Bottleneck? Bad Performance In Games

ShadyOrb09 · Apr 27, 2016

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/ZJsZCethbo4

Hello, I'm having an issue with performance in pretty much all my games, I've mainly been playing
BF4, and BF3. The performance in both of those games is absolutely awful.
I have a pretty decent system and when playing BF3 I'm getting dips to 45FPS with about 13 players in the server when running Ultra settings 1080P.

In the video my game looks like shit, that's because I followed a tutorial online for the lowest possible config there is, and my FPS in the video shown is pretty high, but when I play other maps I drop to high 50s, low 60s. This map I was playing is mostly water, just one big island in the middle so it's not very stressful, but as you can see I think the highest my GPU usage reached was 61%.

With a normal config I drop to low 40s, changing the settings from Ultra to Low makes no change what-so-ever, I'm also making sure to restart my game when I change the settings.
Changing the resolution makes no difference, I shouldn't even have to. Dropping the resolution to 800x600 makes no difference, I still drop to the low 50s, I'm sadly not even kidding.

Temps:
CPU - 23 IDLE, 40-50 LOAD
GPU - 38-43 IDLE, 44-60+ LOAD
Everything else is fine

Things I've Tried:

- Complete fresh install of Windows 10 64Bit
- Repairing both games in origin, along with the DLC
- Tried tons of different drivers
- Dropping the settings, insanely low
- Overclocking CPU to 4.2Ghz
- Reset BIOs to default settings
- Unparked CPU cores
- Overclocking GPU
- Probably more I can't think of
- Clean Installing Drivers, (Used DDU then installed through Device Manager)
Specs:

GPU - R9 280X Vapor-X OC
CPU - FX-8350 4.0Ghz
CPU Cooler - Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO
MOBO - MSI 970 Gaming
RAM - DDR3 8GB 1600Mhz
PSU - 650W EVGA GOLD

Please help, about to just give up.

Rogue Leader · Apr 27, 2016

Sadly, its probably your motherboard.

The power phase on that motherboard is a known problem when you push 125w 8 core AMD processors. Its only a 6+2 and too weak to give that processor all the juice it needs, and so it throttles and gives inconsistent framerates on processor intensive games. This is a common issue with 125w FX 8 core processors. The other problem relating to the VRM's is that with using a Hyper 212 EVO they get no cooling as well. Directing a fan over them may help mitigate this issue somewhat, but normally a stock heatsink directs air right on them, where a tower heatsink does not.

ShadyOrb09 · Apr 27, 2016

Rogue Leader :

Are you fucking kidding me -.-
I made a thread about this exact thing about 7 months ago and they told me the exact same thing, and he told me to buy this motherboard.

Link to thread... http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2534564/bottleneck-bad-performance.html

Rogue Leader · Apr 27, 2016

ShadyOrb09 :

Yikes... Yeah 2 boards linked in there, the Gigabyte being the best 970 based board with an 8+2 phase VRM (some ASUS boards have that as well I believe). VRMs are a sensitive issue with FX-8xxx processors.

MSI's have since been found to have VRM issues, but all hope is not lost, is there a way you can rig up a fan to blow on the VRMs to cool them? This MIGHT do the trick.

ShadyOrb09 · Apr 27, 2016

Direct quotes from the same guy who suggested this board on a thread about this board.

"The Gaming is a decent 970 board with a 6+2 power design."

Are you 100% sure this is the problem? I was planning on getting a i7-6700k along with a 1080TI or whatever it's going to be called when Pascal comes out.

So I don't really care, just more pissed at the fact I was recommended this mobo when it's not good...

ShadyOrb09 · Apr 27, 2016

Rogue Leader :

ShadyOrb09 :

Yikes... Yeah 2 boards linked in there, the Gigabyte being the best 970 based board with an 8+2 phase VRM (some ASUS boards have that as well I believe). VRMs are a sensitive issue with FX-8xxx processors.

MSI's have since been found to have VRM issues, but all hope is not lost, is there a way you can rig up a fan to blow on the VRMs to cool them? This MIGHT do the trick.

If this really is the case I'm just going to buy my new system when Pascal is out, enough of AMD, there drivers are garbage too.

Rogue Leader · Apr 27, 2016

ShadyOrb09 :

I've seen this problem before (with this board) so I am reasonably sure, however a $5 fan MIGHT cure the issue, I mean its worth a shot.

Its one of those hit or miss kind of deals with these things. This is an inherent problem with AMD using the same socket and allowing the processors to all work.

ShadyOrb09 · Apr 27, 2016

Rogue Leader :

Okay, so here's a possible fix for now.

What if I take the fan off the very back of my PC (The one that blows out the air) and tape that on the window around where the VRMs are.

I have a Hyper 212 Evo, and it's pulling air through itself to the back of the case anyways, so it might just be okay because the fan is blowing that direction anyways.

