Low usage Gtx 980 sli

[MaxChasis]

Hey, I have a 980 sli and so when I go and play a game like witcher , I get about 60% usage on both cards with VSYNC ENABLED. If I turn off vsync I get 89-99 usage, should this be happening. I have a 60fps monitor, so that's why vsync is on. I don't think I have a bottleneck, because my cpu usage is like 30-60 usage, and my ram is like 5000 my used. Does anyone have Gtx 980 sli to confirm if this is normal? I get about 70-90 fps with 80 average with hair works turned on, I get 95-120 fps with a a average of 107 with hair works off.
Thanks

I5 4690k OC to 4.2
Msi gaming 5 mobo
Msi 980
Msi 980
Corsair vengeance 8gb 1600
Seasonic 750w gold rated

 

[drixkarasu]

Since the GPUs are limited to 60fps with vsync on they are not used to the max. If you disable vsync the GPUs will render more frames then your monitor can display, so they are used to their limit without providing any real benefit.

 

[ak47jar3d]

Yes, your usage will be lower when vsycn enabled if you can consistently hit 60 frames. The card won't need to use all its resources if you are already reaching the intended target. I would increase graphic settings if possible. If not, I would use DSR to increase resolution.

 

[king3pj]

I do this on purpose with my SLI 970s. My display has a refresh rate of 60Hz. I don't see the point of pushing my 970s to 100% use to get 100+ fps when my display can only put out 60fps.

All that does is draw more power, make everything run hotter, and put out more fan noise with no benefit to me. I always run VSYNC to keep my system from working harder than it has to. Now if a game required 100% usage to hit 60fps I'm fine with that. I just don't see the point of pushing my hardware when it doesn't.

 

[06yfz450ridr]

I do this on purpose with my SLI 970s. My display has a refresh rate of 60Hz. I don't see the point of pushing my 970s to 100% use to get 100+ fps when my display can only put out 60fps.

All that does is draw more power, make everything run hotter, and put out more fan noise with no benefit to me. I always run VSYNC to keep my system from working harder than it has to. Now if a game required 100% usage to hit 60fps I'm fine with that. I just don't see the point of pushing my hardware when it doesn't.

but vsync also causes a bit of input lag on fast paced games.

 

[ingtar33]

60hz monitor and gtx 980 gpu in sli plus an i5-4690k

you know part of me is weeping right now, and the other part is laughing hysterically? cause what i know about tw3, i know your 60hz monitor is a 1080p screen.

Dude. seriously? did you know right now someone with 1/2 the price of your rig is gaming on the same monitor in the same quality you are, to the point that you couldn't tell which was the $2000 gaming rig and which was the $1000 rig? You're really wasting all that money by using that monitor... heck there are people right now with a $90 amd cpu playing tw3 in the same settings as you are. Sorry i had to get that off my chest.

As to your question. vsync limits the frames coming out of the gpu to the max the monitor can display. your monitor can display 60fps (it's a 60hz monitor) so vsync is locking your cards to that limit, which of course is turning down the load on the cards. Those cards in SLi would hit 60fps in 1440p, or 144fps in 1080p... so your system bottleneck, as i was groaning about before is your monitor, as someone with a single gtx970 will hit the same 60fps in tw3 at 1080p.

I used to tell people that if they bought an intel they needed a 144hz 1080p monitor (at least) to get the most out of that intel, or they needed multiple 60hz monitors to game across a couple of monitors. else they might as well have bought a fx 8 core for half the price of their intel k series cpu. because there would be almost no end user observable difference between the two systems.

well you bought a gtx980, a gpu made for crushing 1440p and gaming on medium settings in 4k; you didn't just buy one, you bought two. with all that gpu power you really need a 1440p monitor, or even a 4k monitor. it's simply wasted in 1080p

 

[king3pj]

I do this on purpose with my SLI 970s. My display has a refresh rate of 60Hz. I don't see the point of pushing my 970s to 100% use to get 100+ fps when my display can only put out 60fps.

All that does is draw more power, make everything run hotter, and put out more fan noise with no benefit to me. I always run VSYNC to keep my system from working harder than it has to. Now if a game required 100% usage to hit 60fps I'm fine with that. I just don't see the point of pushing my hardware when it doesn't.

but vsync also causes a bit of input lag on fast paced games.

That's true but I play single player games almost exclusively so that isn't a big deal to me. If you are a hardcore CS:GO player or something like that VSYNC is not a good idea. Another option is capping the fps at 60 without running VSYNC.

 

[MaxChasis]

60hz monitor and gtx 980 gpu in sli plus an i5-4690k

you know part of me is weeping right now, and the other part is laughing hysterically? cause what i know about tw3, i know your 60hz monitor is a 1080p screen.

Dude. seriously? did you know right now someone with 1/2 the price of your rig is gaming on the same monitor in the same quality you are, to the point that you couldn't tell which was the $2000 gaming rig and which was the $1000 rig? You're really wasting all that money by using that monitor... heck there are people right now with a $90 amd cpu playing tw3 in the same settings as you are. Sorry i had to get that off my chest.

As to your question. vsync limits the frames coming out of the gpu to the max the monitor can display. your monitor can display 60fps (it's a 60hz monitor) so vsync is locking your cards to that limit, which of course is turning down the load on the cards. Those cards in SLi would hit 60fps in 1440p, or 144fps in 1080p... so your system bottleneck, as i was groaning about before is your monitor, as someone with a single gtx970 will hit the same 60fps in tw3 at 1080p.

I used to tell people that if they bought an intel they needed a 144hz 1080p monitor (at least) to get the most out of that intel, or they needed multiple 60hz monitors to game across a couple of monitors. else they might as well have bought a fx 8 core for half the price of their intel k series cpu. because there would be almost no end user observable difference between the two systems.

well you bought a gtx980, a gpu made for crushing 1440p and gaming on medium settings in 4k; you didn't just buy one, you bought two. with all that gpu power you really need a 1440p monitor, or even a 4k monitor. it's simply wasted in 1080p

I'm sorry i displease you 🙁
I'm just waiting for some new monitors to be announced, i could buy one of the gsync monitors out now, but they seem to be more beta products than actual working monitors. so maybe e3

 

[ingtar33]

I'm sorry i displease you 🙁
I'm just waiting for some new monitors to be announced, i could buy one of the gsync monitors out now, but they seem to be more beta products than actual working monitors. so maybe e3

You're not displeasing me. it's just that the answer to your question is 100% tied to your monitor. It's just I am passionate about computers, and you have a beautiful one. unfortunately that beautiful expensive computer is a bit hobbled by it's monitor right now.

I'm glad to hear you're in the market for new monitors. I did the same thing when i built my current pc. i bought one 1080p monitor. though it was just one of 3 i was going to purchase. but yes, for a time my system was just as bottlenecked.