New MSI GTX 970 4GB Gaming

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DeagleNL

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Jul 21, 2015
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Hi I just got my new GTX 970 today and I've not been very happy with it's performance and don't know where else to go. I've been playing some games like GTA V CSGO and ArmA 2 and in every single game it's stuttering (On CSGO I get 100+ FPS steady but still stutters) and on GTA V I just get terrible FPS overall, Before this I used a Gainward GTX 670 2GB and it actually ran BETTER than the 970 can someone please take a look at my specs and tell me what's wrong/ not good enough?

SPECS:

Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-3770K CPU @ 3.50GHz
Manufacturer Intel
Speed 3.9 GHz
Number of Cores 8
CPU ID BFEBFBFF000306A9
Family 06
Model 3A
Stepping 9
Revision 1B
Video Card NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970
Manufacturer NVIDIA
Chipset GeForce GTX 970
Dedicated Memory 4.1 GB
Total Memory 4.0 GB
Pixel Shader Version 5.0
Vertex Shader Version 5.0
Hardware T & L Yes
Vendor ID 10DE
Device ID 13C2
Plug and Play ID VEN_10DE&DEV_13C2&SUBSYS_31601462&REV_A1
Driver Version 10.18.13.5330
Memory 8.2 GB
Operating System Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate Edition Service Pack 1 (build 7601), 64-bit
Service Pack 1
Size 64 Bit
Edition Ultimate
Version 6.1.7601
Locale 0413
BIOS BIOS Date: 09/19/12 18:20:20 Ver: 04.06.05
Version American Megatrends Inc. F9
Manufacturer American Megatrends Inc.
Date 09/19/12
Display Maximum Resolution 1920 x 1080
Sound Device 1 NVIDIA Virtual Audio Device (Wave Extensible) (WDM)
Driver Version
Sound Device 2 NVIDIA High Definition Audio
Driver Version 1.3.34.3
Sound Device 3 Razer Kraken 7.1
Driver Version 9.36.2.241
Sound Device 4 High Definition Audio Device
Driver Version 6.1.7601.17514
DVD Optiarc DVD RW AD-5280S ATA Device
CD Optiarc DVD RW AD-5280S ATA Device
Drive 1
Size 931.4 GB
Free 783.4 GB
Drive 2
Size 465.8 GB
Free 278.4 GB



EDIT: I know that I've got a GIGABYTE motherboard but don't know the model
Also my PSU is a 600w
 
Solution
Darkbreeze
I always RECOMMEND an aftermarket cooler on all four core or higher chips. However, the stock cooler should be able to keep thermals in check with stock settings. It's still a good idea to have an aftermarket cooler. It will be quieter at most all equivalent temperatures since a bigger fan can cool better than a smaller fan, at an equal or lower RPM. It will a much better top end performance capability. It will last longer. And if you ever plan to overclock, it's essential anyhow.
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cdrkf

cdrkf

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Mar 18, 2013
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I can't see your driver version / date for the 970? Did you update your nVidia drivers after installing the new card? If not you might want to uninstall your drivers, then download the latest ones direct from nVidia:

http://www.geforce.co.uk/drivers/results/86538
 
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rcald2000

rcald2000

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Nov 3, 2009
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@DeagleNL, I agre with cdrkf. Uninstall/reinstall drivers as a first step. Run DDU to uninstall the drivers though. Question, what card did you have prior to the GTX 970?

* Addendum: I would also consider updating your BIOS too, as it's out of date (http://www.ami.com/download-license-agreement/?DownloadFile=AMIBIOS_and_Aptio_AMI_Firmware_Update_Utility.zip)

Driver 353.30 release date 6/22 (already installed)

*** specs ***
i7-3770K / 8 GB Ram? / Gigabyte MB / 600 watt PSU / one 1 TB & one 500 GB HDD (or SDD) drives / 1080p resolution
AMI BIOS Date: 09/19/12 Ver: 04.06.05
Nvidia Driver Version 10.18.13.5330

 
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DeagleNL

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Jul 21, 2015
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I had a Gainward GTX 670 2GB before this
Sorry I'm a bit of a scrub when it comes to this stuff: What is DDU exactly
 
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DeagleNL

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Jul 21, 2015
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I'll try all those things when I get back home because the performance was worse than my GTX 670
 
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DeagleNL

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Do you think the BIOS is the problem? Because I can't seem to figure out how to update it ( I did however reinstall all display drivers no change in fps though :( )
 
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rcald2000

rcald2000

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I don't know if your BIOS being three years out of date is the problem or not. Honestly, I wouldn't think so, but I just wanted to eliminate it as a possible cause. You definitely shouldn't be experiencing micro-stutters with a single GTX 970. Btw, which 970 mfg/model did you purchase? I also wonder if your CPU is throttling due to heat. Could you play a game, and monitor the utilization and temperatures on your CPU cores? What do you see? Does your performance start out faster and then degrade to slower, or is it poor from the moment that you start playing?
 
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DeagleNL

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I've got the MSI GTX 970 4GB Gaming and by monitoring you mean with like CPU-Z/GPU-Z?

 
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rcald2000

rcald2000

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Yes. I personally use MSI Afterburner. Btw, I actually owned that exact card until four weeks ago. It's a fantastic card and I definitely never experienced any micro stutters. If your CPU isn't throttling then I would scan for trojans/virus via ADWcleaner and then Combofix. They take about five and thirty minutes respectively to complete their scans. They also will definitely reboot your computer, so you should have all you work and browser tabs saved, if you decide to run them.
 
