New build massively underperforming

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PCManchester

Commendable
Sep 20, 2016
8
0
1,510
Hi all,

I recently self built a PC with the components that are outlined below, but it's massively underperforming on games such as ARMA 3, even on the lowest of the low settings (both online and off line). I'm averaging 15-20 FPS online and similar offline, but it's so jumpy that it's unplayable. I've also noticed that the PC load up speed from turning it on has increased from circa 5 seconds to now around 15-20 seconds, though the games were still slow and gittery before this change. I've run a malware and virus check and all it removed was some ad tracking malware. All drivers and windows updates etc are up to date.

Components below:
i5-6600k @ 3.5GHZ
MSI 970 2 x OC 4GB Graphics
MSI Z170A Tomahawk Motherboard
Vengenance 16GB (2x8GB) 2400mhz RAM
Seagate 7200 1TB Harddrive
Cool Master Seidon 120 V2 Water CPU cooling
750W ATX Power Supply
1 x intake and 1 x exhaust fans

Images are below of some assessments taken mid games (ARMA 3 and others). The CPU temperature seems to idle around 60 degrees C outside of games, and hits 90-100 degrees C when playing games. The Graphics card seems to sit around 30 degrees C both when playing games and on the desktop. I've checked the power settings and it's set to 100%.

Images are below... can someone have a think and advise things to try? At the moment I'm sat on a $1000 PC that isn't really of much use other than to watch YouTube videos...

Thanks in advance.

CPU in game -
14nd9c0.jpg

CPU in game -
28ldf7m.jpg

GPU in game -
311m3gx.jpg

GPU in game -
rka7g8.png
 
Solution
amtseung
Your CPU is overheating. It should be 60C under full load, not idling. AIO's are not always the best solution to CPU cooling. I've been there, and learned the hard way. Once you fix the overheating problem, your performance should be back to normal.

With a case that big, a sub-$40 Cryorig H7 gets my vote. Mounted properly, overheating CPU's should be a thing of the past.
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genthug

genthug

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Mar 20, 2016
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Reseat your cooler, make sure your air flow is good enough in the case. That should help fix the CPU overheating issue.

The other thing that should help fix the overheating CPU issue is that you're using your IGPU to run your games. Make sure you're using your SLI setup to run your games and not your Intel HD Graphics and your build should correct itself.
 
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PCManchester

Commendable
Sep 20, 2016
8
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1,510
Thanks both - I've reseated the cooler twice thinking that could be it, but to no avail. I'm thinking of just changing it for a CPU fan cooler to be honest - the water cooler I have only cost $40 so it's not exactly a top of the range one.

How do I ensure that I'm using the GT 970 and not the integrated GPU?
 
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genthug

genthug

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Head into your BIOS. Settings will be in the advanced section. On ASUS boards, at least, there will be an option located in here called either "Chipset" or "System Agent Configuration" with an option for either "iGPU" or "IGD". You'll want to set that to PCIe, not to either Auto or iGPU.
 
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PCManchester

Commendable
Sep 20, 2016
8
0
1,510


I've just had a look, and it gives me the option for PEG or IGD - it was already set to PEG. After doing some reading online, it seems that PEG is PCI-e in MSI motherboards. There's no way of disabling the iGPU on the i5-6600k it seems... the system just reverts to the GT 970 when it detects it and shows it in device manager (which it is doing). It doesn't show the iGPU in device manager, which suggests that it is redundant.

I've also checked and the GT 970 is plugged into the top PCI-e port which runs at 16x, and not the slower 4x port.
 
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genthug

genthug

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Alright... I'm gonna recommend that you grab NVidia Control Panel (or geforce experience if it has this option, I don't have much experience with poking around in it though, apologies). There's an option in NVCP to control what GPU is handling a certain executable. I would either try to find that same option in GeForce Experience/grab NVCP and check to make sure that your game exes are passing through your GTX 970.

Past that, if your 970 is indeed what's handling the games, I'd say it's likely due to your CPU overheating and throttling. A game like ARMA is heavily CPU bound, and it wouldn't surprise me if your CPU throttling could be giving you this issue.

Also, just as a thought. If you're going to invest in an AIO, I would go for something from corsair like an h100i, not a $40 one. Put at least some money into it, otherwise you're asking for trouble.
 
