[SOLVED] Unstable GPU usage and dying FPS

lillefjer12

Prominent
Nov 16, 2018
13
1
525
Playing Escape From Tarkov I noticed my framerate would slowly decrease the longer I played. My GPU usage is also extremely erratic, going from 0 to 100% and then back to 0 at least once every few seconds. Temperatures are stable; ~50c for the GPU and no CPU core went above 70c.

Average CPU usage on cores 1-5 is 30-40%, while CPU6 had a min usage % of 61 and a max 94, averaging 70-80%. No overheating, though, even if CPU6 did consume 8 W to the others 4-5.

Framerate starts out >70, takes a small hit after a stutter, then stays at 60-70 for a few minutes, then 50-60 for another few minutes, before it finally settles at 40-50 fps.

GPU Usage during benchmarks is at a stable 90-100%.

All drivers are the latest ones. DOCP is enabled. Power settings are set to High Performance. Game is set to high priority and only uses physical cores according to in-game settings. Game's settings are set to be more GPU intensive than CPU. Windows gaming mode is turned off.

My specs:
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 2600 @ 3.85 GHz
Motherboard: Asus Prime b450m-a
Ram: 16 Gb 3000Mhz (2x8) or 24 Gb (2x8 3000Mhz + 2x4 2666Mhz) problem persists no matter the setup.
GPU: RX 480 or RX 5700 XT (The problem persists no matter the setup.)
PSU: EVGA 650 W
OS: Windows 10 Home 64bit
Monitor: 1366 x 768 60hz

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
Solution
Well, I seem to have fixed what I can fix.

Both MSI Afterburner and AMD's own Radeon Software doesn't seem to like actually graphing GPU usage. I noticed this when I installed Process Explorer which did not have any erratic GPU usage. Then, after a bit more of Googling, I learned that MSI Afterburner has an option under General, AMD compatibility properties, called "Enable unified GPU usage monitoring." Check that box and the GPU usage is normal. Still hecked in AMD, but then again AMD doesn't have the best software at the moment.

That, combined with a couple of driver re-installations of all drivers seemed to have fixed it, on most maps. Reserve still kinda kills my fps after a bit, but that map is badly optimized. Factory, for...
Monitor: 1366 x 768 60hz
In that resolution you are CPU bound even with a 9900K. The higher the resolution, the more the GPU is used instead of CPU.
CPU6 had a min usage % of 61 and a max 94
This is the proof. That is CPU bottleneck which is not what most people think it is. Even 1 core used that much means the CPU is bottlencking.

What is the EXACT model of your PSU? EVGA is the brand and 650 is the wattage. If you don't know, open the case and take a look.
 

lillefjer12

Prominent
Nov 16, 2018
13
1
525
In that resolution you are CPU bound even with a 9900K. The higher the resolution, the more the GPU is used instead of CPU.

This is the proof. That is CPU bottleneck which is not what most people think it is. Even 1 core used that much means the CPU is bottlencking.

What is the EXACT model of your PSU? EVGA is the brand and 650 is the wattage. If you don't know, open the case and take a look.

PSU is the EVGA 650 BQ, 80+ Bronze.

Forgot to mention that I have tried borrowing a 1080 60hz monitor. Nothing changed.

Any way I can resolve the bottleneck without buying a better CPU? Other people with the same CPU and an rx 5700 xt can get a stable 60-70 fps, so it should be possible for me, right?
 
Last edited:
PSU is the EVGA 650 BQ
That is a mediocre PSU at best. It's meant mostly for usage of office PCs and not on gaming rigs. I would consider an upgrade if I were you.

Now for your issue. Do you notice the same problem with other games or just Escape from Tarkov? Was the problem new or it was always like that?

Do you have the latest BIOS, chipset drivers, GPU drivers and windows updates installed?
 

EndEffeKt_24

Commendable
Mar 27, 2019
659
157
1,340
Escape from Tarkov is sadly still poorly optimised. It was way worse in the past, but currently even streamers like Karmakut who got a 9900k and 2080ti experience frame dips and occasional micro stutters.

I dont think that your problem is hardware related.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Phaaze88

lillefjer12

Prominent
Nov 16, 2018
13
1
525
That is a mediocre PSU at best. It's meant mostly for usage of office PCs and not on gaming rigs. I would consider an upgrade if I were you.

Now for your issue. Do you notice the same problem with other games or just Escape from Tarkov? Was the problem new or it was always like that?

Do you have the latest BIOS, chipset drivers, GPU drivers and windows updates installed?

All software is the newest versions.

I remember Rainbow Six Siege having no such issues, while Apex legends gets 140+ fps but has a constant "prediction error." I am currently unable to test with any other games at the moment, since I've done a clean windows reinstall and would have to download those games.

I don't remember having this issue before with Tarkov, but then I didn't really expect to get 60+ fps with my rx 480. It only really became apparent when I swapped it for the rx 5700 xt.

But why is it that my GPU usage hits 90-100% stably when benchmarking, but not when playing Tarkov? This seems odd.
 

lillefjer12

Prominent
Nov 16, 2018
13
1
525
Escape from Tarkov is sadly still poorly optimised. It was way worse in the past, but currently even streamers like Karmakut who got a 9900k and 2080ti experience frame dips and occasional micro stutters.

I dont think that your problem is hardware related.

I know that everyone gets stutters and such. My problem is a steady decay in average fps. I still get stutters and such, but my fps is way below what anyone else with the same CPU and GPU gets.
 
But why is it that my GPU usage hits 90-100% stably when benchmarking, but not when playing Tarkov? This seems odd.
It's actually very simple. Escape from Tarkov utilises just one core. It does seem odd but my google search suggested that. Unfortunately it seems that it's the game's fault.

