HD6950 horrific performance

[ctrlaltf12]

Hey everyone.
I built this pc a couple of months ago, and it's been good, but I've found in games I'm getting what I think is pretty substandard performance.

Specs:
OS: Windows 7 64-bit
CPU: AMD Phenom II X6 1090T @4.1 Ghz, NB@2.6 Ghz
RAM: 16.0 GB Dual-Channel DDR3 @ 800MHz
MOBO: Gigabyte GA-990FXA-UD5 (Link width is x16)
GPU: HD6950 1GB @900/1325 Mhz, +20% power (using CCC)
PSU: Antec 600W continuous

In Crysis 1 I get about 15 fps on MEDIUM settings with no AA, and in Crysis 2 I get about 30 with everything on it's lowest, no dx 11 or high-res textures.
Skyrim plays at about 25-30 fps consistently, with the highest settings.

I don't think my card has a problem, because bitcoin mining I can pull 330+ mhash/s, staying around 61 degrees on full load while overclocked.

Help is appreciated.
Cheers

 

[amuffin]

Drivers...?

 

[ctrlaltf12]

CCC is at version 11.12, and when I click 'check for updates' it says I'm up to date.

 

[amuffin]

revert to previous drivers.

 

[ctrlaltf12]

Rolled back to 11.9, same performance in all games. 8[

 

[sosofm]

The latest drivers are 12.1 http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/Pages/radeon_win7-64.aspx is for Win 7 64bit.

 

[ctrlaltf12]

Something tells me that Catalyst is bugged. 11.9 reports that it's up to date. Going to do a full uninstall and reinstall with the current 12.1 drivers.

 

[ctrlaltf12]

Updated to 12.1, Crysis 2 now runs at 50-60 fps at 1920x1080 with high res textures and dx 11 with everything on extreme, ultra drops the fps to 10-25.
Very happy with Crysis 2 now, but Crysis 1 is still unplayable, even on its lowest settings.
I'll try reinstalling Crysis 1, thanks for your help all. :]

 

[jk47]

Just wanted to share my experience with you. Happy friday btw.


My previous card was a Sapphire toxic 6950. It also had generally poor performance with both Crysis'. Crysis 1, I could only have smooth frame-rates with medium graphics - which is abhorrent for what a 6950 should be delivering.

I think AMD has a driver problem with Crysis, maybe Crysis 2 also

 

[con310]

Crysis is a massively heavy game and a 6950 is not all that and you are expecting way to much out of it.

Your actually extremely underestimating that card...it should have absolutely no problem running crysis. crysis is a intense game graphic wise but it came out in 2007...

 

[Warsaw]

My experience is that Crysis runs very smoothly with a 6950. I only have a Phenom II x4 940 and I run it on Ultra settings (whatever the highest settings are, I've forgotten as it's been awhile since I've last played) at around 40+ fps. There has to be something running in your background that's maybe hogging your resources or something to that effect. Also, check on downclocking your processor, that's helped me at least once awhile ago when I was getting odd fps and did that to alleviate it.

Anyways though, that fps isn't normal and you should be getting good fps with the card. Check out a few things and if nothing is working pm me and I'll try to help. Remembering back to when I had my 5770 years ago, that actually got me to the high teens to in the 20's with fps when I was at max settings. So something is definitely wrong with this picture.

 

[bystander]

Crysis 1 is kind of sensitive. I've had problems when running things like smartdoctor (ASUS OC software) and seen others have problems with Trixx running along with Crysis 1. Once uninstalled, it worked great. Some of the manufacturer specific OC software have cause problems with Crysis 1.

 

[bystander]

LOL the 6850 runs crysis maxed at around 40fps.

Except that you probably didn't mention you don't have AA turned on, and shadows or some setting turned down, and/or using a resolution below 1080p. Though I do believe you, just that "everything" turned to max takes pretty severe performance hit.

 

[bystander]

The only problem with that is that crossfire/sli setups have more issues than single card setups. Although I do have a sli setup now. There is an article that put a magnifine glass on the 6850's in crossfire and found they had a lot of microstuttering issues, where as the 6900 cards had far less problems, even in crossfire.