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PCManchester

Commendable
Sep 20, 2016
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1,510
I'm going to look into the better AIO, but I don't think the 2 fan option is an option for my case (the back only has enough room for one fan by the look of it - it's a midi case, not a full one).

I've looked in NVCP and Geforce experience, and I cannot see the option that you're referring to. The only place I can find reference to the GT 970 is when it refers to multiple displays. From what I can see, the options in NVCP are quite basic, and the same for Geforce experience. See below:

Geforce Experience -
2v3ptty.png

Nvidia Control Panel -
2znqo87.png

RAM Usage in game -
28007pz.png

 
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genthug

genthug

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NVCP "Manage 3D Settings" should have it.

I'm just gonna assume that your issue is not in there--in that case, I'd replace the CPU cooler and see how your CPU then performs. Also... If your case supports an ATX motherboard, there is definitely 240MM of fan space somewhere on the thing. Whether it's space up top, in the front, on the bottom, there is definitely room somewhere for 240MM of fans unless you somehow got a mini-itx case that supports ATX motherboards.
 
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PCManchester

Commendable
Sep 20, 2016
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1,510
So this is the case - http://www.novatech.co.uk/products/components/cases/midtowercases/en55521.html

Reading the page it says that it has space for 2 x 12cm (2 x 120mm) fans, not that it has space for 1 x 240mm fan. I've looked at the insides again and I just can't see where a 240mm fan would fit. It's so frustrating... I've just been on ARMA3 again tonight and it is worse than ever. The PC is even slow to open up programs from the desktop now, so much so that often it is just easier to restart and then it tends to work.

On top of that, it is the 970 that is handling everything according to NVidia Control panel - the integrated card isn't even listed.

Can anyone else have a think to see what could be causing this?
 
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amtseung

amtseung

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Jan 28, 2014
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Your CPU is overheating. It should be 60C under full load, not idling. AIO's are not always the best solution to CPU cooling. I've been there, and learned the hard way. Once you fix the overheating problem, your performance should be back to normal.

With a case that big, a sub-$40 Cryorig H7 gets my vote. Mounted properly, overheating CPU's should be a thing of the past.
 
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Solution
P

PCManchester

Commendable
Sep 20, 2016
8
0
1,510
Thanks Amtseung. The Cryorig H7 is not widely available in the UK, at least near to where I live. I'm quite out of date when it comes to CPU cooling (it just wasn't really a thing when I last bought a PC some 7 years ago), and so I'm not entirely sure what I need to be looking for in terms of an alternative to the Cryorig H7 you suggested. I've found the ones below which can be delivered by Amazon Prime tomorrow evening... can you take a look and let me know if you'd recommend any of them?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Premium-upHere-Quality-Heat-Sink-Heatpipes/dp/B01ITHMOQ8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1476312837&sr=8-1&keywords=cryorig+h7+cpu+cooler

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00E5YNXWY/ref=pd_sbs_147_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=F16YEXSMSY78WJ5C43NN

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B007JEMXYQ/ref=pd_sbs_147_4?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=F16YEXSMSY78WJ5C43NN

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B002G392ZI/ref=pd_sbs_147_5?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=F16YEXSMSY78WJ5C43NN

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0048F64DU/ref=pd_sim_147_5?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=A0WGP6YQJM1C1VE8ANXV

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cooler-Master-Hyper-RR-H103-22PB-R1-Heatpipe/dp/B00D4EEEFQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1476313321&sr=8-1&keywords=cou+cooler

https://www.amazon.co.uk/ARCTIC-Freezer-Xtreme-Rev-Double-Sided/dp/B001X017G2/ref=sr_1_sc_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1476313336&sr=8-15-spell&keywords=cou+cooler
 
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genthug

genthug

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The 212 evo or a Gammaxx 400 would be just fine. And there (I believe) is no such thing as a 240MM fan. I think there's 200 and 230, but not 240. 240mm AIOs refer to a 2x120mm fan config, not a single 1x240mm fan config. That would be massive.
 
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PCManchester

Commendable
Sep 20, 2016
8
0
1,510
Hi all,

Just coming on to say that the Cool Master Hyper 212 Evo arrived this evening, and after installing it (which took a bit of time...) there is a complete difference in the system. The PC is now at 35 degrees C on the desktop, and playing ARMA 3 just now it didn't peak over 50 with medium settings.

Thank you so much for pointing out that it was the CPU overheating that was causing the problem.
 
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