Question My GPU has low utilization in games

[gr4nis]

Hey,



I bought new RTX 2070 SUPER (to be more specific: ASUS DUAL GeForce RTX2070S O8G EVO) and I'm having an weird issue with it. In every game, the utilization of the GPU is getting lower as I lower the settings. So let's say Shadow of the Tomb Raider, on 1440p, max settings, max AA, I have around 60 - 70 FPS with 93% to 98% GPU utilization . Then I lower settings to lowest and I have like 90 FPS with utilization around 50 - 60 %. Utilization also drops in every game randomly, like in Jedi Fallen Order I have frequent drops to 70% or so when I play.
First, I thought it's maybe some kind of CPU issue (I have Ryzen 5 1600) but I monitored CPU and none of it's cores/thread go above 80% in any of those game ever and I even OCed it from 3,2 to 3,9 and it didn't change a thing.

I also tried to OC memory from 2666 to 3000 with maintaing good timings and that didn't help either. Also I flashed newest BIOS, reinstalled Windows, tried every single nVidia driver. Nothing helps. There is not even a thermal issue. GPU is under 70°C and CPU around 60°C at most.



Do you have any suggestions? I'm really clueless at this stage. Right now I play Gothic Playable Teaser and yes, it's kind of early developement version, so it can cause unexpected problems, but my GPU is utilized by this game to 50 - 70% and it runs 30 - 40 FPS. Which is just riddiculous.



Thanks.

 

[richiestang_78]

That's how it works, lower the resolution or graphics and the frame-rate increases but then the GPU doesn't have as much to process and its more about the CPU at that point. You have to find a balance between frame rate and quality

 

[gr4nis]

You have to find a balance between frame rate and quality

I would love to, but if I have 144 Hz monitor, how am I gonna achieve 144 FPS. When I lower settings, I have some boost to FPS, but not enough and neither GPU nor CPU are using their maximum performance capacity. So what does prevent my GPU to produce more FPS and run at utilization which is gonna push my CPU to 100%.? If CPU was at 100% and GPU at mentioned 50% I would understand. But not if it's like I described it in OP.

 

[richiestang_78]

What CPU do you have?

 

[gr4nis]

What CPU do you have?

Ryzen 5 1600

 

[sizzling]

Total cpu usage is fairly meaningless, you need to monitor all cores and and threads. It only takes 1 or more threads to be at 100% for the cpu to be the limiting factor.

 

[gr4nis]

Total cpu usage is fairly meaningless, you need to monitor all cores and and threads. It only takes 1 or more threads to be at 100% for the cpu to be the limiting factor.

I monitored CPU and none of it's cores/thread go above 80% in any of those game

 

[richiestang_78]

The 1600 is a good CPU but not the strongest when it comes to gaming, especially if you are trying to get 144 frames. As sizzling said you should monitor your CPU cores and threads and I have a funny feeling you'll see a couple maxing out.

With a 2070 Super I would seriously consider upgrading to a 3600 (after a BIOS update with your current chip installed)

 

[gr4nis]

The 1600 is a good CPU but not the strongest when it comes to gaming, especially if you are trying to get 144 frames. As sizzling said you should monitor your CPU cores and threads and I have a funny feeling you'll see a couple maxing out.

With a 2070 Super I would seriously consider upgrading to a 3600 (after a BIOS update with your current chip installed)

I don't have problem with upgrading, but as I said couple of times already, I did monitor CPU usage for each core/thread individually and it was never even close to 100% on any of those. It was around 50 - 65% most of the time and maximum was around 84%.
From those numbers, it seems to me, the CPU is doing just fine.

 

[TJ Hooker]

Please run www.userbenchmark.com and post a link to your results here.

Can you also run CPU-Z and post screenshots of the Memory and SPD tabs?

Do you have the latest AMD chipset drivers installed?

 

[gr4nis]

Please run www.userbenchmark.com and post a link to your results here.

https://www.userbenchmark.com/UserRun/22913634

Can you also run CPU-Z and post screenshots of the Memory and SPD tabs?

https://i.ibb.co/LCskkLh/memory.png

https://i.ibb.co/LRkrK9F/spd.png

Do you have the latest AMD chipset drivers installed?

Yes

EDIT:
I'm also adding a log from what was happening with CPU and GPU utilization while I benchmarked in Middle-Earth: Shadow of War.

Lowest settings
https://i.ibb.co/P6WC6np/sow-lowest.png

Ultra settings
https://i.ibb.co/5hs62hT/sow-ultra.png

In the first one, you can see, that maximum thread usage is never 100% but GPU usage goes to mid 50's.
Especially there is a point, when GPU runs on 55% and maximum thread usage was only 68% at that time. Which is just weird.