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40% Xfire GPU usage bf3
- Thread starter NoobCannon
- Start date
I thought I understood CPU bottlenecks but I am now scratching my head.
When I run my CPU at stock 3.2 (3.8 boost), I see it can bottleneck games because the usage is in the 70's% and GPU's run at 80%
I overclock the CPU to 4.625 and the CPU usage is ~50% and the GPU's are 99%
I do remember that BF3 has a frame cap...I can't remember what it is but maybe that is the reason?
Edit:
Beaten to it by Matt.
When I run my CPU at stock 3.2 (3.8 boost), I see it can bottleneck games because the usage is in the 70's% and GPU's run at 80%
I overclock the CPU to 4.625 and the CPU usage is ~50% and the GPU's are 99%
I do remember that BF3 has a frame cap...I can't remember what it is but maybe that is the reason?
Edit:
Beaten to it by Matt.
Just had a quick play, CPU @ 4ghz gave ~80% usage over 4 cores with dual 7970's @ 1010/1375 sitting between 90-99% usage on both on a 64 man server (grand bazaar I think it was).
Edit: Will re-try now with HT killed and clocks @ 1200/1500
Edit: Will re-try now with HT killed and clocks @ 1200/1500
Don't be so stingy with your 7970 memory. Anything less than 1600 is unacceptable.
Bottleneck achieved!!
i7 3820 @ 4ghz HT Disabled sitting at 99-100% on all 4 cores
Dual 7970s @ 1200/1650 going no higher then 85% on each card.
What this does tell us is that the OP almost certainly isn't hitting a CPU/thread bottleneck to only be getting 40% on each card with a 4.7ghz clock.
Though I will re-try later today with the same clocks as above, but with the CPU @ 4.8ghz and see if raw speed navigates the bottleneck or if simply adding more threads sorts it.
i7 3820 @ 4ghz HT Disabled sitting at 99-100% on all 4 cores
Dual 7970s @ 1200/1650 going no higher then 85% on each card.
What this does tell us is that the OP almost certainly isn't hitting a CPU/thread bottleneck to only be getting 40% on each card with a 4.7ghz clock.
Though I will re-try later today with the same clocks as above, but with the CPU @ 4.8ghz and see if raw speed navigates the bottleneck or if simply adding more threads sorts it.
Strange. I guess 4 threads is just not enough. I'm surprised they are not fully utilised through. Simple logic would state you'd see some threads maxed out to trigger the bottleneck. In effect CPU 60% utilised across all the threads shows the CPU is bottle-necked too. Its not getting used to the max.
Caporegime
- Joined
- 18 Sep 2009
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- 30,478
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- Dormanstown.
PGI's results differ though, he's actually created a CPU bottleneck at almost 100% usage.
The likelihood is that clocking to 4.8GHZ will elevate the bottleneck somewhat, as will the HT at 4GHZ.
So it'll be interesting when he retries.
PGI's results differ, he's maxing his CPU, overclocking the 4C/4T would elevate the bottleneck, as would it at 4GHZ 4C/8T.
Also, AMD's FX8350 don't get better results when at low settings, even though they've got 8 cores.
The likelihood is that clocking to 4.8GHZ will elevate the bottleneck somewhat, as will the HT at 4GHZ.
So it'll be interesting when he retries.
PGI's results differ, he's maxing his CPU, overclocking the 4C/4T would elevate the bottleneck, as would it at 4GHZ 4C/8T.
Also, AMD's FX8350 don't get better results when at low settings, even though they've got 8 cores.
Will re-test with my above settings with HT enabled in a few hours and see what changes I see.
Just a thought for the op, have you set the power slider to +20%?
the engine is garbage and why often i tell people not to waste thousand quid on something that isnt your problem. throwing money at something you cant fix is silly but i guess some like the game and will do so.
atleast bf4 will be maybe a little more optimized and is literally the same
Soldato
- Joined
- 12 Aug 2005
- Posts
- 3,331
- Location
- Orpington.
I'm stumped, I get 60-65% usage from my CPU (indicating it's not CPU bottlenecked).
At stock clocks for my GPUs i'm getting 40-60% usage, lower my clocks to 850/1375 and the usage jumps up dramatically.
I would like to get to the bottom of this if possible.
Might be a good idea if people states if they are playing singleplayer or multiplayer here, im sure its obvious what it should be but still, just for the sake of accurate info. We all know that there is miles between the performance in BF3 MP and SP
Soldato
- Joined
- 12 Aug 2005
- Posts
- 3,331
- Location
- Orpington.
I think we are all talking about Multiplayer (well I am) in singleplayer my GPUs are at a constant 99% and can clock my cards to 1150/1500 and still get 99%.
Ok just tested above GPU clocks (1200/1650) with cpu @ 4.0ghz HT on, I was forcing a bottleneck before with HT disabled, HT enabled rids the system of a bottleneck, CPU usage was sitting around 80%, GPU usage on both cards floating 90-99% depending on frame rate (keep hitting 200 frame buffer on grand bazaar 
). It would appear regardless of GPU clocks, HT offsets enough load to leave the CPU sitting around 80% usage.
Will re-run again with HT disabled but CPU clocked higher and see if the bottleneck still occurs.
Just so we're clear:
CPU 100% / GPU(s) less than 99% usage = Bad bottleneck (GPU's are being held back)
CPU less than 100% / GPU(s) up around 99% = Good bottleneck (Cards are working to maximum, CPU is not)
). It would appear regardless of GPU clocks, HT offsets enough load to leave the CPU sitting around 80% usage.Will re-run again with HT disabled but CPU clocked higher and see if the bottleneck still occurs.
Just so we're clear:
CPU 100% / GPU(s) less than 99% usage = Bad bottleneck (GPU's are being held back)
CPU less than 100% / GPU(s) up around 99% = Good bottleneck (Cards are working to maximum, CPU is not)
Last edited:
4.875ghz, DDR2333 CL10, HT Disabled = bottlenecked.
GPU's sitting (still) around 75-85%, sometimes less when a fair bit is happening. CPU is perma-stuck at 100% usage.
So the OP may have a slight bottleneck, but still, 40% on each card doesn't sound right at all, I'd look into re-seating the cards, changing CF Bridge, checking what speed the PCI slots are running at, check for thermal throttling, check for power throttling, make sure the PSU is up to it etc...
GPU's sitting (still) around 75-85%, sometimes less when a fair bit is happening. CPU is perma-stuck at 100% usage.
So the OP may have a slight bottleneck, but still, 40% on each card doesn't sound right at all, I'd look into re-seating the cards, changing CF Bridge, checking what speed the PCI slots are running at, check for thermal throttling, check for power throttling, make sure the PSU is up to it etc...
