Low GPU usage Low FPS

SubSt8

Honorable
Mar 18, 2013
67
0
10,630
+ Motherboard: MSI X79A-GD65 (8D) LGA 2011 Intel X79 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel
+ Power Supply: OCZ ZX Series 1000W
+ Case: COOLER MASTER HAF 932
+ CPU: Intel Core i7-3960X
+ CPU cooler: Intel BXRTS2011LC Liquid-cooled
+ Memory: 8 x CORSAIR XMS3 4GB
+ GPU: 2x G1 Gaming GeForce GTX 980
+ OS: Windows 8.1 64
+ Hardrives: Corsair Performance Pro Series CSSD-P256GB (Games drive) Corsair Force Series GT CSSD-F120GB (Windows drive)
+ Monitor: Acer XB270HU Gsync
+ Sound: Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium HD (Sound Card) Fiio E9 Desktop Headphone Amplifier ULTRASONE HFI-2400 (Headphones)
+ Microphone: Samson Meteor Mic USB
+ Keyboard: Logitech G19
+ Mouse: Razer Naga

While playing games I get low GPU and CPU usage with low FPS and I can not track down this issue.

In BF4 on the lowest or ultra settings I get 80-100 fps in multiplayer and in Far Cry on lowest or ultra I get 50-80 fps. All at 1080p. Temps are all fine, 40-60. I've done benchmarks and I get scores I ought to be getting, during the benchmarks I get 90-95% GPU usage, also when I launch BF4 test range I get proper usage. But in multiplayer BF4 I get 30-40% usage and in Far Cry 4, the same usage.

Reformtted drives, reinstalled Windows, reinstalled drivers using DDU. I have unparked my CPU, I have the latest drivers. I have tried using EVGA Precision to force my GPU to run at max clock speed via the Kboost option that someone suggested trying. I have installed the DirectX libraries. I have tried with and without hyperthreading. Also found my motherboard didn't have PCIe gen 3 enabled, so I enabled that, yet GPU-Z shows that the cards are still PCIe 2. I reinstalled my GPU drivers without Geforce experience that some have said to fix this issue for them and still no luck.

All my power plans (CPU and GPU) are set to high performance.

Had this issue with my previous Titan GPU and my previous non-gsync monitor, I've installed windows on different hard drives and recently added 16 gigs of ram.


HALP!
 
this might sound like a stupid question, but when you're getting low usage what's your FPS like?

you are using a 1440p 144hz gsync monitor which would mean your hardware should be scaled to meet the demand of the title. have you tried with gsync off?
 

SubSt8

Honorable
Mar 18, 2013
67
0
10,630
In BF4 on the lowest or ultra settings I get 80-100 fps in multiplayer and in Far Cry on lowest or ultra I get 50-80 fps.

I haven't tried turning Gysnc off because this issue existed before I had a gsync monitor.
 
Then i don't think i see the problem here. I'm assuming you're playing at 1440p. ANd 80-100fps is roughly what you should be getting, multiplayer taxes more than single player and most benchmarks give single player as far as I'm aware. You're hovering around where you should be for BF4.

Far cry... I don't know. But i dont' think you're the only one with the issue. I think it's one of those games where SLI doesn't work very well. Try single card and see if it's any better for that game. If it isn't then I don't know what to say. Maybe update drivers?
 

SubSt8

Honorable
Mar 18, 2013
67
0
10,630


Ehhh no, 1080p not 1440p. Also if you had read, I have updated drivers.
 

SubSt8

Honorable
Mar 18, 2013
67
0
10,630


As I said, this issue existed when I had a single Titan GPU, but for the sake of testing, same results.
 

SubSt8

Honorable
Mar 18, 2013
67
0
10,630


Hur dur so helpful.

Maybe when my GPU actually performs the way it should I will consider bumping back up to 1440p.
 

SubSt8

Honorable
Mar 18, 2013
67
0
10,630


I've tried 1440p, same issue. CPU usage never breaks 50%.
 


have you tried with vsync off?
 

SubSt8

Honorable
Mar 18, 2013
67
0
10,630

I have a gysnc monitor so I leave vsync off, for the sake of testing I've tried both on and off with no luck.
 

SubSt8

Honorable
Mar 18, 2013
67
0
10,630

According to Nvidia inspector:
Current clock: 1228 MHz
Boost: 1329 MHz

Which seems about right where it is in game.
 
^already mentioned and suggested and rementioned and now mentioning it again.

@OP, at this point the only thing i can think of is to try overclocking your CPU and seeing if the performance is still around that area, even though your cpu is not bottlenecking. I'm assuming you're comparing to other benchmarks found online, and if i'm not mistaken, those are usually overclocked CPUs.

It's not a solution clearly, but it's at least something to try and see if it has any effects, just do a small overclock of maybe say 100-200Mhz. It probably won't give you noticeable differences. If you've already tried it. Then I don't know.

I had a feeling it'd be your PSU at first, but then I looked at the make and model of it, and it's clearly a quality one. Your system itself doesn't come close to 1000W anyways.

Hell, even something as simple as a virus scan might be something to try at this point. At least to help figure something out.
 


it does sound like a cpu bottleneck. while OP said usage on the cpu doesn't break 50% i'd like to know the core breakdown. 50% on a 6 core core cpu is technically 3 cores fully maxed in some situations. now hyperthreading messes with that math a bit, but if he's hitting 50% utilization i'd be willing to bet he has a few cores at 100% utilization and as a result is bottlenecking.
 

SubSt8

Honorable
Mar 18, 2013
67
0
10,630

Interestingly enough, just tested this and one core shows 90-100% usage while in games, the others 20-40. So what should I do to try to fix this?
 
go check which cores are being used by the games. (probably not gonna be it, but never hurts)

It's pretty late right now and i can't really think too hard on anything right now. So, aside from that and potential windows patches or whatever (which i'm assuming you'd already have done and have)

Otherwise, the easy work around would be the do a little overclock like i was suggesting earlier.
 

SubSt8

Honorable
Mar 18, 2013
67
0
10,630
Yeah it's always the same core that is getting used the most. I've done a lot of computer work but never needed to overclock, any chance you have a reliable source where I can learn some about overclocking?