Why is it that games don't always if not never use our max clock speeds?

NiBy · Sep 21, 2017

so on my oc'd 1080ti in unigine heaven it stays 2062mhz but when i tested games it never would go at that. Sniper ghost warrior 3 kept it lock at 1987mhz or something like that. CS:GO didnt go any ware near that barley utilised it. was around 1600mhz. Dying light jumped around a bit.

SGW3 and dying light were however 99% the gpu so why wouldn't it be running at the 2062mhz. Is this what optimization and coding falls into? Is this what they mean by poor coding by not directly dedicating your GPUS resources properly?

KahouAoki · Sep 21, 2017

If your cpu cannot feed the gpu to keep it at 100%, the gpu will clock down.

blockhead78 · Sep 21, 2017

because heaven is a torture test and puts a considerable load on the GPU

some games are more GPU intensive than others and some are more CPU intensive

RobCrezz · Sep 21, 2017

Also sometimes a games rendering can cause the gpu to draw its power limit, so it has to clock down to keep power usage in check - if you raise the power limit that can help.

NiBy · Sep 21, 2017

KahouAoki :

an i7 7700k will defiantly be able to feed a 1080ti

NiBy · Sep 21, 2017

RobCrezz :

so raising the power limit will make it use more watts from the psu?

RobCrezz · Sep 21, 2017

NiBy :

Correct, it can also let the card increase the clock speed if the limitation is the power usage.

NiBy · Sep 21, 2017

RobCrezz :

whats the deal with voltage then cuz dosent that use more power the higher it is?

if can maybe help me out on this thread
http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-3525239/overclocking-gtx-1080ti-gigabyte-aorus-extreme-edition.html

constantine_99 · Sep 21, 2017

aren't the games utilize the GPU as it requires?
if the game aren't really demanding (or the scene during a game are not demanding) i don't think the GPU will stay within the highest possible clock (especially since he mention "CS-GO" and "1080Ti")

with AAA titles though, the games usually fully utilize it

my 1050ti from time to time change the clock speed accordingly to the situation (so does the fps)
CSGO can reach max. clock at a certain time
skyrim will reach the max. clock most of the time
warframe clock varies (max inside mission, hover around on the ship)

PS: even with 100% GPU utilization, sometimes the core clock doesn't reach max. (in my case, doesn't affect my performance though)

13thmonkey · Sep 21, 2017

NiBy :

depends on the frame rate.

If the 1080ti is capable of rendering 200fps, but the cpu can only do 180fps then the GPU will not need to run at full speed. If you ran with v-synch on, then your screen would be the constraint topping out at 60fps.

So a 7700k is capable of feeding a 1080ti, but there will always be a constraint. To say that the 7700k is not capable would be saying that there is a big difference between say the 180 and 200 values above, an i3 might only be able to do 100, this would indicate a problem.

NiBy · Sep 21, 2017

13thmonkey :

NiBy :

depends on the frame rate.

If the 1080ti is capable of rendering 200fps, but the cpu can only do 180fps then the GPU will not need to run at full speed. If you ran with v-synch on, then your screen would be the constraint topping out at 60fps.

So a 7700k is capable of feeding a 1080ti, but there will always be a constraint. To say that the 7700k is not capable would be saying that there is a big difference between say the 180 and 200 values above, an i3 might only be able to do 100, this would indicate a problem.

which is why the more frames you get, the more will drop?

13thmonkey · Sep 21, 2017

NiBy :

yes, because at high frame rates the cpu is more likely to be a constraint, it's a very very very good CPU, but everything has a limit. This is an example of the argument between ryzen and i7, the i7 might get you 180fps from the CPU, but the ryzen might only get you 150fps, and the GPU will work as hard as it needs to. Both are perfectly capable processors, both are delivering a good experience, both are capable of 60fps, 120fps and perhaps 144fps.

renz496 · Sep 21, 2017

As long as performance not affected then there is nothing to worry about. Instead of the game the issue probably lie more on how modern GPU work. Before we got this "gpu boost" thingy the gpu clock speed will always running at it's peak 3d clock when running games. For games that is very light on the gpu the clock will fall down to "semi idle" clock. And that's pretty much it. Even if the said game are not really that demanding we will only going to see much lower gpu utilization but the gpu clock will still operate at it's full speed.

Cioby · Sep 21, 2017

Why is this even a debate? It's very simple. CS:GO is not a demanding game. And if you use Vsync it will be limited to that instead of wasting your GPU power for extra fps you can't even see or even worse, cause tearing. Dying light is more demanding so it will use your GPU more at the same resolution and frame rate.

A GPU doesn't use it's maximum potential since it will heat it up for no reason and consume more power also. That's good. Your GPU is doing good.

You're not bottlenecked or anything.

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