Question Why do I get low frame rates AND screen tearing?

[thecamper41]

Hi!

So I have recently upgraded my computer with a AMD Ryzen 5 1600, and a AMD radeon RX 5700.
However with most games I get very low frame rates, and also a lot of screen tearing.
The games where I notice it the most is:

- The evil within 2 (It runs at like 45 fps at the most, and changing the setting doesn't do anything.)

- The surge 2 (55fps, and major screen tearing.)

And even smaller games such as Project Zomboid can drop down to 20fps. (I know it's early access, but still.)

I have reinstalled my drivers multiple times, and done a clean reset twice, but to no avail.

My rig is:

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 1600 Six-Core Processor 3.20 GHz (I even overclocked it to 4.0 which did improve it a bit.)

GPU: AMD Radeon RX 5700

16 RAM

200 GB SSD ( I have tried installing one of the games on it, but it didn't improve the framerate.)

2TB Harddrive.

I don't understand why I have this issue.
I have a pretty old screen, so maybe that could be the reason for the screen tearing?
But that doesn't explain the framerates.
Is there a way to check if everything is running correctly?

Thanks in advance!

 

[bmockeg]

Ryzen 2nd and 3rd gen are more memory sensitive than 1st gen. Faster memory would help but let’s not throw random FPS out there. Look at the percentage of drop not the number. I found some games that drop with lower speed RAM and even those drop at most 20% which in his case is 10FPS which is not his issue at all.

 

[bmockeg]

You can quite arbitrary FPS numbers but the most important this is percentage drop in FPS from one game to another. 1st gen Ryzen isn’t as memory sensitive as 2nd and 3rd gen and you can’t compare a 1600 to a 2600. I looked at some information about 1st gen and faster RAM does indeed help but not to the degree you are making it out to be. There is at MAX a 20% drop in FPS in a couple games. This would amount to 6-10 FPS with the FPS he is currently getting. RAM isn’t the problem.

 

[InvalidError]

Sounds like you need a new monitor. 13 year old monitor with brand new GPU? I hope you didn’t really expect it to keep up.

Aside from adaptive sync/gsync, LCD monitor technology hasn't changed that much in 20 years and definitely wouldn't do anything about OP's "low fps" issue since the GPU would still be refreshing a 60Hz display at 60Hz regardless of how old or new it is.

The next best option for eliminating tearing and still pushing as much FPS as possible would be triple-buffering where the GPU spits out frames as fast as possible and picks the newest one whenever display refresh is about to start.

 

[WildCard999]

Also I tried to see what kind of PSU I had, but the sticker with the name seems to be on the wrong side, so I cant see it Without taking everything apart.
Is there a way to check it through software?

Unfortunately no.

 

[bmockeg]

Aside from adaptive sync/gsync, LCD monitor technology hasn't changed that much in 20 years and definitely wouldn't do anything about OP's "low fps" issue since the GPU would still be refreshing a 60Hz display at 60Hz regardless of how old or new it is.

The next best option for eliminating tearing and still pushing as much FPS as possible would be triple-buffering where the GPU spits out frames as fast as possible and picks the newest one whenever display refresh is about to start.

maybe so, but I wouldn’t spend that much on a GPU to push 60 FPS on a DVI. That card should be pushing 144fps at 1080p or close to it. The RAM isn’t causing it to run 30fps on vsync or under 60 without it.

 

[InvalidError]

maybe so, but I wouldn’t spend that much on a GPU to push 60 FPS on a DVI.

The 5700 isn't that much of a powerful GPU that it wouldn't be limited to 60ish FPS in quite a few games. In the case of "The Surge 2", a 2080Ti with i9-9900k only goes up to 140fps at 1080p with everything maxed out. The 5700XT is only ~60% as fast and the 1600 has worse IPC than the i9, so it would make sense that OP's setup might only go half as high on a good day in that particular case.

 

[bmockeg]

The 5700 isn't that much of a powerful GPU that it wouldn't be limited to 60ish FPS in quite a few games. In the case of "The Surge 2", a 2080Ti with i9-9900k only goes up to 140fps at 1080p with everything maxed out. The 5700XT is only ~60% as fast and the 1600 has worse IPC than the i9, so it would make sense that OP's setup might only go half as high on a good day in that particular case.

