MSI Afterburner Monitoring and Performance

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Ransome

Ransome

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I am a performance savvy. I do everything I can to optimize performance including not running background stuff, cleaning the pc, optimizing the drive (trim/defrag) and more.

I am using MSI Afterburner to monitor my GPU as well as a screenshot tool and to apply a small overclock.

I am using GTX 980 SLI.
I use Logitech G510 LCD display to measure temps, fan speeds, fps, clock and memory MHz, and GPU usages - for both cards. I also have a toggle button for OSD.

I have noticed that the new version of MSI Afterbuner's Monitoring Tab has much more options than before (and more than Precision X).

It seem everything is turned on with "V" checkmarks by default - under "graph". So I lead to assume the software monitors everything:
gpu, fans, temps, cpu, ram, pagefile etc.
I am afraid it may reduce my pc overall performance, however slightly..


I am familiar with some properties, but for many of them I have no idea what they mean:
SLI Sync Limit, GPU VID usage, GPU FB usage, GPU Bus usage, GPU OV Max limit, GPU utilization limit and a bunch of other stuff.

My question is,
Does the MSI Afterburner monitoring affects and reduces performance?
Can it cause stutters or instability?
Does it eat up gpu/cpu resources or perhaps even cause crashes?

I don't want to lose even a few frames - if I can avoid it.
But since everything is monitored by default, it may cost no fps at all.

I tried to google this question and found no answers, expect from 1 person who claimed data polling (monitoring) can eat up resources.

Also - should I un-check and disable (remove the checkmark) some of the options in Monitoring to improve performance?

If someone can clear this issue up and perhaps teachme a few things about the monitoring parameters, that would be great!

I am using GTX 980 SLI.

Thanks!
 
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Dunlop0078

Dunlop0078

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A little OCD when it comes to performance aren't we? It may affect performance slightly like an unmeasurable amount nothing that you should care about, I pretty much always have afterburner open so I can use my fan profile and I find games perform better that way due to my gpu staying cooler. And why dont you just turn off the graphs you dont need the only ones i use are core clock speed, gpu temp, gpu usage, memory usage, cpu usage, and ram usage. And if you actually think having a few graphs open will noticeably affect the performance of a 980 sli setup you my friend are a bit insane, I mean think about that for a second those gpus's can make millions of calculations per second at least and you are worried about if it has the enough power to run a tiny graph while you game.
 
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Ransome

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ehh....yes. lol. That's why I posted the topic in the first place.
I was actually more worried about CPU resources than that of the GPU.
Thanks for your response.
Oh btw, for some reason it says my GPU2's usages is higher than GPU1 during heavy load (SLI), does it make sense?

Oh and I am not insane :D Would like to hear more opinions about this.
 
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Dunlop0078

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Well as long as your not running a 3 year old celeron I doubt it will affect the cpu in any measurable way. Look at the your cpu usage is it anywhere near a consistent 100% while you game? If its not then it has plenty of extra power to run a small graph in the background.

As for cpu usage being higher on core 2 I wouldn't worry about that, that will depend greatly on the game and how said game utilizes the cpu. If you aren't experiencing any performance issues I wouldn't worry about it.
 
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JackNaylorPE

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The Lcore.exe Logitech software can have an effect ion frame rates and stability, more so it seems in certain games... Witcher 3 and BF4 among them. As for measuring effect on frame rates, that's an iffy bthing as the mere displaying of frame rates can have an effect on frame rates tho nVidia claims it's insignificant with shadowplay.

Measuring something, is kinda useless if you are not doing anything with the information. I find the temp, voltage power monitoring useful when setting up my OCs but remember running Furmark for example, which displays that information itself .... means that you are measuring the same thing twice which is not only useless but can effect results.

In maximizing card performance, I typically recommend ....

1. Avoid the "reference cards" and the as well as the "reference cards in disguise". The latter are those that use the same PCB / VRM as the reference cards but add a better cooler (i.e EVGA SC). The improved VRMs, chokes and other components as well as memory chip / VRM cooling on the better non reference cards pays dividends in overclocking

2. Use an adequately sized case and if using SLI / CF, use a MoBo with an extra slot in between so you don't have the two cards practically touching one another.

3. Mount a fan on the back of the HD cages to blow air between the cards.

4. Set up your OC's using Core clock 1st and only one dialed in start messing with memory.

5. Start out by saving your stock settings in profile 1 of Afterburner.

6. Save your max OC in profile 5.

7. For various games, you are going to wind up somewhere in between. BF4 for example (I don't play it but my son does), hates thge OC and doesn't like stock settings all that well Wither 3 seems to dislike a high GFX card OC, especially with last two driver updates, and has even thrown two 0124 BSODs at me..... both while AFK..... those are the only 2 I have seen in almost 2 years since originally building the box.
 
