Question High CPU and low GPU usage

[tuzlabruh]

I have recently upgraded all my components except my cpu because they died.
I noticed that some games i used to play aren't preforming as well as they used to
I downloaded msi afterburner and saw that while playing games I get 30-50% usage and 100% usage.
I also noticed that my cpu temps are 100 C even when idling. I feel like that's a sensor problem since i touched the heatsink and it wasn't hot at all. However I shake move it a tiny bit. I don't know if theres a problem with how the heatsink was mounted, the sensor or is it a bottleneck.
My specs are:
R7 360
Pentium g3250
8gbs ddr3 ram
intel h81 Mobo.
If it is a bottleneck, what is a cpu that works well with that gpu?

 

[tennis2]

Means your CPU isn't keeping up and the GPU is waiting. That said, an R7-360 isn't very speedy either, so on the surface it would appear to be a relatively balanced (but very weak) gaming system.

100C is concerning. The CPU heatsink should NOT be able to be moved/jiggled. If the heatsink isn't making good contact with the CPU, the heat won't be transferred, so the heat wouldn't make it to the heatsink (as you've found) The fact that you said "not performing as well AS THEY USED TO", would suggest that there is probably an overheating issue that's recently developed which in turn SHOULD be causing the CPU to thermal throttle (not run as fast as it would/should normally) hence causing gaming performance to degrade.

We need to know the make & model of your current motherboard to determine what CPU would be a drop-in upgrade. Is this a pre-built machine (Dell/HP/Lenovo/etc)?

What does "upgraded all of my components" include?

 

[mdd1963]

As indicated above, it's the 100C temp that is a concern, not a certain amount or ratios /percentages of CPU/GPU usage...

In any event, short of playing nostalgic games such as Medal of Honor and Quake 4, it's likely time to think of a new everything...(Certainly, with even 4c/4t CPUs rapidly being challenged in most games today, the dual core CPU is now typically relegated to low cost routers, etc...)

 

[CompuTronix]

tuzlabruh,

On behalf of Tom's Moderator Team, welcome aboard!

There's nothing wrong with your CPU's Digital Thermal Sensors (DTS); each Core has it's own sensor, and they function independently from one another. Further, you should not be able to move the cooler; if it's installed correctly, then it should be firmly attached. You simply have a loose push-in. We see this here on our Forums very frequently. Here's some things you need to know:

Trying to check thermal performance by touch is like feeling a fireplace from 3 meters (10 feet). Since hundreds of millions of microscopic nanometer scale transistors are densely packaged into a tiny Die, heat dissipates over relatively large areas and thermal gradients to the cooler, which is a considerable distance from the Cores at about 3 millimeters (0.1 inch); 3 millimeters = 3,000,000 nanometers.

Although some heat dissipates to the substrate, socket and motherboard, most heat dissipates to the cooler through several thermal gradients; Cores > Die > internal TIM > IHS > external TIM > cooler. Consequently, even at 100% workload nothing will feel "hot" ... exhaust airflow, heat pipes, cooling fins, radiator or water block will feel warm, and liquid cooling tubes will have a moderate temperature differential.

As previously mentioned, your stock cooler has popped a push-pin loose from the motherboard, which is a very common problem. This causes poor contact pressure between the cooler and the CPU, resulting in high temperatures in BIOS, as well as in Windows at idle, and especially at 100% workload.

You can troubleshoot this problem by pushing firmly on each corner of the cooler for about 30 seconds while watching your load temperatures. When you see a significant drop, you've found the loose push-pin.

The push-pins can be deceivingly tricky to get them fully inserted through the motherboard and properly latched.

(1) To re-seat a single loose push-pin, rotate the head of the pin in the direction of the arrow counterclockwise 90° then retract the pin by pulling upward on the head. Rotate the head clockwise 90° to reset the latch, but do NOT push down on the head of the pin yet.

(2) To get the pin fully inserted through the motherboard, push only on the leg, NOT on the head of the pin.

(3) While holding the leg firmly against the motherboard with one hand, you can now push on the head of the pin with your other hand until the latch clicks.

(4) If you're re-seating the entire cooler, then be sure to latch the pins across from one another, rather than next to one another. Use an "X" pattern, so as to apply even pressure during installation.

Intel Stock Cooler Installation

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qczGR4KMnY
​

(5) If a cooler has been moved in any way or becomes unseated, such as due to a loose push-pin, then the bond between the paste (thermal compound) and the top of the CPU has been compromised. As such, it's always necessary to thoroughly remove and clean the old pasted from the parts and apply new paste. If you've never done this, there are plenty of guides you can Google to show you how it's done properly.

Once again, welcome aboard!

CT