Question Low FPS, GPU/CPU not fully utilized

[Timo001]

Having issues in many games, especially heavy games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Squad mainly, as here FPS very often is below 60 on average, GPU usage is 30-60%, CPU usage similar. FPS is about half of what i used to have and benchmarks from people online.

Specs
- AMD Ryzen 7 5700G
- RTX 3060 TI
- 16 GB RAM
- 1TB SSD + 4 TB External HDD
- 1080p 144 Hz monitor
- BIOS F.30 (September 2023)
- B550 Chipset
- Not sure what PSU hardware is installed.

Benchmark test from 10 months ago, BIOS has been updated since then, not sure if i had the same issues back then since i played different games but i believe it might've been happening already but wasn't aware of it since PUBG which i played at the time had been dropping in frames hard as well whereas benchmark tests from people online suggest 100 fps+ should be easily attainable.
https://www.userbenchmark.com/UserRun/60712109

Userbenchmark doesn't allow me to do benchmarks anymore as i don't have the pro version and always says that the servers are full.


Key takeaways
- In benchmark tests both are able to go up to 100%
- FPS is about half of other people's benchmarks with equal equipment (utilization around 40-60%)
- In CP2077 when raytracing turned on GPU does reach 100% but frames are only slightly lower than on low settings (low = 60 fps average, RT = 45 fps)
- Happens across all games, and feel like it used to perform better when i bought the PC in 2021.
- in Squad, FPS differs per maps, small maps max 80 fps, big heavy maps drops down to even 30-40 fps, friends with much lower equipment get clean 60 fps all the time
- GPU and CPU temp both hover around 75 C
- in Squad FPS doesn't change with graphics settings
- FPS in games used to always be 144+, nowadays struggle to even reach 100, even on lower end games.
- Overclocking has minimal impact (MSI afterburner)
- I was abroad half a year in 2022 and so the PC was inactive for 6 months, issues might have started once i got back.
- Unlike many other people with similar issues, i did not recently upgrade.


Tried
- Change power mode in windows (was already ultimate performance)
- Change power mode in NVCP (was already high performance)
- Updated windows to latest version
- Updated CPU, GPU and Chipset drivers (GPU Clean DDU uninstall and Geforce experience install (also tried windows), Chipset and CPU through AMD Software)
- Reinstall games
- Verify game files
- Attempted to change CPPC and SMT in BIOS but since its an HP desktop the options are not available
- Deleted temp and cache files
- Made sure games are run on RTX 3060 TI and not integrated graphics card
- vsync on/off. NVidia low latency on/off
- Disabled third party background apps through System Configuration
Edit
-Updated BIOS

Haven't tried
- reset PC

Now it shouldn't be a CPU bottleneck, or single core performance as this CPU should be more than capable, since ive had better performance in the past and since the individual CPU cores never get to 100% and instead all range between 30-70% when playing games. Im not sure how to update my BIOS as the bios (AMI) does not provide updates to users directly in the same way you would update drivers. the CPU should have great single core performance and the bottleneck really should be the GPU first.

edit- BIOS has been updated through HP Support Assistant, no changes

I can only guess it is a software issue or some dumb setting that needs to be changed that is limiting performance. With games like Cyberpunk, sure i could play with RT on and get the most out of the GPU, yet id rather play clean 100+ FPS with raytracing off which just isn't possible at the moment. Other games the low FPS almost makes it unplayable.

I will try to reset my PC and hope that fixes things but according to many who have had similar issues it didn't work for them.

I hope to fix this issue soon,
Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

 

[zinkles]

Im not sure how to update my BIOS as the bios (AMI) does not provide updates to users directly in the same way you would update drivers.

The BIOS updates are provided from the motherboard manufacturer. Generally, in their websites support page for your specific (it should be the EXACT) motherboard model.

- FPS is about half of other people's benchmarks with equal equipment (utilization around 40-60%)

I think you meant FPS is half of FPS others are getting? (since you mentioned utilization maxes out in benchmarks)

 

[Timo001]

The BIOS updates are provided from the motherboard manufacturer. Generally, in their websites support page for your specific (it should be the EXACT) motherboard model.


I think you meant FPS is half of FPS others are getting? (since you mentioned utilization maxes out in benchmarks)

AMI doesn't provide any such things on their website, and im not sure where i should find the exact motherboard model.
HP says to update the BIOS i must use their HP Support Assistant which i didnt even know i had, i will try this as they suggest a few updates to install.

Indeed i meant FPS half of the FPS that others are getting in video games with similar hardware. Benchmarks perform just fine.

Thank you for your reply! Ill come back on whether the HP Support Assistant app works.

 

[COLGeek]

Don't use YouTube videos as a source to compare your system performance. Many (most) of those are faked and not worth your time. UBM is another poor source for comparison.

AMI will not provide your BIOS update. The motherboard maker will.

HP, in your case, is the source for such an upgrade.

 

[Timo001]

Don't use YouTube videos as a source to compare your system performance. Many (most) of those are faked and not worth your time. UBM is another poor source for comparison.

AMI will not provide your BIOS update. The motherboard maker will.

HP, in your case, is the source for such an upgrade.

Its more that, the videos on Youtube match the FPS i used to get. My hardware is far ahead of the required or recommended for Squad, yet fail to reach 60 fps consistently.

I have updated the BIOS to F.31 as well as some other updates HP recommended, however there is no change in performance.

Thank you for your reply though. Hope to still find a solution. Its just weird that CP2077 is able to reach 100% GPU usage yet when on lower settings its only at 40% Those Youtube videos, if real, always have GPU usage at 100%, regardless of settings, this is what I'm mainly trying to fix.

