If my CPU is at 100% does that mean a new GPU would offer no increase in performance?

DireSpade111 · Nov 23, 2016

I have a gtx 960 and am i5 4460 with 8gb ddr3 ram and playing at 1080p at 144hz. When I play GTA 5 my CPU is at 100% usage a lot of the time. If my CPU is at 100% does that mean buying a GPU like the 1070 wouldn't increase my fps at all because of a CPU bottleneck?

weberdarren97 · Nov 23, 2016

That's exactly what it means.

bgunner · Nov 23, 2016

What is the GPU usage at while the CPU is at 100%? It is possible that you could get higher FPS from a better GPU but this all depends on the game and what the other components are doing as well. GPU's with more Vram run GTA 5 better due to it's memory hunger.

weberdarren97 · Nov 23, 2016

Before you go out and buy a new CPU, let's take a look at what's using your current CPU.

1) Do you have game boosters of any kind?
2) Do you run other apps/programs while gaming?

Next, let's cleanup your startup settings to free up the CPU clock.
1a) If running Windows 7, press Windows+R to open Run. Type in msconfig and press Enter. System Configuration opens. Navigate to the startup tab and move on to step 2.
1b) If running Windows 8/8.1/10, press Control+Shift+Escape to open Task Manager. Navigate to the startup tab and move on to step 2.
2) Identify which programs do not need to be running all the time. When a program is enabled at Startup, it starts with Windows and continues to run at all times. Disabling a program does not mean it won't work. It simply won't start until you launch it, rather than starting at startup. Note that drivers should be left alone. In your case, anything carrying the name Nvidia should be left alone.
3) Disable all programs that don't need to be running at all times.
4) Restart to commit changes.
5) Run the game again and observe whether or not there is an improvement in CPU usage.

DireSpade111 · Nov 23, 2016

Bgunner the GPU usage is anywhere from 50-60 % and I have the 4gb 960.

DireSpade111 · Nov 23, 2016

Already did that Darren But thanks anyways

weberdarren97 · Nov 23, 2016

Please download AIDA64 Extreme, drop down the Tools menu across the top and select System Stability Test. A new window opens, make the Stability Test window fullscreen if you need to, sometimes all information doesn't fit on screen in windowed mode if you have a low resolution display.

Check CPU, FPU, Cache, System Memory and GPU. Do not select Local Disk. Run the Test for ten minutes, observe temperatures on the top graph. Observe the throttling line on the lower graph (usually a green line). Nothing should go above 85C. The throttling line should not go above 0. After ten minutes, stop the test and switch to the Statistics tab. Note the highest recorded CPU temperature as well as core temperatures and the highest recorded GPU temperaure. Reply with results.

bgunner · Nov 24, 2016

DireSpade111 :

please follow Weberdarrin97's last post But if nothing turns out wrong with the temps then that game is CPU bound and is bottle necking the GPU as is. A faster GPU would not help in this case. So lets hope that there is a throttling issue not allowing the CPU to work properly. Being the 4460 there should not be a bottleneck this bad with the 970.

DireSpade111 · Nov 27, 2016

weberdarren97 :

Please download AIDA64 Extreme, drop down the Tools menu across the top and select System Stability Test. A new window opens, make the Stability Test window fullscreen if you need to, sometimes all information doesn't fit on screen in windowed mode if you have a low resolution display.

Check CPU, FPU, Cache, System Memory and GPU. Do not select Local Disk. Run the Test for ten minutes, observe temperatures on the top graph. Observe the throttling line on the lower graph (usually a green line). Nothing should go above 85C. The throttling line should not go above 0. After ten minutes, stop the test and switch to the Statistics tab. Note the highest recorded CPU temperature as well as core temperatures and the highest recorded GPU temperaure. Reply with results.

max CPU temp: 55c
max CPU core: 66c

weberdarren97 · Nov 27, 2016

Your CPU is not overheating or throttling. I was hoping this was the problem because it's really simple to fix.

Open Task Manager and see what your idle CPU usage is. Please report the names of any programs that are using more than 5% of the CPU while your PC is idle.

DireSpade111 · Nov 27, 2016

weberdarren97 :

Nothing while on idle... chrome uses 16 sometimes when first launching....

weberdarren97 · Nov 27, 2016

Is it just GTA V or is it other games as well?

DireSpade111 · Nov 28, 2016

weberdarren97 :

just gta

bgunner · Nov 28, 2016

This means that GTA V is very much CPU bound. Adding a different GPU will not help in the FPS area because the CPU is your bottleneck with this program.

weberdarren97 · Nov 28, 2016

bgunner :

I agree completely. I've done some research on the game today, and it turns out that it's very CPU intensive compared to other games with similar graphics.

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If my CPU is at 100% does that mean a new GPU would offer no increase in performance?

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