[SOLVED] My upgraded graphics card doesn't perform any different to my old GPU.

[Greenfish-]

My original prebuilt PC was purchased and the end of 2015 and contained poor hardware, however over the years I've upgraded from the outdated and frankly garbage R9 380 and recently purchased an RX 570 due to popular appraisal. My current specs are the following:

RAM: 8gb
SSD: None
OS: Windows 10
CPU: AMD FX 8370
GPU: was R9 380 - now RX 570
PSU: 550W
Monitor: BenQ Gl2460
Motherboard: 78LMT-USB3
HDD: 1TB (I think)

After making the switch and successfully installing the RX 570 I launched PUBG, my previous graphics card got me around 30 fps, at times I would drop to around 15-20 and in smaller areas and on the smaller map I would occasionally get 60fps. Expecting my PC to perform similarly to the benchmarks I had watched I loaded into a match to find myself getting the exact same performance I had gotten on my previous graphics card. I then began trying other games - Destiny 2, Fortnite etc. and noticed the same pattern. I have become very familiar with the performance of my system on games and would be able to tell if my performance was significantly better or worse, in this case it appeared exactly the same.

My drivers appear to be up to date, the GPU is detected and working properly, the fans are spinning and the PC appears to be running fine. PLEASE HELP ME!!!

 

[Greenfish-]

Greenfish- Hello. I have a question about your 8 GB of RAM. Is it a single 8 GB chip, or two 4 GB chips? The reason that I'm asking is in order to confirm that you're using dual channel. I checked your motherboard manual (below) in order to verify that both of your memory chips should either be in the two grey slots or the two blue ones. Please answer these two questions when you have a free moment. Thanks.

Summary: I wonder if the cause of your issue is either (1) CPU temps being too high and causing your CPU to thermal throttle. Or (2) your RAM only being in single channel mode, thereby restricting your gaming performance.

Request: If you wouldn't mind, could you take a picture of the inside of your build, showing your entire motherboard inside your case, upload the photo to imgur and share the link here? A picture would give an idea of air flow and also what dimm sockets your RAM is in. Also, while your case is open, you could test for thermal throttling by turning the computer on it's side, with motherboard facing the ceiling. If excess heat is causing your problem, then placing the computer temporarily on it's side, should lessen this condition, while you're gaming. Please let us know.

Motherboard: GA-78LMT-USB3.
-- motherboard manual --
https://www.gigabyte.com/us/Motherboard/GA-78LMT-USB3-rev-60/support#support-manual

This following is an image of my motherboard (whist computer is running)

https://imgur.com/a/6N3dD2X

View: https://imgur.com/a/6N3dD2X


I have recently found out I'm using 2 8bg sticks of RAM and they were running in Single Channel mode and I changed them to dual channel, however I haven't tested performance just yet. My CPU runs at 13 degrees C and my GPU runs at 41 degrees C (whilst on desktop with minimal usage)

 

[tennis2]

Yeah, per the manual (p.9) the RAM sticks need to be in the same color slot. With 2 sticks, the Grey slots are the preferred ones. I have a hunch that Dual Channel will improve your situation (to some degree)

On the CPU throttling front. Any software that graphs or logs your CPU frequency should suffice. Simply run the logger while you're playing a game for a while and check the results.

13C at idle. Wow! Sub-ambient!!! (that's not accurate)

 

[Phaaze88]

Oh geez!
Corsair VS 550 + FX 8370 + insufficient motherboard = 😲

If the motherboard is power throttling, fixing the ram orientation isn't going to change much. Also, when you move to a new platform, your current ram will not be compatible, DDR3 > DDR4.

Check your temps and clock speeds with AMD Overdrive.

EDIT: You not only need a new cpu/mobo/ram combo, but a new psu as well. That unit is really only suited for office builds.

 

[Greenfish-]

Could you give me any recommendations for a more budget side build?? (obviously minus the graphics card and case).

 

[Phaaze88]

You'd need to give us a budget, otherwise we'll just be grasping at straws.

 

[Greenfish-]

You'd need to give us a budget, otherwise we'll just be grasping at straws.

$1,000 AUD

 

[Phaaze88]

*In both builds, I selected an SSD you can use for the OS drive. If this isn't a concern for you, leave it out.
You may find the 2nd build more appealing, since the 1st one is cutting it close to the budget limit.

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 3.6 GHz 6-Core Processor ($312.00 @ Shopping Express)
Motherboard: MSI X570-A PRO ATX AM4 Motherboard ($258.00 @ Shopping Express)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport LT 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory ($125.00 @ Umart)
Storage: Crucial MX500 500 GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($88.50 @ Shopping Express)
Power Supply: Corsair RMx 550 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($129.00 @ PC Byte)
Total: $912.50
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-08-30 10:48 AEST+1000


PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 2600 3.4 GHz 6-Core Processor ($197.00 @ Shopping Express)
Motherboard: ASRock Fatal1ty B450 GAMING K4 ATX AM4 Motherboard ($132.44 @ Amazon Australia)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport LT 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory ($125.00 @ Umart)
Storage: Crucial MX500 500 GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($88.50 @ Shopping Express)
Power Supply: Corsair RMx 550 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($129.00 @ PC Byte)
Total: $671.94
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-08-30 10:44 AEST+1000

 

[tennis2]

Does this mean the RAM change was unsuccessful at improving the situation?

