Problem with TITAN X (Pascal)

[MagicManRob]

Hi,
For a few months now I've been searching for the cure to my problem.
My rig consists of :
Titan x (pascal)
i7 4790k
msi z97 gaming 5
evga supernova 850
klevv 2133 ram 16gb
1440p monitor

The issue:

In all games, my GPU usage varies from 50% to 99% percent usage. When i stare at a wall in game for example, the usage goes to 99% and the fps skyrocket, but in an intense scene the usage drops for no reason and tanks the fps. It is a problem that can only be remedied by turning msaa to max and upping resolution scaling to a ridiculous point for the GPU to be fully utilized Which doesn't make any sense, because its capable of running at 100% but it wont. The games include GTA 5, Battlefield 4,1, Rise of the Tomb Raider, ARK, and DOOM. I have replaced PSU, upgraded processor from 4690k, and bought new RAM. I have reinstalled windows and reinstalled all drivers. Also, this started happening on a 1070 and still occurs on a Titan X, so I don't think the card has anything wrong with it. I have played with all the settings in the Nvidia Control Panel (including Maximum performance). Even unparked all CPU cores. I don't know what else i could do. Please help because it makes games unplayable after I spent so much money on making a computer that could run anything! Also, v-sync is off. The only thing that i can think of is the motherboard being bad, but idk. The CPU usage is in the 60% range max. Not overheating. Are there settings that I don't know about in windows/ control panel. I need help.

 

[Benab3]

Hey,

Hard to pinpoint an issue like this, it is quite a weird one, seeing as the main culprits for this are a faulty graphics card and PSU, of which neither seem to be the issue.
I would keep an eye on the system with HWInfo. Run it in sensor mode and keep a lookout for anything that isn't quite right for mainly the GPU and CPU, anything from Frequency, Voltage, Usage fluctuations etc. Also look our for values that show in Red.

Try a benchmark, 3DMark, and post a link to your results page: http://www.guru3d.com/files_details/3dmark_download.html

 

[MagicManRob]

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/16300483?

I scored well on this test. That means the card or CPU are not bad correct?

 

[Benab3]

The score was about the same as mine: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/16300699? so I would say there is nothing wrong with them.
All I would really do now is keep an eye on the HWInfo stuff, see if there are any values that shouldn't be there for frequencies etc.

 

[bystander]

Given that GPU usage goes up when you turn up the scaling, AA and settings, you have a bottleneck. Anytime the FPS remains the same as you turn up settings, or the only way to increase GPU usage is to increase settings, you have a bottleneck. Usually it's the CPU. The truth is, at 1080p, a GTX 1080 has this issue. At 1440p, the Titan X (pascal) can also have this issue.

Do you use V-sync by chance? V-sync can also be a bottleneck, in the since it prevents you from having more FPS than your refresh rate.

 

[MagicManRob]

The score was about the same as mine: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/16300699? so I would say there is nothing wrong with them.
All I would really do now is keep an eye on the HWInfo stuff, see if there are any values that shouldn't be there for frequencies etc.

So you're pretty sure it's not a setting that could be tweaked or anything like that?

 

[bystander]

Based on your 3dmark score. The system is performing as it should. Make sure V-sync isn't on, and turn up the settings, as you have a Titan X. It's a powerhouse, and to use it fully, you have to give it more work. Otherwise, just be happy that it runs well.

 

[bystander]

I guess the question is, what are the FPS in the games you have a possible problem in?

 

[Benab3]

The score was about the same as mine: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/16300699? so I would say there is nothing wrong with them.
All I would really do now is keep an eye on the HWInfo stuff, see if there are any values that shouldn't be there for frequencies etc.

So you're pretty sure it's not a setting that could be tweaked or anything like that?

As bystander mentioned, what FPS are you getting in games that have the issues?
I can tell you that with an almost identical system to yours, I can run DOOM an 4K Max 60 FPS no drops at all, so that is something to go by.
And although at lower resolutions it can be seen that other parts of the system [ typically the CPU ] hold high end GPUs back such as the Titan X, also mentioned earlier, I doubt this is the case. Mainly due to you saying that your CPU maxed out at 60%

 

[bystander]

Keep in mind, 60% CPU usage does not mean it is not bottlenecking, only that some cores are not bottlenecking. Most games that have a CPU bottleneck, do so because 1 core is near 100% usage (hyper threading can allow it to show lower), while the rest can have much less usage. With an i7, you'll find bottlenecks often occur with less than 50% CPU usage, while one core is at it's max.

 

[bystander]

So in battlefield 1 with maxed out everything in 1440p I get numbers from 70 all the way up to 200. And the gpu usage is constantly jumping around and when it is at its best is in low stress scenes. A properly running system would have the gpu at 99% constantly and get a steady 140 fps in that game with those specs. So I'm trying to determine why the system won't tear it up like it's supposed to. Not until I super-size the resolution will it us 99% of the chip then I'm getting around 60, which is mediocre after being spoiled with a 144 htz monitor. In gta 5 settings maxed the usage will drop into the 40s just goofing around the city, but on my yacht inside it will be 99% with 165+ fps. I'm not sold on the bottleneck idea because it's become such a mainstream solution people throw out there that I think is used too often and the 4790k is still one of the fastest, until you're in the extremes. Am I wrong to think that it should be performing differently?

I don't have those games to know for sure, but that isn't all that unusual either. I hear that BF1 has a fair bit of issues.

144 FPS gaming is hit and miss. There are a lot of games which can allow 60 FPS solid, but once you push over 100, or to 144 FPS, then you run into a lot of areas with CPU bottlenecks.

I do think people over use the term and misuse the term a lot, but that does not mean what you are experiencing is anything but. The most common issue is that people think high end CPU's can't bottleneck, and that may be related to the 2nd most common problem, people often think anything above 60 FPS is good, and shouldn't use the term CPU bottleneck, because you are getting 60 FPS already.

Make sure CPU is not throttling by looking at the clock rate while in game. If they are not throttling, it's most likely a CPU bottleneck that holds you back from your desired FPS and full GPU usage. The fact that upping GPU settings, and scaling ups the usage, while not increasing FPS, is a big, red flag that you have a bottleneck.

 

[MagicManRob]

Soo... what chip wouldn't bottleneck? Or is there such a specimen? Don't say 6950x 😉

 

[bystander]

Soo... what chip wouldn't bottleneck? Or is there such a specimen? Don't say 6950x 😉

As I said, when you start going for 144 FPS (and even much before), you run into bottlenecks on every CPU. There is NO CPU that will maintain over 100 FPS in GTA V. I've seen video footage which shows i7 6700k and i7 5820k being dropped to the 50's while driving or some high speed chase.

Games are not designed for 100+ FPS in mind, except perhaps in CS:GO and maybe a few others I do not know of. Dev's do not consider you when making their games. If you can achieve 144 FPS, great, that was by chance, but it was not designed for you to get those FPS.

 

[bystander]

I personally shoot for 80+ FPS. I turn up/down settings to find the point where my FPS hit that mark. If you find yourself fluctuating from 70 to 200 FPS, and usage on the GPU is going up and down, turn up the settings. Your CPU is preventing you from the FPS you want, but your GPU can at least be used for better looking graphics.