GPU usage fluctuations in MSI afterburner while gaming

[Wodgy]

While playing BF3 I have noticed this happening.
For example, on operation metro (44 people on server) my gpu usage flutuates anywhere from 70% - 98% and can sometimes be lower on very dead areas of no action etc. I play on ultra settings with 4xmsaa etc at 1080p.
Fps is anywhere from 50 - 120 depending on area/action/map/number of players.
I use an xfx 280 DD which has steady temps of around 64c.
My PSU is a 550w Superflower.
My CPU is an fx8320 which runs at 4.0ghz and has a thermal margin of around 21c during gaming.
All of my system is only a few weeks old.
Is this normal or should I be concerned?
Regards.

 

[Wodgy]

If you're using AMD CPU's yeah

OP, you using Mantle? It should help.

Can mantle be used in BF3?
Didn't know, I have been using Directx11.
How do I make it use Mantle?

 

[Wodgy]

Oh, BF3! There's no Mantle support. My bad.
Overclocking your CPU's the only way to improve GPU usage with your system.

Aha I see. I thought there may be some kind of option or what not in msi afterburner to keep gpu usage constantly high.
So really I should be able to just change the multiplier up to a certain point without touching the voltage?

 

[Wodgy]

The reason the usage is low when there's little action is a bottleneck, so it's nothing to do with settings etc, but it's not much to worry about unless it's causing stuttering etc.

Are you using an aftermarket cooler? An FX8320 is 3.5GHZ stock, and you're running 4GHZ, do you mean an FX8350?

Oh sorry. I mean with turbo mode on. There isn't any noticeable stuttering
Yes a raijintek aidos direct cpu cooler. The thermal margin in AMD overdrive while playing BF3 is around 21c so is that fairly good? Room for an overclock?
Regards.

 

[Wodgy]

That temperature reading is wrong, as it is in all AMD CPU's for the past however long.

You should be fine for some overclocking, not sure how far on stock volts you can go like as it'll be different for every chip, but I'd be aiming for 4.6GHZ with changing volts.

I see. I thought AMD overdrive was the best to go by. As I have no idea what i'm reading on HWmonitor etc as I use a gigabyte970a ud3p mobo.
And temps show as package (amd fx8320) and TMPin0 1 2 . So no idea which is socket/core etc.

 

[Wodgy]

In truth, none of the readings are actually "accurate", I think AMD have recently stated to use the "Socket" temperature, which can either work well, or be flawed.

I see. How would I ever know if there is a heat issue with the CPU then?
Is there a better way to judge this.
In the bios it idles at about 22-26c depneding on ambient with turbo mode enabled.
is there a formula I could use to work out CPU usage and temp increases?

Regards, I appreciate the information.

 

[Wodgy]

Just try to keep the socket and Core temperature at 70c or below. The actual core temperature might actually be a fair whack higher, and the socket temperature isn't a brilliant indicator of core temperature, but it's all you can do really.

Thank you very much. One last question (I promise haha). What program would you recommend then?

Regards.

 

[Wodgy]

Hwmonitor, it's got the most measurements.

Thanks for all the help.

Regards.

 

[Wodgy]

Sorry to come back to this but could it be the power saving features that i havn't touched/turned off for the cpu causing this then?
Was playing 64 man kharg island last night on bf3 and sometimes during heavy action/gunfights gpu usage was lowering to around 55%.
I wouldn't be concerned but this was lowering my fps to around 30-40
Strange.
Regards.

 

[Wodgy]

Monitor your CPU usage with MSI Afterburner, did you overclock it too?

64 man's heavy on the CPU (Which shows the inefficiencies of DirectX)

I will do , I'll also try sleeping dogs or some other game/s.
Thanks for all the help I do appreciate it.
i've not overclocked yet as I'm pretty new to it so would maybe need some kind of amd guide for a gigabyte 970a ud3p. I got a rough idea though regarding turning off some things and increasing the multiplier.
Regards.

 

[Wodgy]

Monitor your CPU usage with MSI Afterburner, did you overclock it too?

64 man's heavy on the CPU (Which shows the inefficiencies of DirectX)

Also my stock voltages ( with turbo enabled ) Seem to go from around 1.41v - 1.42x with the boosts of 3.7ghz - 4.0ghz. Is this normal? As those stock voltages seem high but I read that they are normal.
Maybe turbo creates some funky things.
Regards.

 

[Wodgy]

Stock voltages for AMD chips can be quite high, 1.41 to 1.42's nothing to worry about, but it's obvious a fairly high stock voltage.

