Question Low GPU usage in some games, seemingly at random ?

[LukasPc]

OS: Windows 10 Pro 64-bit

Mobo: Z370 GAMING PLUS

CPU: Intel Core i9 9900K @ 5.00GHz

GPU: 3080 ZOTAC.

Ram: Corsair vengence 4000mhz


Hello there! I'm experiencing issues when it comes usage of the card in some games, and I've no idea why.

This seems completely at random, some games like warzone will use 95+% gpu with absolutely no issue at all, no frame drops ect. Then other games will simply not use more than 50% of the gpu. (Fortnite for example.) Thirdly, some games will use 90%+ (New evil dead) but suffer severe stuttering when the GPU usage drops below 50% for a few seconds mid-game.

Things I've tried;
DDU uninstall and install new drivers.
Fresh windows install.
Power mode.
Reinstalled games.
Changed between my drives.
Temporary Windows user account
Control panel changes
Clean boot of Windows.
Trying it on a friend's pc (Same exact issue with the card)
Different monitor (same issue)
Checked cooling.
Changed Cpu.
Changed ram.
Vsync off.
Capping the framerate at various caps.

I've ran through about every single support step on the games too, emailing their support and to no avail.
I've also emailed Nvidia support and took part in a long email chain with them where I tried many things but nothing worked.
They say because the card works in some games that It can't be an issue with the card.
The repair shop guy said that he's never seen an issue like this before but says that it could be potentially the cryptomining thing triggering on certain games fnr, but he isn't sure.
Any help is appreciated.

Please don't say it's a cpu bottleneck because it 1000% isn't and it's frustrating to hear this again and again.

 

[ProfSeaGoat]

I'm just not seeing it. Over 80% of the games are 95%+ utilization.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCXNn-6ZCnw&t=642s&ab_channel=SuperSkuki

Well you must be rather blind then as a lot of the games on show are way below 100% GPU usage.

 

[ProfSeaGoat]

Here is some CPU limited games using the 5600x that I used to own with the 3070.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xB8NRisL1r0


None actually drop much further than 95%.

Also using CPU recording with OBS. 6 cores, not 8.

Borderlands 3 is the worst optimized POS to have come out recently and even that still utilizes most of the GPU, find a 9900K getting anywhere near this performance with a 3080 or even the 3070.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ed2jPcKLiEY

 

[Ralston18]

@ProfSeaGoat

"Well you must be rather blind then as a lot of the games on show are way below 100% GPU usage. "

Please remain civil and courteous per Forum rules. No need for insulting comments or other abuse towards those who respond to member questions.

For the record you have been warned accordingly.

 

[Ralston18]

USAFRet and others are clearly not incompetent.

After reading your other posts and comments I believe that you need to reconsider further participation within this Forum.

 

[Deleted member 362816]

@ProfSeaGoat

"Well you must be rather blind then as a lot of the games on show are way below 100% GPU usage. "

Please remain civil and courteous per Forum rules. No need for insulting comments or other abuse towards those who respond to member questions.

For the record you have been warned accordingly.

USAFRet and others are clearly not incompetent.

After reading your other posts and comments I believe that you need to reconsider further participation within this Forum.

Thank you for taking care of this, Now back to the topic at hand. OP I never did ask what resolution are you playing at 1080,1440,2160?

 

[LukasPc]

Thank you for taking care of this, Now back to the topic at hand. OP I never did ask what resolution are you playing at 1080,1440,2160?

I've had a go at 1080 and 1440 with the same issue persisting. Now, I ran a timespy and it gave some interesting data. The card itself before the graphics test in the bit where the lass is going around with the magnifying glass runs at around 60% usage but the tests easily hits and stays at 100%.

 

[Deleted member 362816]

I've had a go at 1080 and 1440 with the same issue persisting. Now, I ran a timespy and it gave some interesting data. The card itself before the graphics test in the bit where the lass is going around with the magnifying glass runs at around 60% usage but the tests easily hits and stays at 100%.

