Low gaming performance on a mid-high budget system

Karlisle

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Nov 20, 2014
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Hello guys.
I build a computer over a year ago and i´ve used it for gaming.I got a windows 8.1 pro edition. i´ve always experienced some problems with games such as metro last light, AC4 black flag, and lords of the fallen. I am getting very low FPS count on most of these games on LOW settings and i shouldn´t be. My build is as follows:

CPU: AMD FX 8350
GPU: Sapphire Toxic R9 270X
Ram: 8 GB DDR3 42012 G.Skill Ripjaws X DDR3 1333 PC3 CL9
MOBO: asrock 970 extreme 4
Resolution: 1360x789
PSU: Mars gaming 700w

My temperature is high, but not very high, never seen it over 61 degrees, and i use liquid refrigeration.

I noticed some low voltage on my +12, almost getting to 11.3-11.4 under stress. if that is of any help but i am really getting desperate. and yes i have reinstalled before, same problem persist


Update: I´ve actually reinstalled w8 right now and i´m getting a better performance and a higher 12v+ no longer gets near 11.4, now it stays safely over and almost just about 11.5. Should i still replace my cpu? I am only getting a slighter better performance, right over 20-25 fps, and i should be getting about 50 according to benchmarks. Any clues?
As a sidenote, i´ve noticed my disk access rate is a bit high it gets to 100% very easily. Could that be my problem?
 


Win 8

then the drivers on the disk that came with the mb
[ if you havent been installing these you are guaranteed poor performance ]

then the graphics driver
 

Xavier Bouttier

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Sep 10, 2013
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Or get the latest motherboard/gpu drivers directly from manufacturer's website.
 

Karlisle

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Nov 20, 2014
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Ok guys. Update: I´ve actually reinstalled w8 right now and i´m getting a better performance and a higher 12v+ no longer gets near 11.4, now it stays safely over and almost just about 11.5. Should i still replace my cpu? I am only getting a slighter better performance, right over 20-25 fps, and i should be getting about 50 according to benchmarks. Any clues?
 
8gb ram

CPU at 46C! Is this idle or were you using it? If idle, that's too hot. It should be less than 40C at idle.
Its only running at 1.232V so it shouldn't get that hot. Check CPU fan speeds. They aren't given in Sensors.

PSU - no readings. Post them from the bios or mobo uefi software readings.

GPU. Its at 0.945V but only running at 450MHz. Was this at idle too?
 

mdocod

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I think you've perhaps inadvertently eliminated VRM cooling that would have been inherent to the OEM CPU cooling solution, and in doing so, are experiencing forced throttling of the CPU caused by the motherboard trying to save itself from overheating.

Place a fan over your motherboard's CPU VRMs, and if you haven't done so already, replace that PSU.

 

mdocod

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By installing water cooling on your CPU, you have REMOVED the VRM cooling that was included with the OE heatsink. The factory heatsink churns up a ton of airflow over the VRMs, a remote radiator does not.

I run a fan like this on the front of the board over the VRM heatsink:
DSCN1864.jpg


And another on the rear of the board like this:
DSCN1866.jpg


The voltage regulation modules for the CPU consist of numerous mosfets, coils, capacitors, and control IC's all grouped near the CPU socket. Usually located either between the rear IO and socket, or between the "top" of the motherboard and the socket, or in some cases, both. Some boards have a heatsink installed over the mosfets, the source of most of the losses. For every 10W of power dissipation at your CPU, these VRMs will need to dissipate an additional 1-2W as part of their conversion losses. (they are buck regulating the 12V rail from your PSU down to the ~1.4V required by your CPU via high frequency PWM, which at these high current, low voltage levels, comes with inherent losses).

AIOCLC's and even heatpipe tower coolers lead to problems with VRMs especially when people combine boards with weak VRMs with CPUs like the FX-8350. The 970 extreme 4 would not have been my pick of motherboard to combine with that CPU.