GTX 770 + FX 6100 = Lazy GPU Usage

Victor18149 · Jun 25, 2014

Hi everyone, i'm new at the forum and i really need help. I have an issue with my system:
I upgraded my pc, and i think it's underperforming because the gpu usage is low...
I tested on far cry 3, and the fps on ultra and msaa x8 is about 30~50FPS, this is ok, because the usage of the GPU is about 98~99%(using MSI Afterburner). But when i downgrade the graphics, the gpu usage goes down too... I set it in high and msaa x2 and the gpu usage drops to 50%, wich gives me the same fps of the ultra setting... I have a 120Hz monitor and i want to downgrade the graphics and get higher framerates... It seems to me that the GPU is lazy and doesn't want to use its full power... I already set on Nvidia control panel the option of maximum performance on the power management mode, turned off all v-syncs, unparked all my CPU cores, and i don know what to do now... I tested on Battlefield 4 and it's underperforming too...

My PC:
EVGA GTX 770 SC w/ ACX
AMD FX 6100 @ 3.58GHz w/ turbo boost
Asus Sabertooh 990FX
8GB (2x4GB) G.Skill Ripjaws 1600 MHz
1TB Seagate SATA III
Corsair H80i
Corsair RM 850 (850W)

I really need and appreciate your help! Thnx

Rationale · Jun 25, 2014

It's more likely your CPU is preventing performance from increasing much at lower settings. CPU load barely changes from minimum to ultra settings in most games.

DonQuixoteMC · Jun 25, 2014

Perhaps your GPU is infact a deadbeat. (Just kidding

)

I think the real reason is that your 6100 is "bottlenecking" your GTX 770, at least at the lower settings.

When your GPU is around 100% load, it's obviously being fully utilized. This can mean you have a GPU bottleneck, or no bottleneck at all (if both CPU and GPU are running at 100%)

30-50 FPS sounds about right for your CPU and GPU's maximum framerate in FarCry 3, on the Ultra preset, at 1080p. So on the Ultra preset, I don't think you have much of a problem at all.

However, when you turn down the graphics settings to get a better framerate, your GPU won't have as much to render, so it won't have to do as much work to keep up with the instructions from the CPU. (which is why usage drops to ~50%).

Your FPS stays the same because your CPU is still running at the same speed, and is capable of only delivering around 30-50 FPS. Changing graphics settings will rarely change your FPS if your CPU is the "bottleneck," as it won't change the workload your CPU has to deal with.
I'm unfamiliar with FarCry 3's graphics options, but your best bet would be to lower View Distance, Load Distance, and possibly Object detail to try to maximize the number of frames per second your CPU can deliver.

Couple of questions moving forward:

What resolution do you play at?
Have you overclocked anything?

Victor18149 · Jun 25, 2014

Rationale :

So, what can i do to prevent or fix this?

Rationale · Jun 25, 2014

Victor18149 :

Overclock the CPU or replace it, pretty much. Bulldozer (the architecture used in the FX-6100) was a disaster for AMD.

That's assuming the CPU is the issue, which of course we don't know for sure yet. You should download a program to monitor the CPU usage. If I remember correctly Far Cry 3 uses 4 cores, so if your CPU is around 60-65% load total when playing, or 95-100% load on a few individual cores, it's a bottleneck.

Victor18149 · Jun 25, 2014

DonQuixoteMC :

Perhaps your GPU is infact a deadbeat. (Just kidding

)

I think the real reason is that your 6100 is "bottlenecking" your GTX 770, at least at the lower settings.

When your GPU is around 100% load, it's obviously being fully utilized. This can mean you have a GPU bottleneck, or no bottleneck at all (if both CPU and GPU are running at 100%)

30-50 FPS sounds about right for your CPU and GPU's maximum framerate in FarCry 3, on the Ultra preset, at 1080p. So on the Ultra preset, I don't think you have much of a problem at all.

However, when you turn down the graphics settings to get a better framerate, your GPU won't have as much to render, so it won't have to do as much work to keep up with the instructions from the CPU. (which is why usage drops to ~50%).

Your FPS stays the same because your CPU is still running at the same speed, and is capable of only delivering around 30-50 FPS. Changing graphics settings will rarely change your FPS if your CPU is the "bottleneck," as it won't change the workload your CPU has to deal with.
I'm unfamiliar with FarCry 3's graphics options, but your best bet would be to lower View Distance, Load Distance, and possibly Object detail to try to maximize the number of frames per second your CPU can deliver.

Couple of questions moving forward:

What resolution do you play at?
Have you overclocked anything?

I'm playing at 1080p and i used the cpu boost on the bios... this gives me about 3.58GHz on cpu... but its normal clock is 3.3GHz... I don't know much about overclocking... can i use this CPU boost and keep the system stable?

