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CPU Frequency Drop in games

scrubnubdan

scrubnubdan

scrubnubdan

Associate
Joined
27 Jul 2014
Posts
12
Hello, I recently installed a new gtx 780 and it ran well for 2 months before it started lagging in every game. At first I thought it was my ram as 8gb's of my ram failed. So I changed my ram and it still has the same problem. Then a game called "Counter-Strike Global Offensive" released a way to monitor cpu frequency in-game and I found out the cpu frequency kept dropping. I then changed my heatsink and applied new thermal paste and that cooled it. But the issue continues.

I also changed my GPU to my previous one and the problem remained.

Current results of cpu testing in Counter-Strike:

~CPU Freq: 3.519 GHz Percent of requested: 113.5% Minimum percent seen: 46.7%
~CPU Freq: 3.519 GHz Percent of requested: 113.5% Minimum percent seen: 46.7%
~CPU Freq: 3.519 GHz Percent of requested: 113.5% Minimum percent seen: 46.7%
~CPU Freq: 3.519 GHz Percent of requested: 113.5% Minimum percent seen: 46.7%
~CPU Freq: 3.519 GHz Percent of requested: 113.5% Minimum percent seen: 46.7%
~CPU Freq: 3.519 GHz Percent of requested: 113.5% Minimum percent seen: 46.7%
~CPU Freq: 3.519 GHz Percent of requested: 113.5% Minimum percent seen: 46.7%
~CPU Freq: 3.519 GHz Percent of requested: 113.5% Minimum percent seen: 46.7%
~CPU Freq: 3.519 GHz Percent of requested: 113.5% Minimum percent seen: 46.7%
~CPU Freq: 1.449 GHz Percent of requested: 46.7% Minimum percent seen: 46.7%
~CPU Freq: 1.449 GHz Percent of requested: 46.7% Minimum percent seen: 46.7%
~CPU Freq: 1.449 GHz Percent of requested: 46.7% Minimum percent seen: 46.7%
~CPU Freq: 1.449 GHz Percent of requested: 46.7% Minimum percent seen: 46.7%
~CPU Freq: 1.449 GHz Percent of requested: 46.7% Minimum percent seen: 46.7%
~CPU Freq: 1.449 GHz Percent of requested: 46.7% Minimum percent seen: 46.7%
~CPU Freq: 1.449 GHz Percent of requested: 46.7% Minimum percent seen: 46.7%
~CPU Freq: 1.449 GHz Percent of requested: 46.7% Minimum percent seen: 46.7%
~CPU Freq: 1.449 GHz Percent of requested: 46.7% Minimum percent seen: 46.7%
~CPU Freq: 1.449 GHz Percent of requested: 46.7% Minimum percent seen: 46.7%
~CPU Freq: 1.449 GHz Percent of requested: 46.7% Minimum percent seen: 46.7%
Click to expand...

Evidence of result above:

http://gyazo.com/bbfec046c44b35a7852285163a1b7ba8

Temperatures while playing:

http://gyazo.com/415cfc3ab0ec3c481d5c4690de5d574f

The cpu I have atm is a AMD FX-8120

As you can see the cpu Percentage drops to exactly 46.7% for about 10 seconds then goes back to normal. Then back to 46.7% then normal and thus continues this process.

Its really annoying and has rendered my pc unable to play games :(

If anyone could give suggestions or fixes for this. Would be apreciated.

If I missed out any information needed please let me know.
 
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k, few things to look at. it sounds like speedstep, or sometimes called cool & quiet for amd.
Try going into your bios on boot and look for speed step or cool & quiet, possibly under c1e settings for your cpu and disable it.

You can also try going into windows power options and set the plan to maximum performance. It's sounds like its throttling back the cpu which is what its designed to do when not under load, but it dosent always get it right.
 
What is the nb/Vrm heatsink temp like. My fx8350 in the rig in my signature will throttle above 4.5ghz without a 120mm fan pointing at the Vrm heatsink. It doesn't fluctuate up and down like that tho it drops the multiplier to 7 when it overheats.

If it's like my asus board there is cool n quiet and power saving options in the bios. I have them all disabled and the turbo mode disabled also.
 
Disable parking of CPU cores.

I used to experience similar when running games that didn't require much grunt; CPU cores would get dropped to a lower power state in-game which could result in a slight stutter. After disabling core parking it's a lot more consistent.
 
Something is throttling.

I just checked what motherboard you're using.. You're joking, right? a £35 board with a 8 core 140w CPU?

hahahaha I bet the VRMs are crapping themselves.

You can't just take a lame cheap board and throw an FX 8 in it dude. It doesn't work, trust me. You need an 8 phase board with good VRM cooling.
 
ALXAndy said:
Something is throttling.

I just checked what motherboard you're using.. You're joking, right? a £35 board with a 8 core 140w CPU?

hahahaha I bet the VRMs are crapping themselves.

You can't just take a lame cheap board and throw an FX 8 in it dude. It doesn't work, trust me. You need an 8 phase board with good VRM cooling.
Click to expand...

