i5-4460 + r9 380x underperforming

lakicar · Aug 27, 2016

So I've just built my first rig yesterday, and I've noticed sub-par performance in games, predominantly CSGO.
I usually use CSGO to benchmark PC performance, and the performance of my rig is underwhelming.
I have tried numerous fixes, like switching drivers from the newest AMD Crimson driver to the latest Catalyst driver,setting lots of different launch options, downloading Clockblocker, cleaning hard drive of previous windows installations and other bullshit. None have worked.
My fps goes from 400 in closed areas with little to no players, up to 120fps in heated gunfights. I think this isn't normal. What can I do to realise my card's full potential?

My specs:
i5-4460
r9 380x
Gigabyte H81M-S2V mobo
8GB HyperX 1600mHz RAM
1 TB WD Blue hard drive
600W PSU

nitrium · Aug 27, 2016

Your screen most likely can't even process 120 fps (unless it's a 144Hz monitor). Unless you're also seeing subpar performance in other games, it just isn't important.

Ivan96 · Aug 27, 2016

You can monitor your cpu and gpu usage and temperatures with MSI afterburner to see is there any bottleneck and also to make sure nothing is overheating...

lakicar · Aug 27, 2016

nitrium :

I currently have a 60Hz monitor, but I am still worried that my fps drops so low. I'll check load and temps with Afterburner and report back with results.

lakicar · Aug 28, 2016

I've just checked. GPU usage is at around 30%, which is bad, and overall cpu usage is 60%, with the 1st core being used the most. What can I do to make the GPU usage 100%?

Ivan96 · Aug 28, 2016

lakicar :

Make sure you don't have anything cpu intensive running in background,scan your pc with malwerbytes,also if certain games use only one core you can minimize them and than in task manager first unselect all cores and then select all again that should force game to use all four cores, i do that all the time.

lakicar · Aug 28, 2016

I've done all you've said, closed practically every program except the game, scan with Malwarebytes found no threats, all cores are used, but still gpu usage is sub-par, and fps is lower than it should be. Anything else I could try?

Ivan96 · Aug 28, 2016

lakicar :

Well i really don't know,i have problem with cpu bottlenecking but i solve it with increasing every setting on high or even ultra because higher settings and higher resolution reduce load on cpu but you shoudn't suppose to have bottleneck because your cpu isn't bad. Check power options,disable power saving on cpu and gpu. Disable ulps you can do that in MSI afterburner in settings...

lakicar · Aug 28, 2016

ULPS is disabled. No difference. Where can I disable power savings though?

Ivan96 · Aug 28, 2016

lakicar :

Type power options in search bar and put power options on high performnace

lakicar · Aug 28, 2016

I've already set that to high performance... This is making me a bit worried at this point.

Ivan96 · Aug 28, 2016

lakicar :

well,i'm not sure i have any ideas left,i'm doing my best but i really can not understand what is going on,can you do a clean windows install maybe,that might help. Are you having low gpu usage in every game or only in CS GO?

lakicar · Aug 28, 2016

I've just installed windows on my newly built pc two days ago, so doing another install won't do any good. I've tested GTA V, and I have about 60% GPU usage and 90% CPU usage. Is that normal?

lakicar · Aug 28, 2016

Also done the Firestrike test in 3DMark. My result was 7177, which I guess is okay.

Ivan96 · Aug 28, 2016

lakicar :

Are you playing at 1080p or smaller resolution?

Ivan96 · Aug 28, 2016

In this video there is no bottleneck but your cpu for some reason bottleneck your gpu and i don't understand why...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlK1tXf2PQs

nitrium · Aug 28, 2016

lakicar :

Your GPU is almost certainly being bottlenecked by the CPU. The reason is that Source Engine (which CS:GO uses) only uses 2 cores by default- the fact you're getting ~50% CPU usage (which is the max it can get when you're only able to use two cores on a quad) means that it isn't delivering more data to the GPU to give a higher framerate. There is NOTHING you can do about this, except increasing the clock speed on your CPU. This is further verified by your typical benchmark result on 3DMark.
Fortunately it is of no consequence whatsoever (as I said in my original post), since your screen can only handle 60 fps anyway so anything above that is pretty much just wasting electricity.

UPDATE: You can make Source Engine use up to 3 threads, by adding "-threads 3" in your shortcut, which might boost performance by a significant amount, depending on how well threaded Source Engine is (i.e. you could see up to 75% CPU usage + Windows overhead which is typically ~5-10%).

lakicar · Aug 28, 2016

nitrium :

lakicar :

Your GPU is almost certainly being bottlenecked by the CPU. The reason is that Source Engine (which CS:GO uses) only uses 2 cores by default- the fact you're getting ~50% CPU usage (which is the max it can get when you're only able to use two cores on a quad) means that it isn't delivering more data to the GPU to give a higher framerate. There is NOTHING you can do about this, except increasing the clock speed on your CPU. This is further verified by your typical benchmark result on 3DMark.
Fortunately it is of no consequence whatsoever (as I said in my original post), since your screen can only handle 60 fps anyway so anything above that is pretty much just wasting electricity.

UPDATE: You can make Source Engine use up to 3 threads, by adding "-threads 3" in your shortcut, which might boost performance by a significant amount, depending on how well threaded Source Engine is (i.e. you could see up to 75% CPU usage + Windows overhead which is typically ~5-10%).

I think setting -threads to 3 improved my fps by a bit. By this point I think I've exhausted all possible options. I guess I'll just stay away from public servers with lots of people. FPS drops to 120 then.

nitrium · Aug 28, 2016

lakicar :

Why? It makes literally zero difference because your 60Hz max screen can't by definition physically display more than 60 fps anyway!!!! The remainder is simply being dropped by the screen - i.e. every other frame of your 120 fps ISN'T being displayed regardless. There can be NO VISIBLE DIFFERENCE between 1,000 fps, 400 fps, 120 fps or indeed 60 fps when it is being rendered to a 60 Hz screen.

lakicar · Aug 29, 2016

nitrium :

I forgot to say that I will be getting a 144Hz screen soon, so thats why it's so important for me. Sorry to bother you.

i5-4460 + r9 380x underperforming

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