 

[con310]

LOL you are failing to understand that Crysis is still pretty much one of the very few demanding games still today even tho it was released in 07

boring daY? dont see what was so LOL worthy about what i said or the other poster in which you responded the same.

Anyway if you read what i said, i already said crysis was a demanding game but that does not change the fact that YOU are failing to understand(not me) that a 6950 could easily run crysis without a problem...as many people have already posted that they have ran crysis on max with a 6950 and i mean all you would have to do is a simple google search to see you are incorrect.

really the only LOL worthy part is that you think a 6950 can only run crysis on medium settings at 15 Fps.

 

[con310]

It will take two as in x2 CF 6950 to run Crysis maxed with consistent smoothness even then it will still dip below 60fps at times. LOL

so whats yer point? He said he was running crysis at medium settings with AA: off and only getting 15 FPS your exact quote was "you are expecting way to much out of it.". He is not expecting way to much from that card in any sense, that is insanely low for that card.

so your wrong, LOL!

 

[bystander]

Acutally the drivers have fixed the issues with CF along time ago that was an issue mabey a year ago but to think AMD would never fix it through a driver update etc is very narrow minded. Plus most of the people that claim all these problems with muti card setups have never ran CF or SLI.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/radeon-geforce-stutter-crossfire,2995.html

More like 7 months ago. I realize it's not always a huge issue, and most people don't really notice it much, but it still degrades quality, even if you don't realize it.

 

[bystander]

They fixed it is the point and the only games that have slight problems are real low budget non main stream games and in most cases those games do not need more than one card to run perfectly anyways but all the games that people want to play are just fine and have been all optimized for CF and SLI mostly right at launch date. PS in that article you have linked never anywhere do they mention 6850 or 6850CF LOL and of coarse you are another one whom claims CF and SLI is Evil and yet you don't even know how it works cause you never tried it.

I'm not saying CF is horrible, I have used it, and use SLI, but it's not always a walk in the park. Post an article where its been fixed. You are the first person to ever mention its been fixed, as this has been an on going issue for years.

If you read the article, you'll notice that it mentioned not all people notice it, you are likely one of those people, but there have been a lot of complaints about it over the last few months.

That article compared 6870's in cf, which happens to be the same chip as the 6850, only the 6850 is cut down a little, the results would be the same (as most complaints about it have been for both those cards).

I'm glad your happy, but I still would not recommend two 6850's in place of a 6950. Not only is there the one issue we've talked about, there is the reality that not all games support SLI/CF (most do), or support them well. You also have more heat and noise, and you limit your upgrade options. The 6950's are still reasonably priced.

I only recommend SLI/CF when dealing with high end cards, to avoid the cutting edge costs of the 580/7970 type cards or just to get more performance than you can get from a single card.

 

[bystander]

Btw, if you can bring up an article that shows it's been fixed, I'd love to read it, otherwise I'll assume it still exists as its always has.

 

[bystander]

LOL I am not at all th first person to state CF has been fixed and funny you never mention the same pitfalls for SLI but thats besides the point cause as a person whom runs a dual card config I can say that it has been impeccable for many driver updates even back since 09.

I do believe when I listed the possible pitfalls, I've said SLI/CF. Do you not see? The CF issues that occasionally pop up and are "fixed" are not related to the on going and never completely fixed microstuttering. That article even showed the SLI systems had some microstuttering. All you are talking about is when CF was majorly broken in a couple games, not the general CF/SLI issue.

Clearly you don't notice it, great for you, but there are plenty of people who do, and prefer single card systems. They have good reason to go that route.

 

[bystander]

Minimize the screen and then maximize the screen a little trick to rid the nasty micro problem course they never mention that fix.

Now I know you are full of it. Windowed mode doesn't even work with SLI/CF.

 

[bystander]

Did you read I says Minimize then MAXIMIZE again.

Fullscreen doesn't minimize, but I guess I can see the confusion. Just a misunderstanding I guess. As far as I've known, all you can do to fullscreen is tab to another window.