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GPU usage fluctuations in MSI afterburner while gaming

Wodgy

Wodgy

Wodgy

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Joined
6 Jun 2013
Posts
294
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.
 
Martini1991 said:
Oh, BF3! There's no Mantle support. My bad.
Overclocking your CPU's the only way to improve GPU usage with your system.
Click to expand...

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?
 
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?
 
Martini1991 said:
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?
Click to expand...

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.
 
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.
 
Martini1991 said:
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.
Click to expand...

My temp reading are working fine. Comparing Overdrive to Hwinfo64

Edit
Opps see you mean CPU.
 
Martini1991 said:
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.
Click to expand...

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 said:
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.
Click to expand...

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.
 
Martini1991 said:
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.
Click to expand...

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.
 
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.
 
Martini1991 said:
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.
Click to expand...

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

Regards.
 
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.
 
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