttling...
The 1400mhz is one of the cpu's low power states, and this occurred whenever the cpu temp hit a certain point, then tanked - along with core voltage.
What is your cpu cooler?
 
Solution
Aug 23, 2019
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Hmm, looks like thermal throttling...
The 1400mhz is one of the cpu's low power states, and this occurred whenever the cpu temp hit a certain point, then tanked - along with core voltage.
What is your cpu cooler?
it's stock amd box cooler but i have kept open side panel whole time to check for cooling but it's the same.
 
Aug 23, 2019
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Hmm, looks like thermal throttling...
The 1400mhz is one of the cpu's low power states, and this occurred whenever the cpu temp hit a certain point, then tanked - along with core voltage.
What is your cpu cooler?
Finnaly!!! I can say that we have solved this case. CPU was thermal throttling. I have placed my pc on the desk and pointed huge desk fan to blow cold air in it and i have played bf5 for ~20min without any lag spike at all at 2560x1080 on high settings with some things turned down a bit and getting stable 35-40 fps all the time. Now it's the time to get new case and a new cpu cooler. Thank you for your help!!!
 

Phaaze88

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Mmk, but if it's the stock AMD cooler, you probably just need to remount the cooler.
Remove old paste with alcohol, reapply new paste(size of a small pea), and mount the cooler, securing the screws a couple turns at a time in the 'X' formation.
 
Aug 23, 2019
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Mmk, but if it's the stock AMD cooler, you probably just need to remount the cooler.
Remove old paste with alcohol, reapply new paste(size of a small pea), and mount the cooler, securing the screws a couple turns at a time in the 'X' formation.
I did that like a week ago, full pc dust clean and fresh thermal paste install. It's really hot weather where i live so that's probably the case of stock cooler's poor performance. Anyway i'll get a new aftermarket one.
 

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