GTX 980 poor usage (and low fps) in BF4 mutiplayer

SR71Blackguy · Feb 20, 2015

Hello all,
Just on Wednesday I installed my new MSi GTX 980. After I installed the newest driver, I checked Minecraft as a quick/simple benchmark. The fps seemed significantly higher than my previous card (r9 280x), so no problem there. (Actually, side issue: I turned all the settings down including render distance, to see what absurd fps I could get, and when I did that, the card started to produce coil whine.(but that's not my main problem)). Then, I went to go try out the BF4 test range map as a benchmark, and got nothing too crazy (90-120fps). Although, later I did try it a few more times and the fps was about 115-140fps, which is probably where it should be. So, where it gets bad is specifically in the multiplayer. I only got 55-75 fps (everything maxed) on Zavod (a map), where it should be easily 100+. So, after many more games with MSi after burner, I have noticed that the GPU only has a 70% usage, whereas my Intel i5 4670k is at 95+% usage. In another game it got as bad as 50% usage for the GPU, and my fps correlated with that. I would like to know if my issues are indeed based on poor usage, and what I could do to fix this.
Thanks in advance,
Kyle M

Specs
CPU: Intel I5 4670k
MOBO: ASRock Z87 extreme 4
RAM: 8Gb Kingston HyperX Blu
Storage: 7200 rpm 1tb HDD + 240 GB Intel 730 series SSD
GPU: MSi GTX 980 GAMING 4G
PSU: Corsair CX750M
Monitor: 1080p 144hz

Bossyfins · Feb 21, 2015

First: Your PSU quality seems to be pretty bad, and I recommend you change it.

Second, Are your temperatures fine? Are they overheating when playing games? You should check that. Use HWMonitor or MSI Afterburner to montior the temps.

No u · Feb 21, 2015

Bossyfins :

(fyi this is my other account) I use Afterburner for monitoring while I play, and as far as temps go, the 980 hovers around 67 degrees C, and all 4 cores are 78-80 degrees C.
Can I ask what exactly is bad with my particular PSU I have?

Bossyfins · Feb 21, 2015

The capacitors. When they are being used, they fail much faster then better quality ones. The CX line was meant for office computers etc.

So your temps are fine, are your drivers updated?

No u · Feb 21, 2015

Bossyfins :

The driver I'm using should be the most current: 347.52
Well, before I installed my 980, I've never had any fps problems with the 280x, and I think the TDP is higher on that too, does that make a difference?
Also, if the PSU were bad, why is it just multiplayer that has low fps?

Bossyfins · Feb 21, 2015

SO you have low fps when on multiplayer? what about single player

Bossyfins · Feb 21, 2015

SO you have low fps when on multiplayer? what about single player

Bossyfins · Feb 21, 2015

SO you have low fps when on multiplayer? what about single player

No u · Feb 21, 2015

Bossyfins :

well, in the test range, which is a mock multiplayer map for practicing by yourself, the fps is 105-135 (when I'm running around shooting explosive barrels and what-not), and I can see that the gpu usage spikes up and down from 80-100% (at least it actual hits 100). The fps seems to correlate positively with the fps I'm seeing.

Bossyfins · Feb 21, 2015

I did read that when you play games, your CPU goes to like 95% while yoru GPU is like 50%, is that correct?

Pc6777 · Feb 21, 2015

could be wifi bottlenecking you...

Bossyfins · Feb 21, 2015

No, if his CPU goes to 100% and his gpu is around 50-60%, its a CPU bottle neck

Pc6777 · Feb 21, 2015

I didn't read much and I assumed it was wifi... yea if the cpu is at full load and gpu is about half load its cpu...

No u · Feb 21, 2015

Bossyfins :

well, that was the worst game I experienced. Typically the multiplayer games hover around 70% (+ or - 5). Although, about an hour ago I managed to have about 80% usage and I got about a 15 frame boost.

Also, I tried the Unigene Heaven Benchmark 4.0 to see what would happen there. I think these results should be normal:
(Im too lazy to try to upload a pic)

FPS: 66.1
Score: 1665
Min FPS: 26.2
Max FPS: 136.7
System: Platform: Windows 7 64 bit
CPU: I5 4670k @ 3.40 GHz x4
GPU: 980 of course
Settings: Render: Direct3D11
Mode: 1920x1080 8xAA fullscreen
Preset: Custom
Quality: Ultra
Tesselation: Extreme

gokitty199 · Feb 21, 2015

No u :

Bossyfins :

well, that was the worst game I experienced. Typically the multiplayer games hover around 70% (+ or - 5). Although, about an hour ago I managed to have about 80% usage and I got about a 15 frame boost.

