Question Low GPU/High CPU usage with Read Dead Redemption 2 ?

[Cory Compton]

Hi everyone,

While playing certain games like Red Dead Redemption 2, I'm using close to 100% of my CPU and hardly any of my GPU, even though the game is 'supposedly' GPU intensive. The game plays fine, but I fear that putting such a huge strain on my CPU will damage it in the long run. Is there anything I can do to put less strain on my CPU and have my GPU share more of the workload?

https://imgur.com/smPWjUy

View: https://imgur.com/smPWjUy


My specs:

Nvidia GTX 1650 Super GPU
Intel Core i5-10400F CPU
WD Black SN750 1 TB NVMe SSD
16 GB RAM

 

[sizzling]

Runs cpu at 100% will not damage it unless voltages or temperatures are too high.

What resolution is your monitor and what game settings are you using. The higher the game settings and resolution the more work the gpu needs to do for the same FPS.

 

[Cory Compton]

My monitor is only 60hz and I limit my refresh rate to 50hz with VSync on so that the game's fps stays at a constant 50. Helps keep the fps more stable since my GPU and CPU aren't very powerful. These are my graphics settings:

• Texture quality: Ultra
• Anisotropic filtering: X16
• Lighting quality: High
• Global illumination quality: Medium
• Shadow quality: High
• Far shadow quality: Medium
• SSAO: Medium
• Reflection quality: Low
• Mirror quality: Ultra
• Tessellation: High
• TAA: High
• FXAA/MSAA: Off
• Graphics API: Vulkan
• Near volumetric resolution: Low
• Far volumetric resolution: Ultra
• Volumetric lighting quality: Medium
• Unlocked volumetric raymarch resolution: Off
• Particle lighting quality: Medium
• Soft shadows: High
• Grass shadows: Medium
• Long shadows: Off
• Full resolution SSAO: Off
• Water Refraction quality: High
• Water reflection quality: Medium
• Water physics: 1/6
• TAA sharpening: Off
• Motion blur: On
• Geometry level of detail: Max
• Grass level of detail: Medium
• Tree quality: Medium
• Parallax Occlusion Mapping Quality: Medium
• Decal/Fur quality: High
• Tree tessellation: On

 

[sizzling]

What resolution?

Running V-Sync capped to 50Hz will reduce gpu and cpu workload. You have a mixture of low, medium, high, ultra settings. Try increasing the low/medium settings to high.

 

[Cory Compton]

Resolution is full screen at 1080p. I would rather avoid messing with my settings too much because it took significant tweaking to get it at the right balance between fps and visual quality. Is there anything else I could do?

 

[sizzling]

Resolution is full screen at 1080p. I would rather avoid messing with my settings too much because it took significant tweaking to get it at the right balance between fps and visual quality. Is there anything else I could do?

Resolution is full screen at 1080p. I would rather avoid messing with my settings too much because it took significant tweaking to get it at the right balance between fps and visual quality. Is there anything else I could do?

The gpu usage is a result of V-Sync and the game settings. To increase gpu utilisation you need to increase either the game settings or remove v-sync. Most game settings don’t impact cpu usage, this game is very cpu heavy. As you have low gpu utilisation you should be able to increase some settings keeping v-sync and have no impact on performance.

 

[sizzling]

Is your ram 2x8gb or 1x16gb?

 

[Cory Compton]

Is your ram 2x8gb or 1x16gb?

2x8 gb

 

[revodo]

You seriously have to mess around with RDD2 / RDO settings to get a good balance of quality and stable framerates. Keep tinkering.