Possible AMD CPU Bottleneck and the need to upgrade?

[Venter127]

I recently installed a second GPU in my PC for gaming, and it didn't feel like I was getting the performance I would routinely see in benchmarks with similar setups. I suspected the same with the just one card, but now it seems particularly bad with two (Beyond just the diminishing returns an SLI gives). Some research seems to suggest that this is a result of my AMD CPU being a bottleneck for my graphics card. So my first question is: Is this true, or is there something else causing it?

If this is the case, then I've found a good deal on a 4790k, and will be upgrading to that on my next paycheck. I'll also need to get a new Motherboard, likely an ASUS Z97-A. That upgrade will still cost me about $450, and while I will sell the old components to eat the cost a bit, the difference is still going to be a nice chunk of change. I'd like to make sure the increase in graphics performance I'll be getting will be worth the price. So my second question is: Roughly how much more graphics performance will I be getting with the new processor (which is to say, how much is my CPU bottlenecking my GPU)?

Thank you for your help.

-Specs-

CPU: AMDfx 9590, 8-Core 4.7ghz
GPU: GTX 970 Gigabyte G1 Gaming, 3.5 Gb Vram (2x SLI)
Heatsink: Corsair H100i watercooler
Mobo: Sabertooth 990X 2.0
RAM: 16Gb (2x8) at 2133Mhz (Will be brought down to 1600Mhz with 4790k, but I don't think it matters)
PSU: 850w Corsair

With 3 1tb HDD's, 1 CD drive, running Windows 7.

 

[DeathRabit]

First check if you have actual CPU bottleneck, this can be driver/ software issue.
USE GPU-Z and to check GPU % Usage http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/ if GPU usage drops bellow 90% something is not right
Use Task Manger to see CPU usage if CPU usage reach 99% you have CPU bottleneck.
Run some game few minutes and check usages GPU/ CPU

 

[getochkn]

Or install MSI afterburner or NZXT Cam and use the overlay in games monitor the cpu/gpu in real time as well as temps.

 

[topper743]

Asus product page.

https://www.asus.com/Motherboards/SABERTOOTH_990FX_R20/specifications/

Your MB does not support 2133 memory. As stated above, check all installed drivers. Check for entire system setting refinement. What benchmarks are you using? All that horse power and no SSD? I recently switched from a Sabertooth MB with a 8350 CPU and 2ea HD 6970s in Xfire GPUs to a i5 4690k and a Asus Pro Gamer MB with a MSI 970. The new system is much faster in benchmarks but during normal use seems about the same as the old system. BTW what monitor res are you using? Very nice that you have 2ea 970 GPUs. I was able to get a Fire strike v1.1 score of 9613 and with a some fiddling probably improve that a little.


Something about the post that doesn't seem legit.

 

[Venter127]

First check if you have actual CPU bottleneck, this can be driver/ software issue.
USE GPU-Z and to check GPU % Usage http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/ if GPU usage drops bellow 90% something is not right
Use Task Manger to see CPU usage if CPU usage reach 99% you have CPU bottleneck.
Run some game few minutes and check usages GPU/ CPU

All of my drivers seem to be up to date. I cranked up the settings on Metro Last Light Redux, and checked my values. Got some odd results.

The numbers are wrong since I took this just after closing the game, but Here you can see Card 1 stays reliably at 99% GPU Load (save for some dips when I died and was sent back to the loading screen), while card 2 stays around 75% (I'm assuming because of diminishing returns). The odd thing is, the CPU usage doesn't seem to go above 40%. Even the individual cores don't go above 50%

I checked the average values here, but the cards were idling for a while, which may be why it's giving me values of 40%

If anything, it seems like my CPU isn't using it's full potential. Is that a different problem?

 

[Venter127]

Asus product page.

https://www.asus.com/Motherboards/SABERTOOTH_990FX_R20/specifications/

Your MB does not support 2133 memory.

The CPU does. The Ram is actually 2400, but 2133 is as high as it will go in the BIOS. Ran prime95 for a while with them and got no errors.

What benchmarks are you using?

I don't have any professional benchmarks. Like I said above, I'm simply running games and comparing the results to similar setups

All that horse power and no SSD?

I own a lot of games, so my needs are more geared towards mass storage, hence the HDD's. Been looking into SSD for the OS installation, but it's not my #1 Priority.

BTW what monitor res are you using?

Ultrawide 2560x1080. I compare results to PC's using 1440p.

Something about the post that doesn't seem legit.

Gee, thanks.

 

[topper743]

http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/forum/hardware-canucks-reviews/62166-amd-fx-9590-review-piledriver-5ghz.html

Max DDR 1866

https://www.asus.com/Motherboards/SABERTOOTH_990FX_R20/specifications/

4 x DIMM, Max. 32GB, DDR3 1866/1600/1333/1066 MHz ECC, Non-ECC, Un-buffered Memory *OC


"The odd thing is, the CPU usage doesn't seem to go above 40%. Even the individual cores don't go above 50%".

So not the bottle neck.

 

[Venter127]

http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/forum/hardware-canucks-reviews/62166-amd-fx-9590-review-piledriver-5ghz.html

Max DDR 1866

https://www.asus.com/Motherboards/SABERTOOTH_990FX_R20/specifications/

4 x DIMM, Max. 32GB, DDR3 1866/1600/1333/1066 MHz ECC, Non-ECC, Un-buffered Memory *OC


"The odd thing is, the CPU usage doesn't seem to go above 40%. Even the individual cores don't go above 50%".

So not the bottle neck.

http://benchmarkreviews.com/21316/amd-fx-9590-am3-processor-performance-review/2/

"The main difference in the FX-9000 series CPUs over the FX-8000 series CPUs is the RAM support. The FX-9590 and the FX-9370 support DDR3 RAM with speeds up to 2133MHz on a 990FX motherboard. The FX-8370 and the other FX-8000 series CPUs only support DDR3 RAM up to 1866MHz."

I'm not sure which is correct, but it seems to work as is, so I'll leave it alone. Thanks for info, though.

 

[Venter127]

I decided to install 3D mark, and compare my results to an equivalent rig with a 4790k, and found that the Intel computer was performing drastically better. While I'm still not 100% certain if my CPU is a bottleneck, that was reason enough to switch processors.

 

[DeathRabit]

I decided to install 3D mark, and compare my results to an equivalent rig with a 4790k, and found that the Intel computer was performing drastically better. While I'm still not 100% certain if my CPU is a bottleneck, that was reason enough to switch processors.

Intel in physics test is better and increase overall benchmark result

You can run also www.catzilla.com 3D mark alternative with less CPU bond