Is my AMD FX-8320 bottlenecking my Radeon HD 7850?

[ninjaalamode]

I've been asking around various places trying to figure out this problem of mine...


I finally built my first desktop PC, but I have been having some problems.
I have a Powercolor Radeon HD 7850 (2GB) GPU and an AMD FX-8320 CPU.

My friend has a Gigabyte Radeon HD 7850 (2GB) GPU and an i5-3570k CPU. While he can max out Borderlands 2 and Final Fantasy XIV at 60 FPS no problem, I have issues with Final Fantasy 14 and Borderlands 2 dipping down into 30 FPS at max settings.

He said specifically that he was always getting 60 FPS (at least, above it if he doesn't cap the frames) on Borderlands 2.

Our GPU's are the same and aren't overclocked (our CPU's are not overclocked either), so the only thing I can think of is that my CPU is bottlenecking my GPU. When I built my computer I was under the impression that an 8320 would not bottleneck the 7850; could this really be the case?

Another strange thing is that I get a lower frame rate on League of Legends with my desktop than I do on my laptop (i7-3610QM & Geforce GT 650M). I run LoL at a consistent 60 FPS maxed out on my laptop while it goes down to 45 FPS on my desktop at at times. This is really strange to me, being that my 8320 seems to be on par with the i7-3610QM (CPUBoss.com) and my GPU is definitely better than my laptop's.

I run FFXIV better on my desktop, but my laptop runs League of Legends better than my desktop!?


My drivers are up-to-date (13.10).

My Build: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/1CDvZ

 

[Jaxem]

An fx 4300 could max those games. It just sounds like something is wrong with your system, the CPU (unless its broken) is almost certainly not your issue, I have an 8320 with a 7870...and let's just say it could handle a whole lot more GPU than that.

 

[ninjaalamode]

Well, I was stupid and messed around a little bit with overclocking so I already voided the warranty on my GPU. I purchased it off of New Egg, so do they typically allow for people who have OC'd their GPU to do anything like purchase a new warranty?

I want to go on trying to fix this problem ASSUMING all my hardware is working correctly. If I can't figure this out then I'll have to resort to doing something like getting a new warranty and sending the card in (if I can; and I want to do this after trying everything else).


Is it possible that I set up my GPU in the PCI-E slot wrong at all? I have two slots I can fit the GPU into on my TA970 and, as far as I know, they both will run the GPU just as well (2.0 x16).

This is really bugging me... The frame rates I get seem too low for this problem to be just a software issue; I feel like it's going to end up being a hardware issue, but I've only ever heard of people getting dead-on-arrival stuff. Not half-working stuff.


I appreciate the help; thanks.

 

[Jaxem]

That could be your problem, the top slot is x16, but the bottom slot is only x4

 

[ninjaalamode]

That could be your problem, the top slot is x16, but the bottom slot is only x4

Sadly it's not. From what I found it means that both slots will function as x16 if only one card is plugged in, but if two cards are plugged in one slot will function as x4.

Even if that isn't the case, my card is plugged into the top slot.


Also, I'm beginning to think my problems really are coming from a faulty GPU. I seem get almost half the frames of someone else with a 7850 on Far Cry 3, and when I check my GPU in CCC it's running at 99% power.

 

[kaiteck]

So had you changed ur gpu?
Is the problem solved?

 

[chargeit]

The game should run at 60 fps 90% of the time with your setup.

Your friend is most likely dropping fps, and not realizing it, or refusing to accept it. There are some spots in that game, when you look in just the correct area, it likes to drop fps.

You might need to oc your FX8320. @4.2, the drops shouldn't be nearly as bad (40 - 45). Combat shouldn't be an issue, unless you're looking at one of those bad spots.

It is CPU related. I now have a GTX 780, and it drops in the same spots as my HD 7850. I Still fail to believe that your friend is maxed out, and never dropping fps.

 

[iRobertTM]

Wow, I have almost the exact same issue!! 🙁 I just made a thread here as well. It's like our video cards are only working half way.. If you find a solution please please please message me here or at iRobertTM@gmail.com. Thank you so much.

 

[usbgtx550]

Download MSI afterburner during a game and see what your core and memory clock are. Also, try reverting to an older driver. Those mantle drivers have been nothing but headaches. BTW, I run an 8320 oc to 4.4ghz with crossfire 7850&7870 that runs bf4 ultra well.