How do I keep my gpu clock at max with iTunes?

ork1957 · Sep 28, 2016

Hello there,
I really like Apple Music and I do not have the option to switch to Spotify.
But if I want to play a game while listening to music/having the program open, my gpu (280X 1GHz stock, OCd to 1130) clocks down to 850 Mhz and the game eventually drops too often to uncomfortable fps numbers.
My question would be how I could force the gpu to stay at my targeted clock while using iTunes (Youtube on Opera, Chrome and Firefox doesnt lead to this)
Greetings ork1957

helpstar · Sep 28, 2016

Check for overheating issues
Undo the OC
Furmark for gpu
Which CPU is it?

ork1957 · Sep 28, 2016

helpstar :

Gpu stays at 74 degrees on Furmark, without the oc it will still clock down to 7970 clocks, gpu is stable and my FX-6300 is OK. It is known that iTunes and some Flash applications do this, I just want to find a way around it, and not to use iTunes anymore.

helpstar · Sep 29, 2016

The CPU is not throttling?

ork1957 · Sep 29, 2016

helpstar :

Negative, iTunes is the only issue, try it for yourself (apply slight test oc, launch iTunes, launch game, monitor gpu clock)

helpstar · Sep 29, 2016

interesting, but i can´t reproduce your issue. My GPU clocks at 1045MHz and sits on there. No clock decrease while gaming with itunes playing a mp3 in the background

ork1957 · Sep 29, 2016

helpstar :

Strange, maybe it's a thing of the 280X being a 7970 at the core and that's why it's clocking down... Then I'll have to wait if someone with my hardware has the same issue, thanks for taking your time

burgessanthony · Sep 30, 2016

I'll guess its due to iTunes being priority and setting clocks at less than max 3d. I've seen thus, happened on older cards with older drivers. Play video in browser, clocks at 500 say, open game, clocks at 500 still

Op- you could try a little program called clock blocker. It runs in sys tray. Basically runs a very light 3d load (invisible) to force clocks to stay at max 3d no matter what's happening. I used it before amd sorted their power management out.

ork1957 · Sep 30, 2016

burgessanthony :

I already tried it, but either I'm too dumb to activate it or it doesn't really work... I'll give it a shot later this day, school is higher on my priority list ^^

burgessanthony · Sep 30, 2016

There is a setting in the options. You must select the 3rd radio button under 3d mode. Otherwise it won't work

ork1957 · Sep 30, 2016

burgessanthony :

Ok, thanks, I'll definitely try that.
By the way, the only clocks that I have seen with itunes open were 501 and 850 MHz, without it it will fluctuate between 500, 850 and 1130/1000, just to have mentioned that.

burgessanthony · Sep 30, 2016

Gpus have different power states. Depends what's going on.

ork1957 · Sep 30, 2016

burgessanthony :

I know that, but 501 seems a bit strange

helpstar · Sep 30, 2016

Which 280x is it exactly?
Looks like a vBIOS issue and the power target was set to low there. Update it

ork1957 · Sep 30, 2016

helpstar :

My Asus 280X DC2 3gb is up to date, power target and voltage are at max (120%, 1,2V), it does hit the frequency without iTunes. And my Psu (Seasonic XM2 x 1050w) is definitely not the issue

helpstar · Sep 30, 2016

Run 3dmark and click the compare results after it. Post this link which comes up then

ork1957 · Sep 30, 2016

Test w/o iTunes: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/15159846?
Test with iTunes: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/15159935?
The blocking app does nothing, no watter if I activate a rule for iTunes or activate them all...
I guess that there is something in iTunes that blocks the higher clocks, it doesn't happen when I'm watching a YT vod on my second screen, then is my gpu on the full 1130 Mhz...
And removing the oc doesn't solve anything by the way, so I think that it is a fault of iTunes...
Maybe it would've been ok if you could disable hardware acceleration in iTunes, but that is not an option :c

burgessanthony · Sep 30, 2016

That's really odd. Apple usually integrates really well with other stuff....

lol

NerdIT · Sep 30, 2016

I'm not sure if there is a similar setting (I run nVidia) or not, but in my GPU config panel, there are 3 options to set the power; Adaptive, Optimal power, Prefer Performance. The latter "prefer performance" will force the card to run at OC/Full speed at all times. This can be set globally -so its always cranked up- or, you can specify desired programs to (games, benchmarks, and in your case - iTunes) that will override the global setting.

I have the global setting to Adaptive such that my card idles down when I'm idle -extend lifespan- and then whenever I start a program that i have "white-listed" so to speak to run at full speed, the card cranks up. Close the game -it throttles back down.

Is there anything like this for ATI /Radeon cards?

ork1957 · Sep 30, 2016

Found someone else that had the same problem, just doesn't any browser create this problem for me, but iTunes does, and I can definetly not swith off hardware acceleration
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/answers/id-2704018/gpu-max-clocks-ocing.html (its in the solution)
So I will report it to Apple and hope that they will fix it.... Thanks guys for your help, but now I can blame a program from Apple running on a PC... YAY :/

helpstar · Sep 30, 2016

Uninstall the driver with the tool "DDU" uninstaller and install the latest driver from AMD.com after that.

ork1957 · Sep 30, 2016

helpstar :

I already reinstalled the driver, did nothing

helpstar · Sep 30, 2016

Also with ddu?

ork1957 · Sep 30, 2016

helpstar :

Nope, still at 501 to 850 MHz.
Was still worth a try

burgessanthony · Oct 1, 2016

https://community.amd.com/thread/204638

May have seen that. Looks like driver/itunes issue.

How do I keep my gpu clock at max with iTunes?

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