^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Listen to him
 
OK done some more digging. This is your board. Note I have surrounded the VRMs in red.



And here is a Crosshair V Formula Z.



Now you can obviously spot the difference. The Crosshair has 8+2+2 phases (the only board to deliver +2 directly to the memory on AM3+)

Your board has 4+2 phases, which in itself would be OK to handle your CPU at stock speeds.

But.

Those VRMs have a thermal limit. When AMD launched Bulldozer they didn't quite make it clear than old AM3 boards, even though the manufacturers state you can run FX 8s, were actually designed for Phenom 2 CPUs which eat far less power.

So your options are.

1. Ditch the board and buy a proper board. You can't cheap out on an FX8.

2. Find a way to put sinks on those VRMs, then scream a fan at them.

Now with my old Asrock 4+1 I just did this.



Do you see the little fan? 80mm blowing across the northbridge and VRMS. The issue is, even though the Asrock was crap it at least had VRM sinks.

Even with my Crosshair if I let the VRM temps climb it will throttle. Only at insane clocks, mind, but it will. So I made my famous floating fans..







Cool fets.
 
Okay, I tried all the bios ect fixes, didn't help. So, I suppose i'll have to change the motherboard, what mother board would be the best for this combination?

CPU: AMD FX-8120
GPU: GTX 780
RAM: 16GB Vengeance
Power Supply: Cosair 850W

I've had too many problems with this pc so I don't want to make anymore bad decisions :(


Also i've had this pc for around 2 years now and it's never had this problem before, I ask. Why now :(

I've not changed the cpu or motherboard since i've had it. Only GPU, cooling, ram and power supply.
 
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It's no wonder it's throttling then if that's the board. My asus board is probably the 4th best behind the crosshair, sabre tooth and the expensive gigabyte board and even it needs a fan. The pc shop that built mine originally with the fx8350 used a crappy asrock rated at 95w and it lasted 3 months. Even starting prime95 at stock made it freeze up. He claimed the warranty was void because I took the side panel off and he wouldn't deal with asrock for me either. Never been back since do everything myself now.
 
Depends on your budget. For £109.99 you can get the board I have. The crosshair is about £170 roughly with the sabre tooth in between. The most expensive is the gigabyte at £200. If you're running at stock a good sub £100 board would be the m5a99x evo r2.0. I wouldn't really go much lower than that or you'll start running into the same problem you're having now.
 
When I first fitted my FX8350, I saw the CPU frequency jumping around under load. I googled it, and the fix was to disable something called "APM" in the BIOS. Mine is a Gigabyte board. I did that, and now it stays at maximum clock. APM stands for "Application Power Management"
 
Could this also be due to the weather temperatures? Because it only started a couple months ago when temperatures started peaking in my pc.

Like during this summer my room gets too hot sometimes to even sit in.
 
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Ambient temp will play a role yeah. For every 1 deg c higher in the room the cpu will run 1 deg c higher. More hot air in the case hindering motherboard cooling. There's several things you can do if you don't want to replace the board. My 2nd rig has a gigabyte board with no Vrm heatsink and I'm only running an fx4350 in it but I've bought some enzotech mos c-10 self adhesive copper heatsinks for it. You can also fit a 120mm fan pointing directly at that part of the motherboard or better still remove the side panel and point a desk fan into the case. I'm fitting those heatsinks on mine despite it being in my room with aircon which doesn't go above 18 deg c. If the pc is under a desk if you can bring out into the open so it's it's less enclosed and remove any foam dust filters they are awful for air flow especially if running radiators.
 
scrubnubdan said:
Could this also be due to the weather temperatures? Because it only started a couple months ago when temperatures started peaking in my pc.

Like during this summer my room gets too hot sometimes to even sit in.
Click to expand...

I have some problems in hot summers with my pc, dont have a good cooling myself. Maybe it is the heat as u describe it
 
My m5a97 evo R2.0 doesn't throttle my 8320 at 4.4GHz, and that's without a VRM fan. The ASUS boards have beefy heatsinks on them.

I'd really like to point a fan at the socket but I need a new case for that really.
 
JonSmith said:
My m5a97 evo R2.0 doesn't throttle my 8320 at 4.4GHz, and that's without a VRM fan. The ASUS boards have beefy heatsinks on them.

I'd really like to point a fan at the socket but I need a new case for that really.
Click to expand...

You won't get any further on that board any way, it's 4+2. I just sold mine with a 8320 that was maxed at 4.4ghz. Good clock for a £60 board though tbh.

OP.

What case do you have? you have an MATX board, is the case MATX only?

As for the weather? no, that board will not even run your CPU stock even in the north pole.

If you're happy running the CPU stock then just find a way to cool the fets. Buy something like this.

Enzotech MOS-C10 Passive Mosfet HEATSINKS 19065



Then get some thermal glue and just stick them on. I'll mod your pic in a minute.. Those are available for around £13 if you search the exact name of them.
 
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