Low FPS, but low CPU & GPU usage? (FX 6200, HD 7870)

[JOOK-D]

Hi, this is my rig I've had for a year, built by PCSpecialist.co.uk:

CPU: AMD FX 6200 @ 3.8 GHz (stock)
GPU: Powercolor HD 7870 (stock) w/ Aftermarket CPU cooler, Titan 'Super Quiet 22dBA Cooler'
MB: ASUS M5A97 R2.0
PSU: Corsair TX 650 (I've noticed an odd coil whine, corresponding to movement of the mouse.)
RAM: 8 GB Kingston Hyperx 1600 MHz
HDD 500 GB WD Green
Monitor Res: Main - 1360x768 (I prefer to play widescreen), Secondary 1600x1200

My problem is that I drop frames even when my CPU & GPU usages are low. This problem has persisted the entire time I have owned this rig.

Here are some examples:
CPU 42% in Saints Row 3, GPU always below 50% - FPS is always changing, ranging from 130 indoors to 10-70 outside.
GTA IV EFLC has similar performance, CPU bumps up to 50 occasionally, but GPU stays at around 40 - FPS varies massively from 10-70, changing graphics settings seemed to have little effect on it.
Garry's Mod CPU was 16%, and GPU 19%, frames varied from 50-180, generally around 80-100.
TF2 CPU was 37%, GPU was 19% mostly, FPS was 45-80 unless standing alone inside, in which case it when up to high 180s. Have to play on Medium/Low Settings. 🙁

Basically, in all games, FPS is never stable.

Also, FPS seems to decrease drastically when looking into the distance on any game, I'm not sure whether this is normal.

This has puzzled me for a long time, and has led to me not gaming much on this rig at all. Surely I should have higher usage and therefore higher FPS? Is my CPU bottlenecking my GPU? Are some parts broken D:? Do I need to change some BIOS settings? Help!

Thanks for any response in advance, all help is appreciated. If you need any more info just ask me!

 

[Frisbee_68]

Do you have vertical sync turned on in your games? V-sync tends to devastate fps in most games...try turning that off. If that doesn't help, try lowering your AA settings.

 

[JOOK-D]

Do you have vertical sync turned on in your games? V-sync tends to devastate fps in most games...try turning that off. If that doesn't help, try lowering your AA settings.

I've done that 🙁

 

[tiny voices]

What are your CPU and GPU temps? under load.

Your CPU isn't the best. (6100 and 6200 and awful in comparison to the 6300) It will be the limiting factor is VERY CPU intensive games but that doesn't sound like the issue here. What game/settings/FPS are we talking about?

 

[JOOK-D]

What are your CPU and GPU temps? under load.

Your CPU isn't the best. (6100 and 6200 and awful in comparison to the 6300) It will be the limiting factor is VERY CPU intensive games but that doesn't sound like the issue here. What game/settings/FPS are we talking about?

I'm just about to reinstall windows as I've been advised that it may be a driver issue. All games seem to run worse than expected. Some games such as Garry's Mod, GTA IV EFLC (bad console port, I know), Saints Row 3, all run badly (ie. vary unstable FPS constantly dipping below 60, sometimes into the 20s, and by constantly I mean every few seconds 😛 ) regardless of the graphics settings, I can turn them to max or low. Does that indicate that it's a CPU issue? On the other hand, TF2 FPS seems to vary depending on graphical settings (I might be going insane, who knows). And I know about the 6200 and how poor it is compared to the 6300, just wish I'd known when I bought it. 🙁 May upgrade in the near future to an 8320, after I get this problem fixed. If by load you mean 100% usage, I prime95 tested and CPU was 54 deg centigrade (in a hot small room with little ventilation), but I don't know of a program for GPU testing. Could you recommend one? Thanks!

 

[tiny voices]

Get MSI afterburner for GPU temps.

It sounds like it could be a driver issue or a CPU issue. tf2 should max all day every day. A computer without a GPU can run it fine. I would remove all the graphics drivers are do a fresh install. Did it only recently start doing this?

 

[JOOK-D]

Get MSI afterburner for GPU temps.

It sounds like it could be a driver issue or a CPU issue. tf2 should max all day every day. A computer without a GPU can run it fine. I would remove all the graphics drivers are do a fresh install. Did it only recently start doing this?

I just reinstalled Windows and I am installing drivers now. It's been doing it since I can remember, honestly. I'll get the GPU temps to you soon.

 

[JOOK-D]

Get MSI afterburner for GPU temps.

It sounds like it could be a driver issue or a CPU issue. tf2 should max all day every day. A computer without a GPU can run it fine. I would remove all the graphics drivers are do a fresh install. Did it only recently start doing this?

Alright so I maxed absolutely everything and TF2 ran at 70-100 FPS, 160ish when leaving spawn then decreasing from there. There were only a few spikes that resulted in lower FPS. The GPU load wouldn't go above 26% so I'm not sure how I'd max it, but the temp hovered at around 56 deg centigrade. I tried Saints Row 3 again but FPS was still stuck around 30. 🙁 Should I upgrade my CPU (i.e is there an issue with it) or could there be a problem with something else? I was looking at the FX 8320 as I don't really have the money to change to an intel build. Thanks for the help so far.

 

[tiny voices]

The CPU might be holding you back in saint's row.

 

[Frisbee_68]

Garry's mod and TF2 are also CPU intensive. Gmod especially.

 

[JOOK-D]

Yeah, I understand the CPU intensiveness. But everywhere else I look and see benchmarks all massively higher than my own. Even Minecraft won't go above 60 FPS. I assume that the problem is with the CPU rather than the GPU as graphics settings make no difference to FPS, but I'd just like to be sure, before I replace it. Any tips? Thanks for the help so far.

 

[tiny voices]

Yes, I have an i3 and I get the same FPS in minecraft with integrated graphics vs. 2 gtx560s in SLI.

Your CPU will hold you back in minecraft.

 

[JOOK-D]

Yes, I have an i3 and I get the same FPS in minecraft with integrated graphics vs. 2 gtx560s in SLI.

Your CPU will hold you back in minecraft.

Ok well I've basically decided on upgrading to an FX 8320. I also discovered that my GPU may not be being worked hard enough in games because of my tiny monitor resolution, so I'll try and increase to at least 1920 x 1080. Apparently the CPU gets worked harder at lower res so my GPU load will be low, and since the CPU is so weak I get low FPS. Thanks for all the help!

 

[tiny voices]

That is most likely the problem here.

 

[JOOK-D]

That is most likely the problem here.

Thanks a lot, you've been really helpful. Anything I can do to repay you?

 

[tiny voices]

Don't worry about it man. I'm just glad we got it figured out. I'm thinking that because your resolution is so low, your GPU is able to run games at max settings but your CPU cannot keep up. If you had a 1080p monitor you would only be playing at a mix of medium and high settings and your CPU might do better. regardless, you should see a major improvement with an fx 8320.