Before I replaced my Motherboard I was able to get 99% GPU usage in Timespy and Firestrike also, but this did not correlate to my actual games. If you are getting the same GPU usage at both 1440P and 1080 something is wrong with the card itself I would say. There is a slight bottleneck at 1080p that is for sure, But not much of one that would go below 80% in games like BFV and other cpu intensive ones at 1440p from the videos I have watched. In the youtube test above that I posted do you have any of those games? If so you can directly compare GPU usage at 1440P.

 

[LukasPc]

Before I replaced my Motherboard I was able to get 99% GPU usage in Timespy and Firestrike also, but this did not correlate to my actual games. If you are getting the same GPU usage at both 1440P and 1080 something is wrong with the card itself I would say. There is a slight bottleneck at 1080p that is for sure, But not much of one that would go below 80% in games like BFV and other cpu intensive ones at 1440p from the videos I have watched. In the youtube test above that I posted do you have any of those games? If so you can directly compare GPU usage at 1440P.

I sent the card and and it's not a card issue. It's something with my pc or my settings, going to try various things when I get it back then let you know.

 

[LukasPc]

Before I replaced my Motherboard I was able to get 99% GPU usage in Timespy and Firestrike also, but this did not correlate to my actual games. If you are getting the same GPU usage at both 1440P and 1080 something is wrong with the card itself I would say. There is a slight bottleneck at 1080p that is for sure, But not much of one that would go below 80% in games like BFV and other cpu intensive ones at 1440p from the videos I have watched. In the youtube test above that I posted do you have any of those games? If so you can directly compare GPU usage at 1440P.

Yeah no clue mate, I've tried with borderlands 3 for example and the card doesn't exceed 70% I'm completely stumped.

 

[Ssenderling]

I sent the card and and it's not a card issue. It's something with my pc or my settings, going to try various things when I get it back then let you know.

Dude I'm having the same exact issue. I have a 3070 and a 10600k and I also had 2 ek AIO pumps die within a month of each other, and replaced my motherboard because it stopped working. Then the PC worked fine for a week or so and then my RGB on my ram went out and that's when I first noticed the issue. The first 5-10 minutes of a game after having booted up the computer the game works great then out of no where my GPU usage drops to around 50% and my CPU usage spikes to around 80-90% and my ram usage goes from like 8gb to over 14gb. Causing a massive drops in frame rate. It also only does it in certain games. Splitgate, Fortnite, and Spiderman all exhibit the issue, but doom eternal doesnt have the issue at all. I need to test a few more games. But the only way to fix the issue is to reboot the computer and then it works for another few minutes before acting crazy again.

So I originally figured it must be the ram because the RGB had just gone out, so I replaced the ram with better ram and it still was happening. So then I figured well maybe its the motherboard because the one I replaced it with was an open box, but still no fix. I just ordered a new PSU that should be here in a few days and I will let you know if it makes any difference. I haven't tried a windows reset yet because it didn't seem to have any effect for you. Aside from that it could only be CPU or GPU and you said your GPU was fine (so hopefully mine is too) so maybe it's a CPU issue. Not a bottleneck but just a malfunctioning CPU... I'm at my wits end with this. I'm even starting to wonder if I have somehow gotten a virus that is allowing someone else to utilize half of my GPU for mining or something rediculous but you would think a windows reset would fix that... Pleas let me know if you have found a solution!

 

[Ssenderling]

I sent the card and and it's not a card issue. It's something with my pc or my settings, going to try various things when I get it back then let you know.

And its weird that they said the card was fine when you said it exhibits the same behavior on someone else's PC...

 

[LukasPc]

And its weird that they said the card was fine when you said it exhibits the same behavior on someone else's PC...

Hello! I know this reply is a few months late but....here we are. I'm going to be replacing the CPU, did you replace yours and/or have any luck with it? My i9 was used, so I'm HOPING a brand new one fixes it.

 

[Ssenderling]

Hello! I know this reply is a few months late but....here we are. I'm going to be replacing the CPU, did you replace yours and/or have any luck with it? My i9 was used, so I'm HOPING a brand new one fixes it.

Hi there I actually did find a solution tho the issue my PC was having. I ended up doing a complete windows reset. Worked fine after that. I really hope this works for you. I'm sorry to hear you're still having the issue...