-edit
Even lowering the resolution of CP2077 you'd expect a significant gain in FPS, yet there is no change, except an even lower GPU usage, from 60% down to 30% when reducing the resolution from 1080 to 720. Would this suggest a CPU bottleneck? Even when none of the CPU cores are maxing out?

 

[COLGeek]

What are your typical CPU and GPU operating temperatures at idle and under load?

 

[Timo001]

What are your typical CPU and GPU operating temperatures at idle and under load?

Under load:
GPU max 80 average 78
CPU max 77 Average 75

Idle:
GPU average 50
CPU average 55

Temperatures seem normal, as i am looking at the afterburner hardware monitor, i do notice, under load, my GPU is hitting the "voltage limit" as well as the power limit occasionally. Is this related to the PSU? and how does this work in relation to the GPU hitting 100% in benchmark and raytracing but not on lower settings?

 

[COLGeek]

Your CPU idle is higher that I would expect. Are you overclocking anything (CPU, GPU, or memory)? If so, stop and see what temps look like.

What you are seeing is not because of the PSU, but from the device defaults/settings.

Do you have Ryzen Master installed?

 

[Timo001]

Your CPU idle is higher that I would expect. Are you overclocking anything (CPU, GPU, or memory)? If so, stop and see what temps look like.

What you are seeing is not because of the PSU, but from the device defaults/settings.

Do you have Ryzen Master installed?

I suppose i mightve been overclocking and it might not have had time to reach lower temps yet.
Just after startup right now the CPU hovers around 35-40 C

I do have Ryzen Master installed.
So would the voltage be maxing out the GPU and bottlenecking it or is it not related?

Thank you for your reply

 

[Unolocogringo]

A little explaining.
Your CPU determines the max FPS you get. It must calculate size and position of every object on screen that you see. Called a wire frame. Then your GPU adds all of the pretty textures,colors,skins and effects to the wire frame.
Most games have a main thread and the secondary threads. Very few games can use all core/threads@100%
If the main thread is maxing out the core it is running on, you are at your max FPS.
Your processor has 6 cores/6 threads.
1 core at 100%=16.666666% CPU usage 2 cores would be 33.333333%, 3 cores maxed would be 50%.
MOST games use 1 main thread so when that CPU core is @100% the other cores are waiting for data from the main thread to do their work.
Your Idle temps are a little high so you could have a lot of stuff running in the background you are not aware of.
Check windows task manager/startup tab and disable most everything there.
Not sound.mouse software etc.....
Game launchers, software updaters,etc....

Your GPU bios has setting for max voltage/temp/fan speeds etc
The performance limiter might be clockspeed,voltage, or temperature. It varies from game to game and even case cooling can play a factor. So no problem there.

 

[Timo001]

A little explaining.
Your CPU determines the max FPS you get. It must calculate size and position of every object on screen that you see. Called a wire frame. Then your GPU adds all of the pretty textures,colors,skins and effects to the wire frame.
Most games have a main thread and the secondary threads. Very few games can use all core/threads@100%
If the main thread is maxing out the core it is running on, you are at your max FPS.
Your processor has 6 cores/6 threads.
1 core at 100%=16.666666% CPU usage 2 cores would be 33.333333%, 3 cores maxed would be 50%.
MOST games use 1 main thread so when that CPU core is @100% the other cores are waiting for data from the main thread to do their work.
Your Idle temps are a little high so you could have a lot of stuff running in the background you are not aware of.
Check windows task manager/startup tab and disable most everything there.
Not sound.mouse software etc.....
Game launchers, software updaters,etc....

Your GPU bios has setting for max voltage/temp/fan speeds etc
The performance limiter might be clockspeed,voltage, or temperature. It varies from game to game and even case cooling can play a factor. So no problem there.

Thank you for your explanation, however as i said before none of the individual cores ever reach 100%, also my CPU has 8 cores, not 6. The temperatures are 35-45, which according to the internet are considered normal. In task manager all startup programs I've always had disabled as well.

If the CPU is bottlenecked by clockspeed or voltage, would a new CPU improve things? It still doesn't explain how other people with much lower equipment on gaming laptops are able to achieve higher performance and are able to fully utilize their GPU.

 

[Unolocogringo]

If you Turn up settings for the video card and increase draw distance/shadows/fog in your games, CPU and GPU usage will go up.
You can turn settings up enough that the GPU will always be @ 100%.
But at a point the GPU will become the limiting factor, not the CPU.
Sorry about the core mistake, another similar thread with a 9600k. But the same principal applies.

 

[Timo001]

If you Turn up settings for the video card and increase draw distance/shadows/fog in your games, CPU and GPU usage will go up.
You can turn settings up enough that the GPU will always be @ 100%.
But at a point the GPU will become the limiting factor, not the CPU.
Sorry about the core mistake, another similar thread with a 9600k. But the same principal applies.

I believe the problem is the CPU, as the past month its gotten even slower, GPU usage is getting even lower in games. I have noticed my CPU total wattage only comes to around 25 while in supposed cpu intensive games, meanwhile the internet states 65-150 is normal, possibly going up to 300+. Would this be the possible bottleneck and would the power supply be the problem?

 

[strelok49]

These 16GB are in Dual Channel Mode?

5700G should be enough to keep 3060TI above 85% GPU usage in every AAA game. So it's not the CPU here.



1) Entire system, absolutely everything, in stock. No XMP, no overclocking. All in stock. No changes on Windows too. Completely default/stock system.

2) Reinstall NVIDIA driver selecting the "clean install" option. Do not change anything in the drivers.

3) Check exactly what the PSU you have. Whatever it is, it may be damaged (it happens over the time).

4) Be sure that games are installed on SSD

5) Remove HDD (both cables).

If the problem persists, you will need to reinstall windows, test other SSD, other memories and other PSU.