Also, I tried the Unigene Heaven Benchmark 4.0 to see what would happen there. I think these results should be normal:
(Im too lazy to try to upload a pic)

FPS: 66.1
Score: 1665
Min FPS: 26.2
Max FPS: 136.7
System: Platform: Windows 7 64 bit
CPU: I5 4670k @ 3.40 GHz x4
GPU: 980 of course
Settings: Render: Direct3D11
Mode: 1920x1080 8xAA fullscreen
Preset: Custom
Quality: Ultra
Tesselation: Extreme

that score is expected, whats your sampling level at in BF4? 100% 200% or what

No u · Feb 21, 2015

gokitty199 :

No u :

100% sampling.
Since my Benchmark scores seem to be expected I'm leaning towards the idea that this is a BF4 issue

gokitty199 · Feb 22, 2015

No u :

gokitty199 :

100% sampling.
Since my Benchmark scores seem to be expected I'm leaning towards the idea that this is a BF4 issue

probably, but on my 970 im getting 70-90fps in multiplayer at 125% sampling with everything turned up, is there something in the background running?

ZackL04 · Feb 22, 2015

use your extreme4 and overclock that thing to 4.4 or so. then tell us what you see, battlefield 4 can utilize 8 cores so speeding up the 4 that you have may help a bit.

BTW your CX power supply is "OK", its not like your using some diablotek crap

No u · Feb 22, 2015

ZackL04 :

I'll try overclocking my CPU, and see if there are any significant results. According to Afterburner, in a good game I can get down to 85% CPU usage, but its very spikey, going up and down in the 90% range. As for the GPU, it oscillates from 60-70% every second or so. Also, when a round is over and I'm in the between game menu, my fps kicks up to 140+ fps and the GPU usage goes to the high 90s.

Guest · Feb 22, 2015

Try running and comparing benchmarks and then scanning for viruses/malware.

No u · Feb 22, 2015

Well, I did try Unigene Heaven 4.0, and I typed out the results on this thread if you want to look. The results line up with other peoples' results. Quick question: If the benchmarks that I try have normal results, doesn't that confirm that the problem isn't in the GPU, and that the GPU is working normally? I just want to be sure that the problem isn't coming from the 980 itself.

rjparsons9 · Feb 23, 2015

If you ran a GPU benchmark, and the results are normal then it is probably some other problem. It really could be any part of the system. Try running benchmarks on each separate component. If all of them are normal, check for cooling issues and any noticeable damage inside the system itself.

No u :

ATCrogerwilco · Feb 24, 2015

-Overclock cpu(I have same cpu at 4.3 and it's fine)
-switch power plan to performance if it isn't already (control panel/power management or something)
-check resolution in bf4, make sure it's at 1080p.my 980 auto switched to render frames at 2570*1700 or something because of DSR.
Try those things. This fixed my performance for 980 which just got here on 2\22. Switched from 280x as well(congrats to us.)

xxxlun4icexxx · Feb 24, 2015

Just to cover all bases, I'd make sure that in your nvidia control panel you are set to "Maximum Performance" instead of adaptive (I forget the exact name of the option). You could also just restore them to defaults. I know it sounds dumb, but these kinds of things have bitten everyone after hours of trying to figure out what's wrong. Generally if your GPU isn't at 100% usage it's because you either have vsync on, or a frame limiter on in your OC software. In BF4 check the display settings and make sure you didn't miss anything (make sure you didn't accidentally jack your resolution scale up to 200%, etc.). I don't think your CPU is causing this. My friend has the same processor and does fine with it in bf4.

Also the maximum performance thing goes hand in hand with your cpu. By that I mean, your P.C. may have the power plan set to adaptive. To cover all bases there I'd just check and make sure your cpu is operating at full speed as well.

razamatraz · Feb 24, 2015

This sounds like thermal throttling on the CPU (Especially because you said it's spikey). The temps you mentioned aren't horrible but 80C is pretty hot for Haswell at stock speeds, my 4570 runs at 60C in BF4.. Are you running a stock cooler on the CPU or something aftermarket?

Also, what graphics settings and resolution? A 980 should be able to run ultra at 120FPS+ all day long in 1080p BF4.

My first move would be to remove the CPU cooler, clean it, clean off the thermal grease and reapply good stuff properly to see if that helps...if it's a stock cooler I'd get a better one...nothing crazy, a Coolermaster 212 is fine.

Razz

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