Worried that PC is not performing.

[kingpieman]

Hello, I literally just built my second gaming PC, with an i5 4590 and GTX 970. However running it in 3dmark, i'm getting low scores compared to everyone else's 20000+ with the same specs, I've double checked my drives, windows hasn't said i need to update but it's taking along time to search for updates and yeah didn't really expect this. 🙁

If someone could help i would be really grateful,

http://www.3dmark.com/sd/4087157

 

[robax91]

Your setup is average compared to other i5-4590 and GTX 970 setups. Some things could be the cause:

1. You just didn't win the silicon lottery. Both your components are just average. Overclocking is the only way to boost the performance.

2. Your drivers may be up to date, the the newest drivers are not always the "best" drivers. Try other drivers and see if it affect the scores.

3. Thermal throttling. Make sure your fans are set to a performance curve when benchmarking. Give the case some good airflow in a well ventilated room. Maybe if you're really squeezing for higher numbers get aftermarket thermal paste and reapply it to your CPU and GPU coolers, remember you want the entire die/IHS covered, but not a thick layer. Thin layer = better heat transfer.

4. Turn off any other programs while benchmarking. Try to kill as many unneeded background services and processes as possible. Make sure Windows update, windows experience, or your anti-virus are not running scans/updates when you run the benchmark.

5. Download GPU-Z and run it. Right click the top of the window for a drop down menu. Check ASIC quality. Below 70% means you'll probably need watercooling to push your OCs, above 70% means you can get pretty good OCs on air. Not too big of a deal, but if you're at like 50% it would indicate an unfortunate card.

Edited- Looking around found more out, added to the post.

Your 970 was only running at 1329Mhz, meaning you were throttling, or your boost clock is turned off, or your card is average. Most benchmark worthy 970s can hit 1400 pretty easily on air. I suspect thermals to be what is causing it. Is your card a reference blower style? List your entire computer specs.

 

[Shaun o]

As an addition to the prior poster Kingpieman.

I would advise if you can to look at what motherboard and brand others are using.

Motherboards and the chip set they use can greatly effect the outcome of things like how well you can over clock the cpu in question you are running and often what frequency or speed you can get the cpu to over clock to.

Also in relation to the graphics card, it`s important to know or find out what standard the Pci-e graphics card slot of the motherboard can run at, or is running at.

For example does the motherboard only support Pci-e 2.0 specification or can it do 3.0 Pci-e specification
3.0 provides more bandwidth for newer cards such as the GTX 970.
But if the Pci-e slot of the motherboard can only run card at 2.0 specification it will greatly effect the scores you will achieve when running 3D mark graphics bench testing on the system.

Motherboards that are cheaper to buy will contain chip sets on them that will also greatly effect the results of any Cpu or Gpu bench test you run on them compared to a motherboard that cost`s more to buy with a better chip set on them.

In relation to how many Pci-e express lanes the board can supply for the graphics card and also things like the M2 sata socket provided on the board.

It is always one of the main factors as much as the cpu you use and the graphics card selected.
Because all communication between the cpu it`s self and the Pci-e graphics card in the Pci-e card slot of the motherboard is governed by it, how much bandwidth the chip set can provide for each device attached to the motherboard.

If look at other systems with at least the same cpu as you have the I5 4590, and the GTX 970 card you may find the reason as said why some people get much better results than you is because of the motherboard they are using and the chip set the motherboard has.