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Trying to pinpoint a bottleneck

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  • Bottleneck
  • Graphics
Last response: in Video Games
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May 3, 2014 6:16:06 PM

I'm trying to optimize my computer's graphical performance. I have a Nvidia 660ti and an i7 960 @3.20ghz. I'm running Elder Scrolls Online on max settings, but the FPS never seems to be optimal (past 40 or so). I ran MSI afterburner and Intel extreme tuning utility so that I could see what was maxing out in an area of high load, which put me down to around 25fps. It turns out neither the GPU nor the CPU look like they are bottlenecking, overheating, or lacking power according to the charts. It looks like the highest the GPU usage went in this example run was about 75%, but those were brief spikes. As for the CPU load, the chart showed it pretty steady at 25-30%. The question is, what could be causing the FPS bottleneck then if neither of these things are maxing out? Shouldn't I be getting higher FPS?

Screenshot of graphs for reference: http://imgur.com/xhCrYL5

Again, during the time these graphs are recording information, I'm only getting around 25 FPS.

Other perhaps relevant information, I have a Corsair GS800 PSU and I have no power troubles that I know of.

any help greatly appreciated. :) 

More about : pinpoint bottleneck

May 3, 2014 6:30:31 PM

That's a curious issue. Maybe try a driver update? Does there seem to be a cap at 40 (stays at almost exactly 40 constantly) or does it seem like an actual hardware limitation (makes large jumps and falls depending on situation in game).
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May 4, 2014 8:39:01 AM

Update: Thanks for the replies.

@i7baby, I'm actually not running Skyrim but Elder Scrolls Online. One thing I forgot to mention though is that I'm not running it on 1080p but 720p (which makes my issue even more baffling). Maybe it's worth mentioning as well, but I'm running two monitors. If that were an issue though, wouldn't it have reflected in the graphs?

@bob hays, my graphics card drivers are current. That 40 FPS isn't a cap but my estimate. The actual FPS number as well as the look of the performance itself is a little "jumpy".

Here's a screenshot of my temp/voltages from HWinfo: http://imgur.com/Wvi5jYl

specifically, the CPU and GPU sensors: http://imgur.com/qaczL1J
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May 4, 2014 4:12:09 PM

OK couldn't find the combo of Elders Scrolls and 660ti. I thought Skyrim would be close.

HWInfo shows CPU 46C Vcore 1.23V - OK, GPU 800MhZ (low?) V= 0.99 Low, Mem 1500 OK, PSU voltages very good.

All I can see is that your GPU is under volted and under clocked. The memory is running OK

Can you increase the GPU clock speed and voltage?
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May 4, 2014 5:50:31 PM

Upped the voltage +10mv, Power limit 110%, Core clock +50mhz, memory clock +50mhz. No change in fps - still fluctuating around the same numbers. Turning the camera to the sky gives me up to 49FPS, never gets to 50.
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May 4, 2014 6:35:44 PM

I'm running out of ideas. Can you post your build - every component , make & model plus OS?
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May 4, 2014 8:39:39 PM

Nothing out of the ordinary.

Can you try your 660ti in another pc and try Elder Scrolls? At least that will sort out if its is the card.
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May 5, 2014 3:44:41 AM

Unfortunately I don't have a second build to put this card in. I did however run Kombustor to benchmark if that helps: http://imgur.com/1e6ngFm

Also, I read on the official forum someone was getting 90fps with the same exact card and a bit higher of a CPU. Also, a certain website tested the game on a bunch of cards, and it says 660ti averaged at 80fps on max settings, with a minimum of 60. Granted both of these sources had different specs than me, in particular a stronger CPU. If my lower end CPU is the reason for the difference in my FPS compared to theirs, then wouldn't a load bottleneck reflect in the graphs? From what I can tell, my CPU isn't even breaking a sweat when I play this game.

That's one of the things I'm going by, and admittedly I could be very wrong about that.
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May 5, 2014 5:12:55 AM

At least that got your clock to 915MHz on Kombustor and 980 on HWInfo screen. You could overclock a bit more but I doubt it'd make much difference.

Any clues in Elder Scrolls forum about increasing fps other than changing settings/detail and resolution? I gather your on 1080p. Windows 7 64bit?
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May 5, 2014 7:14:29 AM

720p, but actually when I put it on 1080p it yields the same exact FPS results. There should be a difference, shouldn't there?

I ran some updates on my mobo this morning, but I'm not sure if those were the drastic changes I needed. I'll update later today when the server is back up. I'll see what happens when I turn everything down, just out of curiosity. I'm imagining if 720p and 1080p give the same low FPS then so would minimum settings and maximum settings, and that would mean that the issue isn't the card or the CPU (and I'm pretty sure I've already ruled out issues with the game itself with relation to my gpu, if others are getting high FPS with the same card.)
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May 5, 2014 8:33:13 AM

Just ran it. The driver updates didn't do anything. Turning the graphics all the way down resulted in 60-70fps.

Something is bottlenecking but I have no idea what it is. This is getting frustrating.
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May 5, 2014 9:37:23 AM

Update: just oc'ed my cpu to ~3.8ghz. Saw maybe an average 5fps overall increase, bringing it to a staggering 30fps. I initially oced to 4.08ghz but then windows failed to load.

Is this indicative of something?
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May 20, 2014 10:48:19 PM

Any clues from Elder Scrolls forum?
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