Tbh, I'd go in all manual and just overclock it and set voltages myself etc, so it was constantly running at X or Y clock.

Thank you for such quick replies. I will try and get this done tonight if I have time.
What would I have to turn off/on to enable manual overclockers? First time I would have done this.
I've seen a lot of people getting overclocks of around 4.4ghz with voltages of like 1.37v etc.
Would lowering the voltages be possible?
Would AMD overdrive be the best program to use when it comes to CPU stability testing?
Regards.

 

[Wodgy]

AMD overdrive was crap for stability testing last time I used it.
I'd just go for an hours long handbrake encode, see if it crashes.

If not, continue to use it.

For overclocking, you're best off asking in the overclocking section there's people who will know better than I for current AMD overclocking.

Thank you. I will do.
Regards

 

[Wodgy]

Monitor your CPU usage with MSI Afterburner, did you overclock it too?

64 man's heavy on the CPU (Which shows the inefficiencies of DirectX)

I checked my cpu usage and it was anywhere from 45-70%. I guess this suggests the cpu is not bottlenecking.
It really does seem area dependent in regards to maps etc. I mean for example, i just stood in a spot where my gpu usage was hovering around 90-100% to test it etc. Then moved to a different spot where it was 60-70% etc etc
I hope you get my jist.
Regards.

 

[Wodgy]

CPU usage doesn't have to be 100% for a bottleneck. It's more likely api related. Indirectly caused by the CPU.

But in case it's not, are you on the latest drivers?

I am using 14.4 (not using the 14.7 beta). Windows is up to date but i havn't done any bios updates/motherboard as i am new to it and wouldn't want to ruin it by mistake by flashing it etc.
I used furmark (when i didn't realise how bas it was) a few weeks back and my gpu usage stayed at 98-100%.
Could bf3 be causing this? It uses directx 11 and not 11.2.
I guess i should rule out power saving things etc.
Hmm, i wonder if it could be afterburner.

Thank you for your time and effort in this discussion.
Regards.

 

[Wodgy]

Furmark keeping it at ~100% is intended, CPU doesn't matter much with something like furmark.

It's different when you're gaming, only thing you can do is just overclock your CPU and see if you get higher frames (Which you should do)

Thank you. It really does sound like maybe the power saving features in the BIOS are holding this back then if that's the case. Once I find a good fx8320 overclock guide for my motherboard I will.
Regards.

 

[Wodgy]

Furmark keeping it at ~100% is intended, CPU doesn't matter much with something like furmark.

It's different when you're gaming, only thing you can do is just overclock your CPU and see if you get higher frames (Which you should do)

Well i think i have good news. In CCC I didnt realise there were 2 cpu power things. I had one set at 3500mhz and the other on default (1500-3500mhz). Changed this and wala.
I believe its helped a lot. Only the odd drops below 70% usage ( but fps stays ok as this seems to be when there is no action). Regular action shows gpu usage in the 90s.
When checking cpu usage it seems bf3 only really uses 2 core properly (70-80% usage) with other cores around 40-50%.
Regards.

 

[Wodgy]

Wonder what clock the CPU was running at in your gaming scenarios then.
Either way, overclocking it will let you maintain higher GPU usage throughout and higher frame rates.

Indeed, I wonder that too. But this has definately made a huge difference.
Regards.

 

[Wodgy]

BF3 (And many other games) are coded pretty poorly so it's not uncommon to see bottlenecks during heavy action, also they don't make full use of Quad cores (I know right?!)
Overclocking your CPU a bit might help slightly and seems whatever setting in your BIOS helped!

Try dropping from 4xMSAA to 2xMSAA see if it makes a difference, BF's Anti Aliasing has always been taxing there is just so much going on at any one moment on the screen and personally I can't sell the difference between 4x and 2x

Aha i see
I thought so to be honest based on my cpu usage graphs. I was using 2xmsaa and now have turned it up to 4xmsaa. I'm pretty sure this has worked now. I was playing 64man earlier with intense action and gpu usage was staying in the 90s and fps in the 80-90s so very happy.
Ill overclock properly once i find a good guide on my board (ga 970a ud3p) as im quite confused on fsb/multi o/c etc.
Regards

 

[Wodgy]

Increasing the GPU demand would lower the CPU bottleneck (Even though I'm using bottleneck in its literal sense, not in a derogatory manner as some would probably take my posts , as you've seen from increasing MSAA to 4x.

Makes sense. Can't wait to get around to overclocking properly now and getting to know my system and it's capabilities.
Touch wood though. What i did in CCC has seemed to have sorted this as even before i did this, even with 4x msaa i had big spikes.
Regards.