Low GPU usage on my gtx 760

[Shani T]

So lets start with the beginning . I had a gtx 480 running pretty much any game but it is broken.
So i decided to get the Gtx 760 Msi Twinfrozr 2gb .
now my promblem is that i am getting low fps and a low Gpu usage , i had always 100% gpu usage on my gtx 480 but with this 760 it's at 20%-60% Gpu usage. Altought im using the gtx 480 cables to connect my 760 , it are the same pin connectors so i tought it wouldnt matter since the new cables delivered with the 760 are a little short.so im thinking its the cables or a bottleneck any ideas?Anyway thx for reading.Here are my Specs.

-Psu 500W (little low but did run on my gtx480 that goes higher than 500W tho)
-Intel i5 cpu 650 @ 3.20Ghz (dual core)
-Nvidia gtx 760 msi twinfrozr 2gb
-Win 7 home premium 64 bit
-1680x1050 acer monitor 59ghz
-6gb ram
-im not sure about my motherboard i could check it if it's necessary.
i'm about to replace the processor , psu and motherboard in a month so advice about that would be nice also .

Edit : i see some cpu's are parked but i dont think this is causing a problem , also my processor usage in game is between 35-48%.
- so in most game GPU % is 20-60% with fps issues and but in bf3 it goes from 60% to 95% with kinda acceptable fps but it should get more also my friend gets more fps and he got the exact same card .

 

[cowboydude99]

Did you remove the drivers before setting up the 760?

 

[Shani T]

Yes i did do a clean win 7 reinstall and did install the newest driver for the gtx 760 on the nvidia site. I really dont have a clue whats going on here.:/

 

[dsprehe89]

I know this is going to sound stupid, but what frame rates are you getting in games and did you adjust your games visual setting after installing the new card?

What I am thinking is since the new card is faster, maybe it just doesn't need to use 100% if you have the setting low and say vsync on.

 

[Shani T]

well 15 fps in silkroad mmo , on high 30 fps in nosgoth(gtx 480 had stabke 60fps) , 40-90 fps in bf3 ultra, Dayz 30 fps (my 480 had 40-80) , this card should get way more my gtx 480 was getting more in nosgoth and silkroad and my friend doesnt drop down 60fps in all those games with the same gtx 760 model.
And yeah vsync is off tho.
so did i do a bad upgrade? might it be better if i buy a new mb , psu and cpu?

 

[dsprehe89]

well 15 fps in silkroad mmo , on high 30 fps in nosgoth(gtx 480 had stabke 60fps) , 40-90 fps in bf3 ultra, Dayz 30 fps (my 480 had 40-80) , this card should get way more my gtx 480 was getting more in nosgoth and silkroad and my friend doesnt drop down 60fps in all those games with the same gtx 760 model.
And yeah vsync is off tho.
so did i do a bad upgrade? might it be better if i buy a new mb , psu and cpu?

Well it obviously isn't what I was thinking it could be. I was thinking that a combination of v-sync and low graphic setting was causing you to run at capped 60fps and your gpu just didn't need to use more power. However, you can't just assume that because you and your friend have the same card you will be getting the same fps. Specially if he/she has a different cpu, but even looking at benchmarks on forums you will see people with the same setup getting slightly different results, usually within 1-2% though.

I wouldn't think it is your cpu or psu. However your cpu is a 1st gen 'i' series and intel has made some serious improvement over the past 5 years. 500W should be plenty for a 760 and if it were your cpu is bottlenecking the card you would see 100% usage of your cpu. I would try deleting your NVidia driver, removing the card, and reinstalling both just in case there was a corruption in the driver install. Other than that I don't have any other ideas. Have you tried running any gpu benchmarks like heaven to see if it will max the gpu?

 

[Shani T]

Ok thx for the info , i will try a benchmark now and come here after im done , although i did reinstall my drivers and removed graphic card etc. Ddn't help tho.

 

[dsprehe89]

Ok thx for the info , i will try a benchmark now and come here after im done , although i did reinstall my drivers and removed graphic card etc. Ddn't help tho.

Well the only reason I mention trying a graphics benchmark is because you can use free benchmark software that only tasks the gpu and if that runs perfectly fine then your problem isn't the gpu or its power and then would go back to the motherboard, cpu, or both.