Have you confirmed the CPU is running at the proper frequency while gaming and not throttling down?

 

[Greenfish-]

*In both builds, I selected an SSD you can use for the OS drive. If this isn't a concern for you, leave it out.
You may find the 2nd build more appealing, since the 1st one is cutting it close to the budget limit.

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 3.6 GHz 6-Core Processor ($312.00 @ Shopping Express)
Motherboard: MSI X570-A PRO ATX AM4 Motherboard ($258.00 @ Shopping Express)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport LT 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory ($125.00 @ Umart)
Storage: Crucial MX500 500 GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($88.50 @ Shopping Express)
Power Supply: Corsair RMx 550 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($129.00 @ PC Byte)
Total: $912.50
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-08-30 10:48 AEST+1000


PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 2600 3.4 GHz 6-Core Processor ($197.00 @ Shopping Express)
Motherboard: ASRock Fatal1ty B450 GAMING K4 ATX AM4 Motherboard ($132.44 @ Amazon Australia)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport LT 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory ($125.00 @ Umart)
Storage: Crucial MX500 500 GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($88.50 @ Shopping Express)
Power Supply: Corsair RMx 550 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($129.00 @ PC Byte)
Total: $671.94
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-08-30 10:44 AEST+1000

Thank you so much, all your help has been greatly appreciated, however I will ask again, do you think this is my only option for seeing performance gain or the ability to run more demanding games in the future??

 

[Phaaze88]

Thank you so much, all your help has been greatly appreciated, however I will ask again, do you think this is my only option for seeing performance gain or the ability to run more demanding games in the future??

You want to salvage your current build? No, not worth it. Don't sink a penny more into that.

Possible Intel alternative? Welllll...
PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: Intel Core i7-9700K 3.6 GHz 8-Core Processor ($563.35 @ Amazon Australia)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master MasterAir MA620P 53.4 CFM CPU Cooler ($63.00 @ Skycomp Technology)
Motherboard: Gigabyte Z390 UD ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($182.25 @ Amazon Australia)
Memory: Kingston FURY 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-2666 Memory ($108.00 @ Shopping Express)
Power Supply: Corsair CX (2017) 550 W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($85.00 @ Austin Computers)
Total: $1001.60
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-08-31 13:05 AEST+1000

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: Intel Core i7-8700 3.2 GHz 6-Core Processor ($495.00 @ Shopping Express)
Motherboard: MSI B360-A PRO ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($145.00 @ BudgetPC)
Memory: Kingston FURY 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-2666 Memory ($108.00 @ Shopping Express)
Storage: Crucial MX500 500 GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($88.50 @ Shopping Express)
Power Supply: Corsair RMx 550 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($129.00 @ PC Byte)
Total: $965.50
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-08-31 13:21 AEST+1000
Intel is bloody expensive over there, so I was forced to cut some corners.
Build #1
-Intel cpus are expensive in Australia
-This cpu doesn't come with a cooler, so that's an added expense
-No room for additional storage!
-Budget ceiling forced me to go down a notch on psu
-I hit the budget ceiling! I could've put some cheaper memory, but no real point, as the standard for that cpu is 2666mhz, plus a slower kit wouldn't have been that much cheaper anyways.

Build #2
-Friggin' Intel Premium...
-This one actually has some breathing room, unlike the first one, but it doesn't really offer anything over the Ryzen 3600 build in my previous list.

 

[Greenfish-]

Does this mean the RAM change was unsuccessful at improving the situation?

Have you confirmed the CPU is running at the proper frequency while gaming and not throttling down?

The RAM change appeared to be unsuccessful in improving performance, could you tell me how to monitor my CPU frequency whilst gaming??

 

[Greenfish-]

Oh geez!
Corsair VS 550 + FX 8370 + insufficient motherboard = 😲

If the motherboard is power throttling, fixing the ram orientation isn't going to change much. Also, when you move to a new platform, your current ram will not be compatible, DDR3 > DDR4.

Check your temps and clock speeds with AMD Overdrive.

EDIT: You not only need a new cpu/mobo/ram combo, but a new psu as well. That unit is really only suited for office builds.

When you say "check your temps and clock speeds" what exactly am I supposed to be looking for??

 

[PC Tailor]

When you say "check your temps and clock speeds" what exactly am I supposed to be looking for??

Check what temperatures your CPU AND GPU are reaching and also what actual speeds they are reaching under load. You can use overdrive or HWINFO.

These software will report degrees C and MHz of your components.

 

[Greenfish-]

Check what temperatures your CPU AND GPU are reaching and also what actual speeds they are reaching under load. You can use overdrive or HWINFO.

These software will report degrees C and MHz of your components.

My temperatures are not unreasonably high, I don't believe clock speeds or temps are an issue? However just to be sure, what exactly would you say I should be alerted by?

 

[tennis2]

Anything above 80C