Any thoughts? :'(

Rogue Leader · Apr 27, 2016

ShadyOrb09 :

Rogue Leader :

Okay, so here's a possible fix for now.

What if I take the fan off the very back of my PC (The one that blows out the air) and tape that on the window around where the VRMs are.

I have a Hyper 212 Evo, and it's pulling air through itself to the back of the case anyways, so it might just be okay because the fan is blowing that direction anyways.

Any thoughts? :'(

Worth the test, if it works then I would put that fan back there and get another for the VRMs. And whatever you do don't overclock the CPU at all.

ShadyOrb09 · Apr 27, 2016

Rogue Leader :

ShadyOrb09 :

Worth the test, if it works then I would put that fan back there and get another for the VRMs. And whatever you do don't overclock the CPU at all.

Excuse my paint mlg paint skills.

Picture: http://imgur.com/yHB4WRI

So I'll take the black box on the top left side and put it over the VRM above the GPU?
Seems like the best place because GPU is putting all it's heat on it.

ShadyOrb09 · Apr 27, 2016

Before I removed my fan I decided to keep the side panel open and see if that works.
Temps on CPU dropped 7°C, I'll see if that helps.

Wish me luck. ;-;

Rogue Leader · Apr 27, 2016

SO that red box just above the GPU isn't a VRM thats one of the system bus chips. The VRMS are the red section between the black back fan and the processor. An open case may help but having a fan blow directly on those will help more.

ShadyOrb09 · Apr 27, 2016

Rogue Leader :

I know, probably should just take a picture of what it looks like.
The black and red box is covered by my GPU.
Picture: http://imgur.com/pzkinE6

I tried the fan fix, and I'm uploading the results to YouTube.

Rogue Leader · Apr 27, 2016

ShadyOrb09 :

Yeah thats not the VRMs thats the system bus. Your drawing wasn't that bad actually.

That part generally doesn't overheat unless you're overclocking the crap out of it. The VRMS are between the processor and the backplate of the board, the long thinner heatsink.

ShadyOrb09 · Apr 27, 2016

Rogue Leader :

ShadyOrb09 :

Yeah thats not the VRMs thats the system bus. Your drawing wasn't that bad actually.

That part generally doesn't overheat unless you're overclocking the crap out of it. The VRMS are between the processor and the backplate of the board, the long thinner heatsink.

Okay thanks, I'll redo the test.

ShadyOrb09 · Apr 28, 2016

Fixed the issue, the config I was using was older and some of those commands break performance.
Turning off AMD Turbo Core Technology in bios greatly improved FPS.
I got 145FPS locked with some config tweaks and high settings 1080p

If anyone is reading this with the same issue I'll make a video later today showing how to fix these issues.
I'll link the video in the thread.

Rogue Leader · Apr 28, 2016

ShadyOrb09 :

Did you have turbo core on with an overclock? (that will overheat the VRMs) What config are you talking about?

ShadyOrb09 · Apr 28, 2016

Rogue Leader :

I don't have any overclock on right now, I just disabled the Turbo Core feature.

Rogue Leader · Apr 28, 2016

ShadyOrb09 :

Rogue Leader :

I don't have any overclock on right now, I just disabled the Turbo Core feature.

Ok, strange. However its possible with turbo core on the processor was boosting and the VRMs weren't delivering so it throttled.

ShadyOrb09 · Apr 28, 2016

Rogue Leader :

Yeah, that'd make sense. I read a thread on this forum about AMD Turbo Core, they were saying it disables some cores but boosts the others, so it doesn't cause it to heat up, but it performance better in games that can't use the extra cores.
They say turning it off is better because you can use all 8 cores.

[Read best answer]
http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2259896/enable-amd-turbo-core.html

Rogue Leader · Apr 28, 2016

Yes all makes sense. Well its good you have a solution now. Going forward when you do your upgrade you don't need to worry about this issue. And I'm assuming AMD won't make the same mistakes in allowing/rating board designs as well.

ShadyOrb09 · Apr 28, 2016

Rogue Leader :

Hopefully AMD gets better, their drivers are really bad.
They tend to ruin older games a lot, hopefully they get that sorted out, that's kind of the reason I'm going with Nvidia
tired of the bad drivers ruining my favorite games.

Thanks for all the help dude.

ShadyOrb09 · Apr 28, 2016

Best Answer by ShadyOrb09

Rogue Leader · Apr 28, 2016

ShadyOrb09 :

Rogue Leader :

Hopefully AMD gets better, their drivers are really bad.
They tend to ruin older games a lot, hopefully they get that sorted out, that's kind of the reason I'm going with Nvidia
tired of the bad drivers ruining my favorite games.

Thanks for all the help dude.

No problem, glad it worked out.

Bottleneck? Bad Performance In Games

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