Rationale · Jun 25, 2014

Victor18149 :

DonQuixoteMC :

I'm playing at 1080p and i used the cpu boost on the bios... this gives me about 3.58GHz on cpu... but its normal clock is 3.3GHz... I don't know much about overclocking... can i use this CPU boost and keep the system stable?

First you should really test to see if the CPU is actually the problem.

logainofhades · Jun 25, 2014

Swap your processor to an FX 8320, go into the bios and set the multiplier, instant FX 8350 speed. It would help you out a good deal. FX 6100 is slower than Phenom II.

Victor18149 · Jun 25, 2014

Rationale :

Victor18149 :

DonQuixoteMC :

I'm playing at 1080p and i used the cpu boost on the bios... this gives me about 3.58GHz on cpu... but its normal clock is 3.3GHz... I don't know much about overclocking... can i use this CPU boost and keep the system stable?

First you should really test to see if the CPU is actually the problem.

How can i test this? Run the game and use CPU-Z to monitor?

Victor18149 · Jun 25, 2014

logainofhades :

I'm thinking about that, but i don't have the money now... i'm trying to sell my old case and i'm thinking about selling this CPU too, to earn the money for a 8320 or a 8350

logainofhades · Jun 25, 2014

Just get the FX 8320. FX 8350 is not worth the extra cost.

Victor18149 · Jun 25, 2014

logainofhades :

I think i'll do this when i get the money... but there's nothing i can do to minimize this problem?

logainofhades · Jun 25, 2014

Short of overclocking your CPU a bit, no.

Victor18149 · Jun 25, 2014

What i don't understand is why when the game needs more power, the gpu and cpu gives this power, and when is does not need, all the power disappear...

logainofhades · Jun 25, 2014

Victor18149 :

Huh?

con635 · Jun 25, 2014

Using latest nvidia drivers?

Victor18149 · Jun 25, 2014

con635 :

yep... not the beta... but latest...

Victor18149 · Jun 25, 2014

logainofhades :

what i'm trying to say is... why does the gpu and cpu work on 99% when it needs, and drops when it doesn't? (Sorry, i'm brazilian and i just know basics of english)

WhiteSnake91 · Jun 25, 2014

bulldozer is god awful......if you have a 120hz monitor and want to take advantage of that with a gtx 770 you really just need to go ahead and upgrade to an i5 setup, really nothing around that.

first I've heard of somebody with a bulldozer and 120hz monitor 0_o

logainofhades · Jun 25, 2014

Victor18149 :

logainofhades :

what i'm trying to say is... why does the gpu and cpu work on 99% when it needs, and drops when it doesn't? (Sorry, i'm brazilian and i just know basics of english)

The percentage is how much of a CPU's capable load you are using. .

DonQuixoteMC · Jun 25, 2014

Victor18149 :

The game may "need" more power, but not from your graphics card. Your graphics card can't run at 100% on medium in your system because there's not enough for it to do. Your CPU is effectively slowing it down on the medium preset.

As mentioned before: The only way for you to increase FPS, without buying something, is to overclock your processor. Your hardware should be able to handle it. So find one of the thousands of guides on the internet for overclocking the FX-6100/6300.

Of course you could also upgrade to a more powerful processor to increase performance.

Victor18149 · Jun 25, 2014

DonQuixoteMC :

Victor18149 :

The game may "need" more power, but not from your graphics card. Your graphics card can't run at 100% on medium in your system because there's not enough for it to do. Your CPU is effectively slowing it down on the medium preset.

As mentioned before: The only way for you to increase FPS, without buying something, is to overclock your processor. Your hardware should be able to handle it. So find one of the thousands of guides on the internet for overclocking the FX-6100/6300.

Of course you could also upgrade to a more powerful processor to increase performance.

Understood... Thanks a lot guys!

Victor18149 · Jun 25, 2014

WhiteSnake91 :

This CPU was in my old PC... And i didn't have too much trouble with this CPU + GTX 560... Then i upgraded and i thought that i wouldn't have trouble in this config too... so i didn't upgrade my CPU, to buy a 120Hz monitor. And i was wrong! I could buy a Sabertooh Z77 and put an I5, but i though that i could spend less money using my FX-6100 w/ a good mobo. I live in Brazil and the prices here are awful! The Sabertooh 990FX costs about US$ 566,39(1249,99 reais) and in USA is about US$200. Then it's not viable to change to intel now. I think my option is to sell the 6100 to buy an 8320 or 8350. Thanks for your support

GTX 770 + FX 6100 = Lazy GPU Usage

Reputable

Admirable

Distinguished

Reputable

Admirable

Reputable

Admirable

Titan

Reputable

Reputable

Titan

Reputable

Titan

Reputable

Titan

Honorable

Reputable

Reputable

Distinguished

Titan

Distinguished

Reputable

Reputable

Share this page