100% CPU usage gaming

David_481 · Oct 9, 2016

Hello everyone,

I'm having a problem with my cpu hitting 90-100% usage all the time when i play some games. Games i had problems in were: battlefield 1, and i tried mafia 3 today and also the same problem. I have a gtx 970 and i5-6600(non K). If there is anyone that could help i would appreciate it.

Multipack · Oct 9, 2016

Are you running any other demanding applications at the same time? What does Task Manager say is using all the process?

ryguybuddy · Oct 9, 2016

That is not a problem in most games because it shows the game is using all 4 cores. BF1 is very well-threaded so it does it alot. As long as you are getting normal FPS and have no other programs out it is normal.

Multipack · Oct 9, 2016

I doubt an i5 6600 would max out with a gtx 970 myself.

Karadjgne · Oct 9, 2016

Those games aren't enough to set cpu usage at 100% with a gtx970. 100% isn't just all 4 cores, it's all 4 cores max usage. You can run 4 heads and not see much more than 30% cpu usage, depends entirely on just how much resources each thread is using.

Check windows task manager, process tab, see what, if anything is running any high %. Shouldn't be more than updates or Antivirus etc. and even those shouldn't be seeing much as they are running in the background.

David_481 · Oct 10, 2016

The game is using all the cpu, nothing else actually. I saw a video with same specs where his cpu wasnt at 100%. Fps isnt really enjoyable in mafia 3, 50 drops to 35 mostly in city. Is it possible there's a bottleneck? i doubt it kind of. temp max is 45-53°C the last time i checked and i was playing for half and hour so probably it doesnt go any higher.

TMTOWTSAC · Oct 10, 2016

What's your CPU usage when not in games? I had a WU process eating one entire core last month. It showed 12% usage (i7 4790) in the Performance tab of task manager, but nothing listed in the processes tab. Had to use Resource Monitor to track it down.

Multipack · Oct 10, 2016

David_481 :

No an i5 6600k will be fine with a gtx970. They are pretty much a perfect match. For a 100% CPU load to only reach 53 degrees after half an hour suggests it may not actually be using 100% as that seems a little on the cool side. If the game really is using up the process itself though I guess you may just have the settings too high. Does it happen with everything or just newer AAA type games? And yeah, what's the idle usage %?

David_481 · Oct 10, 2016

Here you go: http://prntscr.com/cs1evd

David_481 · Oct 10, 2016

i tried putting everything to low, still 100%... is it maybe something with core parking? i dont really know anything about core parking, but i believe i have it unparked

David_481 · Oct 10, 2016

Multipack :

David_481 :

No an i5 6600k will be fine with a gtx970. They are pretty much a perfect match. For a 100% CPU load to only reach 53 degrees after half an hour suggests it may not actually be using 100% as that seems a little on the cool side. If the game really is using up the process itself though I guess you may just have the settings too high. Does it happen with everything or just newer AAA type games? And yeah, what's the idle usage %?

I dont have a i5-6600k i have I5-6600(non k) is it alot of difference? or is the stock speed same? cuz mine goes up to 3.9ghz most of the time

Multipack · Oct 10, 2016

Oh sorry my bad, but yeah still same answer. The CPU should be fine. It's still plenty imo. What power plan do you have your CPU on? Is it set to High Performance? Thta will keep the bclk maxed out, tho not generally usage. Core parking shouldn't make a difference, and yes its a complicated subject! What does HWMonitor say the cores are doing? Are they all the same temp when at 100%?

David_481 · Oct 10, 2016

Okay give me a few minutes to test it with HWmonitor while playing

TMTOWTSAC · Oct 10, 2016

Looks like it's a problem with the game, here's another thread:

http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-3208324/mafia-iii-100-cpu.html

Carpenter92 reports his 6600k clocked at 4.5 GHz is maxed, and there's some links in the thread to other people with problems, including graphical anomalies.

Multipack · Oct 10, 2016

Plus check what plan you have in Control Panel>System & Security>Power Options. Try setting it to Balanced so the baseclock can fluctuate when not under load.

Multipack · Oct 10, 2016

TMTOWTSAC :

Yeah that's what I wondered. If it was just a bug or bad optimization with the game itself.

David_481 · Oct 10, 2016

Oh ok, so the game is the problem then. I have highest performance. so should i try to set balanced? Im more into using msi afterburner so i will use that and post a screenshot of it.

Multipack · Oct 10, 2016

Afterburner is just controlling the GPU though. My version is anyway.. And check some other games to see what happens. And yeah high performance keeps the CPU baseclock at 3.9gHZ. Balanced allows it to clock down when idle. Are you using MSI's gaming app? Or using Game Boost?

David_481 · Oct 10, 2016

No afternurner also shows cpu usage and temps, i just tried, all cores are at same usage mostly and almost same temps +-5 same goes for usage. i will try someo ther game yes

Aladdad · Oct 10, 2016

For Mafia 3, it is very heavy on the CPU. Atleast at the moment, unsure if they are planning to update it and optimize it more but its unlikely. 100% while playing Mafia 3 is normal with its current state, im using a 4690k@4.4 and its constantly at 100% when playing mafia. as for battlefield 1, i imagine you are playing with uncapped FPS? then its normal as well, most of the games uses alot of CPU with unlocks Fps for example.. Overwatch/RB6.

Capping the fps at 60 may reduce CPU usage but it all depends on the game.
Honestly i would worry if an i5 is not hitting 100% in new games then there would be some issue with th CPU and its not being utilized correctly.

David_481 · Oct 10, 2016

Okay i just tried playing witcher 3 which i have almost everything on ultra, and the usage goes from 50-65, maybe spikes to 80 but very rare. probably when rendering. so im guessing its just shit optimization for mafia 3. also gpu in witcher 3 is on 99%, as far as i know it should be like that

Multipack · Oct 10, 2016

David_481 :

Ah OSD monitoring. I thought you meant controlling the CPU clock with it. Yeah there are lots of monitoring apps you can use. It sounds like it's the game, plus these very new AAA games are ultra demanding and are future proofed in a sense, and if they also have issues it's probably the explanation. I noticed they released Mafia III with a 30fps cap then changed it in the zero-day patch.

If your GPU is at 99% all the time the settings are probably a little high and you may experience lag but yeah that's ok. Ideally get it running at about 90% to allow for spikes. Then you know you have a good balance between quality and GPU capability.

Sounds to me like you have no problem though!

David_481 · Oct 10, 2016

Thanks everybody for helping me, i really appreciate it guys. Have a nice day

100% CPU usage gaming

Commendable

Honorable

Estimable

Honorable

Titan

Commendable

Distinguished

Honorable

Commendable

Commendable

Commendable

Honorable

Commendable

Distinguished

Honorable

Honorable

Commendable

Honorable

Commendable

Reputable

Commendable

Honorable

Commendable

Share this page