EVGA GTX 1080 FTW GPU Clock fluctuating wildly

[Calabi]

I'm wondering if I have a faulty card. I've tried some games and I seem to get this weird random behaviour.

Top is GTAV stable GPU clock in top right at 1987

This is Witcher 3 fluctuating like crazy.

Whilst all that fluctuating the in game framerate was all over the place it was a stuttery hell.

I've had a similar thing in GTA V subsequently where the GPU clock is flatlined at 1400. I'm getting tearing in game even with in game Vsync enabled.

Is this normal or is something not right?

 

[Aretak]

It's entirely normal for the card to run at lower clocks if it's not being fully utilised (like when you have vsync enabled). It'll adjust the clock speed to whatever it needs at that particular moment. I can't account the stuttering though, as that shouldn't be happening. Somebody else on here mentioned that they were getting tearing with The Witcher 3 even with vsync enabled on the latest driver though, so that at least seems like a driver issue.

I've had weird behaviour, I dont know if its the fault of this driver, but in the Witcher 3 even with Vsync in game enabled I sometimes get tearing. This is on GTX 1080.

 

[tyler_jrb]

DDU and re-install with the latest drivers.

I can see the cards at 70-75% usage but the power usage is at 30-40% which is not right.

 

[Panos]

It is normal for the card. You run it above 60C constantly, it will throttle a lot. And you will see you have hit the Thermal Limit warning also the moment passed 62C

Crack the fan speed to 100% because you run it at 76% max.

 

[Calabi]

It is normal for the card. You run it above 60C constantly, it will throttle a lot. And you will see you have hit the Thermal Limit warning also the moment passed 62C

Crack the fan speed to 100% because you run it at 76% max.

I thought the thermal limit was like 90C or something close to that. The gpu clock in certain more demanding games at 75C and above temps seems pretty stable.

DDU and re-install with the latest drivers.

I can see the cards at 70-75% usage but the power usage is at 30-40% which is not right.

But I did that when I first installed the card and am using the latest drivers.

I've noticed the weird difference between power and gpu usage playing other games. Isnt that to do with the fact it has two 8 pin power connectors though, so it can draw the max of whatever they are but these cards only generally need one. So unless I overclock which I probably wont I should only be able to get close to 50 percent surely.

 

[Smffy]

You're using the latest version of precision yes?

Check the settings in nvidia control panel also for power management, adaptive is what you want. You could also try using K Boost with Precision to force max clock at all times and see if you still get the same problem.

 

[Calabi]

You're using the latest version of precision yes?

Check the settings in nvidia control panel also for power management, adaptive is what you want. You could also try using K Boost with Precision to force max clock at all times and see if you still get the same problem.

Ok, that seems to have worked(done something), the stutters and drops in frames seem lessened not sure if placebo or not but its changed the graph. Thanks and thanks everyone for the replies.

Bonus Battlefield 1 graph(unlocked framerate). I guess I'm cpu limited at 1080p.

 

[tyler_jrb]

But I did that when I first installed the card and am using the latest drivers.

I've noticed the weird difference between power and gpu usage playing other games. Isnt that to do with the fact it has two 8 pin power connectors though, so it can draw the max of whatever they are but these cards only generally need one. So unless I overclock which I probably wont I should only be able to get close to 50 percent surely.

Ahh ok. I've had my GPU's do that in the past thats all which resulted in poor usage, power usage and low clocks.

If it is 1080p limited you can test it with DSR and stick it up to something like 2x or 4x (its in the nvidia control panel under 3d settings if you dont know).

Should make your GPU sit at 99% usage with V-Sync off.

To be honest a 1080 can drive battlefield 1 1440p 120hz+ maxed so you really need to upgrade . If your still at 1080p.

 

[Panos]

I thought the thermal limit was like 90C or something close to that. The gpu clock in certain more demanding games at 75C and above temps seems pretty stable.

Not with boost 3.

It starts at 42C mildly (-12mhz) and gets severe at 62C where you fight against a pretty limited voltage (1.093), the thermals and it's insanity to register Voltage limit the moment it hits 43C!!!!!!
Even if PL is 90%!!!!!!

On overclock.net there are more than 600 pages we are trying to figure out how to cheat the BIOS. And that affects all 1080s regardless brand, bios or "features" like the strixx 1.2v bios.
The best approach, that works, keep temps as low as possible.

I have achieved great overclock and great GPU scores (the best in here for GTX1080) on benchmarks, because I keep the card temps at 45C while benching. (watercooling).

And atm I am tempting with the idea to go full water with a 480 thick rad, or grab another Predator 360 or 240, mod it to remove the CPU block, and plug it on the loop.
I love the flexibility of the QDC and I know, going to hate the decision going under "normal" loop.

 

[Calabi]

Ahh ok. I've had my GPU's do that in the past thats all which resulted in poor usage, power usage and low clocks.

If it is 1080p limited you can test it with DSR and stick it up to something like 2x or 4x (its in the nvidia control panel under 3d settings if you dont know).

Should make your GPU sit at 99% usage with V-Sync off.

To be honest a 1080 can drive battlefield 1 1440p 120hz+ maxed so you really need to upgrade . If your still at 1080p.

Yeah I was accidently running it at 4K when I first tried BF1. I bumped up the resolution scale to a 100 percent. Thought card was broke as was only getting 60 fps with drops to 40, plus max gpu usage.

I am getting a new monitor, that's why I got the card, one of those 2k 165hz IPS monitors sound good.