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rcald2000

rcald2000

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@DeagleNL, I changed my mind. Forget the trojan/virus scan. After you check for throttling, try uninstalling the drivers one more time and installing a slightly older set of drivers. I was just reading the Tom's Hardware forums and noticed the message thread below. I'm now wondering if Nvidia released a bad set of drivers. I now suggest that you uninstall your drivers, reboot then install a slightly dated drivers, then reboot again. Now test game play. Any change?

Sudden stuttering in GTA V after GPU upgrade
http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2731338/sudden-stuttering-gta-gpu-upgrade.html
 
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DeagleNL

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My CPU is clocking in between 90 and 100 degrees Celcius even after not doing anything for a while could this be the problem?

 
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rcald2000

rcald2000

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WHOA! What the F#$@! Something is wrong. Do me favor: while the power is on, open the case and lay it on its side; so that the motherboard is pointed up toward the ceiling. It would be helpful for you to point a fan toward the motherboard and turn on the fan. Now check your temps and also play some games to see if the temps have stabilized.

Now... What type of cpu cooler do you have installed? Water or air cooling? What mfg/brand? Also, can you take a photo of the inside of your case, so that we can see the cpu cooling and case fans. Also, what is the ambient temperature inside the room that contains your computer? Once we figure out what your cooling solution is, then we can figure out why it's not doing it's job properly. Maybe your gel has dried up. Please answer these questions ASAP.
 
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rcald2000

rcald2000

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Great photos. Okay, you have the stock Intel cooler. I'd like a few other people to chime in on this thread to confirm or deny my theory. I think your temps are too high and that's adversely affecting your performance. If one of those spare slots is compatible, you may want to move the card further away from the CPU, although I'm honestly not sure how much that will help. If one or more people on this site agree with heat being your issue then the fix should be simple: (1) new CPU cooler and (2) better case fans. Hyper 212 EVO is a very good, inexpensive cpu cooler. The only question is whether or not it'll fit in your case and clear the memory in those two slots I see in the photo. Noctua makes good case fans. What is the mfg/model of you tower case ?
 
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rcald2000

rcald2000

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Another question: Also, do you have SSD's or HDD's? I'm asking because if you are using Solid State Drive then my next question is if your case supports mounting the 2.5" SSD's on the back side of your motherboard. If so, then perhaps you could remove that lower drive cage, in order to help improve airflow.
 
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DeagleNL

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I know that I've got a cooler master case but that's about all I know about the case, I basically went to a tech store and told them I wanted a GTX 670 and a 3770K and they put it all together all I did was install the GTX 970, which is the first thing I ever did myself. And also with a new case I wouldn't know how to build all the parts in as I've never built a PC before.

 
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rcald2000

rcald2000

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No worries. You computer is great. This is just a small thing that needs to be sorted. A hyper 212 EVO is only $35 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103099&ignorebbr=1&cm_re=hyper_212_evo-_-35-103-099-_-Product). I just want confirmation of my solution before you invest one penny of your money =>

By the way, a GTX 970 is a great investment. I really did love that card. I only upgraded because I got $300 out of nowhere and I wanted to invest it into my computer. I was extremely happy with my 970. It was a very wise upgrade, in my opinion.
 
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DeagleNL

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I feel like the fan isn't the problem I'm guessing that the Thermal Paste or whatever it's called dried up because with my 670 everything was fine, what is your opinion on this?
 
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rcald2000

rcald2000

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Meaning, why was the 670 fine and the 970 isn't? My guess is that the 970 is simply generating more heat than the 670. Thermal paste is a simple fix too. I've never done it, but I've read that it simply takes isopropyl alcohol to clear off the old paste, then let it dry and then apply new paste. There are tons of YouTube videos on doing it. Btw, a new cpu cooler would come with new thermal compound, but even a whole tube of Arctic Silver 5 costs less than $10. I just picked some up this past weekend from micro center. Do you live in the US? If so, what city? There are several micro centers around.
 
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DeagleNL

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I am from the Netherlands, I'll just wait until some more people drop in and look at their opinions.

 
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Reaper_7799

Reaper_7799

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You need a new aftermarket cpu cooler asap...that's stock cooler. All of the stock coolers will run that high when you game...one it's not good for the chip at those temps and will cause throttling, therefore affecting performance overall but could also affect the performance of your GPU.
 
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Reaper_7799

Reaper_7799

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You still need an aftermarket cooler but out of curiosity, what are your GPU temps while you're gaming and what is your GPU usage percent while gaming?

 
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Darkbreeze

Darkbreeze

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Couple of questions Deagle.

First, those temps are WAY too high. Even if you were running Prime95 or another stress test, which tends to create far higher temps than normal use because it loads all cores simultaneously, it would be too high. It's certainly too high for normal use and is almost certainly throttling which is causing your stutters.

You have a stock cooler, but that should in no way be a factor in having higher than spec temps on a CPU that is not overclocked.

What is your case model, how many fans do you have installed, in what orientation (intake, exhaust) are each fan configured, is Intel speedstep enabled in the bios?

Have you visually verified that all fans are operating and checked the bios to see that all the fan profiles are set to the standard or normal setting and are reporting the tach signal (RPM)?

Is your bios up to date?

When you installed the cooler on this CPU, had it been previously installed on another CPU or did it come with the CPU. Some OEM boxed editions don't come with a cooling fan, which is why I ask. Sometimes people use a stock cooler from another, lower TDP configuration and it's simply not capable of enough cooling for a higher power consuming chip.

Are you getting your thermal readings from the bios or a utility? If you're using a utility like HWmonitor, I'd suggest switching to Core Temp or HWinfo. The BIOS is the better place to get a general idea but one of those two utilities is recommended for monitoring temps during normal use.

Here's the biggest and most important question. When you run the system with the side panel off, do the temps drop and if so what do they peak at with not side panel installed?
 
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