When you do a proper benchmark , the GPU runs as it's supposed to because the CPU also utilises all cores.
 

lillefjer12

Prominent
Nov 16, 2018
13
1
525
It's actually very simple. Escape from Tarkov utilises just one core. It does seem odd but my google search suggested that. Unfortunately it seems that it's the game's fault.

When you do a proper benchmark , the GPU runs as it's supposed to because the CPU also utilises all cores.
Then how come other people manage a more stable fps, despite having the same CPU and GPU? This is what truly confuses me.
 
Unless you have the EXACT same components then you can't compare. If the game is buggy and unoptimised then the slightest of differences might have completely different results. For example, they might have OC'd CPU and GPU, have faster RAM, different drivers, and so on...

But to check more things, do you have XMP enabled?
Run a UserBenchmark and post the link of the results here.
 

lillefjer12

Prominent
Nov 16, 2018
13
1
525
Unless you have the EXACT same components then you can't compare. If the game is buggy and unoptimised then the slightest of differences might have completely different results. For example, they might have OC'd CPU and GPU, have faster RAM, different drivers, and so on...

But to check more things, do you have XMP enabled?
Run a UserBenchmark and post the link of the results here.
XMP is called DOCP for my BIOS, as far as I know, and it's turned on.

Userbenchmark results:
https://www.userbenchmark.com/UserRun/25308756

The GPU currently installed is the RX 480 and not the RX 5700 XT. The problem persists no matter what, so that should hardly matter.
 
XMP is called DOCP for my BIOS, as far as I know, and it's turned on.
That was something I did not know, thanks for informing me.

From the results there are no issues with your hardware. If you had any you would see far lower than expected results there. Although userbenchmark is to be taken with a grain of salt, there are indications that your system runs fine.

EVERYTHING points to game's fault. Try some other games when you get the chance and tell us if you see any issues there.
 

lillefjer12

Prominent
Nov 16, 2018
13
1
525
That was something I did not know, thanks for informing me.

From the results there are no issues with your hardware. If you had any you would see far lower than expected results there. Although userbenchmark is to be taken with a grain of salt, there are indications that your system runs fine.

EVERYTHING points to game's fault. Try some other games when you get the chance and tell us if you see any issues there.

Thank you. Will do.
 

lillefjer12

Prominent
Nov 16, 2018
13
1
525
That was something I did not know, thanks for informing me.

From the results there are no issues with your hardware. If you had any you would see far lower than expected results there. Although userbenchmark is to be taken with a grain of salt, there are indications that your system runs fine.

EVERYTHING points to game's fault. Try some other games when you get the chance and tell us if you see any issues there.

GPU is not unstable in Rainbow 6 Siege, hitting a stable 95%.

I guess it's Tarkov that's the issue, then.
 
Last edited:

lillefjer12

Prominent
Nov 16, 2018
13
1
525
Well, I seem to have fixed what I can fix.

Both MSI Afterburner and AMD's own Radeon Software doesn't seem to like actually graphing GPU usage. I noticed this when I installed Process Explorer which did not have any erratic GPU usage. Then, after a bit more of Googling, I learned that MSI Afterburner has an option under General, AMD compatibility properties, called "Enable unified GPU usage monitoring." Check that box and the GPU usage is normal. Still hecked in AMD, but then again AMD doesn't have the best software at the moment.

That, combined with a couple of driver re-installations of all drivers seemed to have fixed it, on most maps. Reserve still kinda kills my fps after a bit, but that map is badly optimized. Factory, for example, will net me a constant +90% GPU usage, and a 100+ FPS on my RX 480.

So, in conclusion, it's CPU bottlenecking. I overclocked my CPU to 4 GHz, but with only a stock cooler that's all I dare do. It did help a bit, however, gaining me another handful of FPS.

I suppose CPU is primary in Escape from Tarkov. Powerful single-core CPU, that is. No point in having 16 cores when the game can only use one, as mentioned by dotas1 above : )
 
  • Like
Reactions: dotas1
Solution

RainingTacco

Prominent
Sep 21, 2019
53
6
545
Playing Escape From Tarkov I noticed my framerate would slowly decrease the longer I played. My GPU usage is also extremely erratic, going from 0 to 100% and then back to 0 at least once every few seconds. Temperatures are stable; ~50c for the GPU and no CPU core went above 70c.

Average CPU usage on cores 1-5 is 30-40%, while CPU6 had a min usage % of 61 and a max 94, averaging 70-80%. No overheating, though, even if CPU6 did consume 8 W to the others 4-5.

Framerate starts out >70, takes a small hit after a stutter, then stays at 60-70 for a few minutes, then 50-60 for another few minutes, before it finally settles at 40-50 fps.

GPU Usage during benchmarks is at a stable 90-100%.

All drivers are the latest ones. DOCP is enabled. Power settings are set to High Performance. Game is set to high priority and only uses physical cores according to in-game settings. Game's settings are set to be more GPU intensive than CPU. Windows gaming mode is turned off.

My specs:
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 2600 @ 3.85 GHz
Motherboard: Asus Prime b450m-a
Ram: 16 Gb 3000Mhz (2x8) or 24 Gb (2x8 3000Mhz + 2x4 2666Mhz) problem persists no matter the setup.
GPU: RX 480 or RX 5700 XT (The problem persists no matter the setup.)
PSU: EVGA 650 W
OS: Windows 10 Home 64bit
Monitor: 1366 x 768 60hz

Any help would be greatly appreciated.


Escape from Tarkov is a game coded by uncompetent devs and with trash engine. Of course it will run like <Mod Edit>
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Latest posts