I was thinking the XT model for some reason. I wouldn’t pay that type of money for a GPU to barely push 60fps at 1080p

 

[thecamper41]

Why would buying a new monitor help with the stuttering and framerate issue?

 

[InvalidError]

Why would buying a new monitor help with the stuttering and framerate issue?

Upgrading to a monitor that supports AdaptiveSync/G-sync would let the GPU send new frames whenever they are ready instead of waiting for vsync. Eliminating the strict alignment with vsync would certainly help with smoothing perceived stutter.

 

[thecamper41]

Oh okay ^^
So should it be G-sync or free-sync?

 

[damric]

1) it's not your monitor's fault, though your monitor does suck, and you should replace it AFTER your performance problems are solved.

2) PSU sounds sketchy. Red flags all over the place for that.

3) Run 3dmark firestrike. I'm curious as to if you can even complete the benchmark without crashing. Also would like to compare your score to mine, since I have a similar rig on my test bench right now, with a Ryzen 5 1600.

 

[NightHawkRMX]

With an AMD GPU, go for a freesync monitor

 

[bmockeg]

Well, I’d recommend a freesync that supports gsync if you ever change to a Nvidia GPU.

Haven’t noticed you list your PSU information, how old is it?

 

[InvalidError]

With an AMD GPU, go for a freesync monitor

G-Sync Compatible = Adaptive Sync = works fine with AMD GPUs too since [Radeon] FreeSync is nothing more than AMD's vendor-specific branding.

Many monitor manufacturers have scrapped FreeSync branding in favor of Nvidia's stronger branding and larger GPU market share. Shopping exclusively for FreeSync may short-change your options.

Years ago when the FreeSync fad started, I called out how stupid I thought it was to add vendor-specific branding on VESA/DP1.2a's Adaptive Sync feature. Now that Nvidia has been forced to support Adaptive Sync by everyone else deciding to adopt it, AMD is losing the branding war and this is generating completely unnecessary confusion. I doubt Nvidia would have bothered to house-rebrand Adaptive Sync if AMD didn't do it first, everyone would be calling it by its vendor-neutral VESA-standard Adaptive Sync name and leave it at that.

Well, I’d recommend a freesync that supports gsync if you ever change to a Nvidia GPU.

It does not really matter. FreeSync is just AMD-specific re-branding of VESA Adaptive Sync. Most FreeSync monitors work perfectly fine with 10-series and newer Nvidia GPUs as G-Sync Compatible which is Nvidia's own Adaptive Sync branding.

 

[thecamper41]

I overclocked my CPU from 3400 to 4000 and CPU voltage of 1.40, and that has made some small improvement.
I ran 3dMark Firestrike and this was my result.

17 568

Graphics score - 21 509
Graphics test 1 - 101.70fps
Graphics test 2 - 86.49fps

Physics score - 16 884
Physics test - 53.60

Combined Score 7 594
Combined test 35.32

GPU - AMD Radeon RX 5700
CPU - AND Ryzen 5 1600 Six-Core Processor
GUI - v2.10.6799 s64

 

[thecamper41]

So it could be the PSU?

 

[SgtScream]

You said you enabled vsync and your fps went down to 30. Vsync synchronizes your frames to refresh rate. Based on this, it sounds like you're running your tv at 30hz. Look for a setting in the TV. I think max refresh rate is 85hz for that model. This would ABSOLUTELY be why you're experiencing tearing. If you have two to three times fps of a 30hz refresh rate you're going to 100% get tearing.

 

[damric]

Firestrike looks to have run stable, so I would rule out PSU. Sgt Scream has a very good point. Get a real monitor and test it.

 

[bmockeg]

Firestrike looks to have run stable, so I would rule out PSU. Sgt Scream has a very good point. Get a real monitor and test it.

Hmm, literally the first recommendation.

 

[thecamper41]

My monitor is at a 60hz refresh rate however.

 

[bmockeg]

My monitor is at a 60hz refresh rate however.

If the monitor was at 60hz then VSYNC would put you at 60 FPS. If you enable VSYNC and are getting 30FPS then you are only displaying 30hz.