 

[Shani T]

The heaven benchmark did un fine 99% gpu usage 35-70 fps i would say 40-45 average fps on ultra with AA on 8x / 59C temps +- 1200 core clock , oh and the benchmark did run for 45 mins is there a way to see a document with average fps and stuff or it just stops without any info given away?

 

[Shani T]

Would overclocking help a bit? what is a safe overclock ? I did overclock my gtx 480 using msi afterburner but im not sure how far i can push the 760 without harming it too much also should i higher the core voltage?

 

[dsprehe89]

The heaven benchmark did un fine 99% gpu usage 35-70 fps i would say 40-45 average fps on ultra with AA on 8x / 59C temps +- 1200 core clock , oh and the benchmark did run for 45 mins is there a way to see a document with average fps and stuff or it just stops without any info given away?

This makes me feel like your gpu is working fine. However that does not explain your frame rate drop in silkroad and nosgoth. Also, most of the articles I have read say that you will be bottlenecked, but you shouldn't have seen a fps drop when upgrading your cards. Basically the gaming results vs the benchmarking results are contradicting.

I found some articles that might provide a little light.

http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-1868596/core-650-ghz-bottleneck-gtx760.html

http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2007501/650-bottleneck-gtx-760.html

http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-1867332/core-650-ghz-bottleneck-gtx760.html

Lastly, from this article it seems like you should have seen anywhere from a 30-40% upgrade in performance.

http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-1728023/worth-upgrading-gtx-480-760.html

You are now starting to get outside of my range of knowledge, so I can't really provide much more help without throwing money at the problem, which is usually a bad idea.

Would overclocking help a bit? what is a safe overclock ? I did overclock my gtx 480 using msi afterburner but im not sure how far i can push the 760 without harming it too much also should i higher the core voltage?

I am not familial enough with the gpu overclocking to be able to recommend any type of overclock. But I don't think that an overclock would fix the problem since you have seen a fps drop when upgrading graphics cards.


Based on all of the articles I posted and information I have read, my last theory would be either something went bad on your motherboard/cpu or you just got a bad card. However this does not explain Heaven running fine. Did you purchase it locally at say a BestBuy or Microcenter where you can easily take it back to have it replaced?

 

[Shani T]

well it was online but i can send it back within the 14 days without a problem but i think i just mioght upgrade to a gtx 780 or 900 series in a few months so i might stay , actually the fps is kinda fine but it drops way too low in heavy battles or crowded places which my other card was handling a bit better but like the other threads say its a dual core and not perfect for crowded places i would think about a motherboard and processor replace first thx for the links and info i wanted to hear it from some other people before changing stuff .

 

[Shani T]

And yeah 1 more question , when i live stream or record my pc is very slow unplayable im thinking its the processor because other friends can do it without a problem with the same card. Could that be?

 

[dsprehe89]

well it was online but i can send it back within the 14 days without a problem but i think i just mioght upgrade to a gtx 780 or 900 series in a few months so i might stay , actually the fps is kinda fine but it drops way too low in heavy battles or crowded places which my other card was handling a bit better but like the other threads say its a dual core and not perfect for crowded places i would think about a motherboard and processor replace first thx for the links and info i wanted to hear it from some other people before changing stuff .

Sorry I couldn't help come up with an actual solution. Hopefully when you upgrade it will work better. I just upgraded my fx-6300 and gtx 670 to a i5-4690k and a gtx 970 and can definitely vouch for both the 4690k and the gtx 970. I upgraded to the 970 first and then the 4690k a week or so later and can say that both made substantial improvements.

 

[Shani T]

Yeah im since my gtx 480 always did serve me well all those years with OC , im going to buy another 80 version , the 980 and a i7 K version its alot of money but i wont have to worry anymore . Thx for helping out ;-)

 

[dsprehe89]

Yeah im since my gtx 480 always did serve me well all those years with OC , im going to buy another 80 version , the 980 and a i7 K version its alot of money but i wont have to worry anymore . Thx for helping out ;-)

You definitely won't have to worry and that will be an extremely good system. However, I would like to suggest saving the money and getting a 970 and upgrading your monitor to a high frame rate 1080 one. Perhaps one like this. Just my personal opinion, but I haven't found a game my 970 won't run on its highest setting and get over 60fps and for those games that I can run well over 120fps this monitor can display every frame. Take it or leave it, but just my 2 cents. Either way you have to get what you want. It's never good to spend tons of money and have regrets.