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Ransome

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1) my GPUs are Gigabyte G1 Gaming GTX 980.

2) I think case size and mobo fits well, see images below.

3) As for placing a fan in between the 2 GPUs - by mounting on the HD case:

Already did. You probably remember this since you helped me back then in the thread.
I got a nice clean set up and the Noctua fits perfectly there.
It's a NOCTUA NF-A14, 2000 RPM, 140mm case fan.

4) My OC now is:
+120 MHz Core clock.
+ 200 MHz Memory.
80 temp limit.
122 Power Target.
Also glad to know I am not the only one getting crashes, bsod and freezing in The Witcher 3 since the last few drivers.
Using Windows 10 btw.

5-6 ) I only use 1 profile, since I don't want to mess around with it too much. I also noticed that Tw3 is more sensitive to Memory Clock OC, but generally its an heavy huge game so crashes happen.
7) The thing is, I am doing something with the information, mainly making sure everything is performing adequately, well and cool:

GPU1+2 Temps: to make sure card is running normal and not too overheating, also to see how it scales up and down depending on load and game.
Fan Speed: just to see how default fan speeds can handle the temperatures. Yes, I am using the default G1 Gaming fan speeds.
GPU Usage: also to make sure card is running properly, to make sure SLI is working: if one of the GPU doesn't have any load on it during a game, then I know SLI stopped working.
Core + Memory Clock speeds: again to see how much load does the game takes, how high the OC go at full load (turbo) etc. To make sure it comes down when idle or browsing.
Framerate: FPS during games.

I like to constantly be able to check up my framerate on the fly. Hench the Logitech LCD with Lcore.exe.
How much performance-heavy is the Lcore.exe? Are you sure it is cause for concern? I use it to display 3 things: MSI Afterburner monitoring, CPU usages and digital clock. It also shows up my DPI changes on my G700s mouse.
With the Logitech LCD - all that information is displayed clearly, without taking space on my screen and does not disrupt the immersion.
I just hope the Lcore.exe isn't hurting performance like you said!

 
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Ransome

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Like I said above, I don't use MSI Auto Fan Curve Speeds on this rig, although I do consider using it sometimes or may use it in the future.

Right now I prefer using the default automatic manufacturer fans speeds. It seem to perform very well, even in the hot summer of Israel.
I do it for the same reason I use "Balanced" setting in Power Options:
No reason to stress and work-up my hardware if there is no reason to.
If I am idle, browsing or using the desktop - fans are running at much lower speeds ie. 25%-44c, 14%-32c.
(they don't entirely shut off like other 980s 980)
During heavy TW3 1440p gaming it reaches 44% fan speeds and maintaining temps anywhere from 60 -74. Usually around 66-72.
The higher the work speeds - the faster the wear, especially when it comes to mechanical parts.

Also a higher voltage take. Plus the noise the fans are making when using MSI auto fan curve is a bit high - with G1 980's 3 fans (6 on SLI).

Same for the CPU: at power option "Balanced" it utilizes Intel's i3/5/7 adaptive turbo tech. While idle the CPU is at 1600 MHz, and it can jump instantly to 2400, 3800, 4200 depending on the load.

Also, I almost ALWAYS play with AC (air conditioning) ON!!! It is super hot and humid in Israel, our summer is very long, and these months are the worst. So yeah, it can raise temps dramatically, even when idle!
So my AC in the room is set at 20-24c - usually 22c.
It's no joke by a high-end gaming rig is an excellent room-heater, but in the summer -that's more of a curse than a blessing ;), damn!


BACK TO THE TOPIC:
Should I use MSI Afterburner's Monitoring and Logitech Lcore.exe monitoring/LCD or not? pros and cons.
 
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JackNaylorPE

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4) http://www.guru3d.com/articles-pages/gigabyte-geforce-gtx-980-g1-gaming-review,1.html

Here'sa Guru3Ds


Temp Target 80 Degrees C
GPU clock +155 MHz
Power limiter 122%
Mem clock +500 MHz
Volatge + 87Mv
FAN RPM default

The boost clock will no

5-6) I have:

a) Witcher profile ... doesn't like memory overclocking
b) BF4 profile
c) Stock profile
d) Everything else.

7) Lcore.exe messes with a cupla things. I used it as you did when setting up the PC, but just stopped looking at it after a while. When i play a game on Friday, it's not as if it's going to be different on Sunday. Plus if I test everything on Furmark and it's fine, it makes everything else irrelevant. I look everything over every now and then ... temps are a lil high of late so I'll prolly flush the system over labor day weekend.
 
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