Processor Optimization

PC General Discussion
1

My graphics card is mid tier, but way stronger than my processor. I can’t upgrade for several months. Wondering what settings you all would recommend changing to reduce load on processor. GPU and RAM are doing fine. Here’s what I’ve done.

Vertical syncs is off (using free sync)
FPS is capped
Anisotropic is 2x
Dynamic shadows is off
Soft shadows is off
SSAO is medium
Clutter quality is off
Physics and particle quality are low
Screen shake is off

Any other settings that affect the processor significantly? Again, GPU is not an issue.

Thanks!

2

Cannot make a suggestion without knowing what your CPU is.

2 Likes
3

Why would you want to reduce the load on the processor? Why wouldn’t you want to run the game as fast and smooth as possible?

4

i5-4430

13 characters

5

The problem here is two fold:

Its not all about the processor but also the architecture behind it.

That involves the memory bus, the PCI lanes, and the generation of your CPU.

Anything below an 8th gen intel for example is going to choke a lot harder on some of these new games (actually be a bottle neck) vs newer hardware.

So if you are planning to upgrade, you are going to have to change 3 items at minimum, possibly four:

CPU.
Memory.
Motherboard.
SSD.

But that’s just me.

And now that I know you have a 4th gen, that’s even more true.

6

Because it’s frequently spiking to 100%. Don’t want to melt the thing or lock up the computer.

7

Not much you can do then. You are literally bottle necking with that setup.

8

It’s an old CPU. You should use Vsync and up your graphics quality and resolution. They’d help

1 Like
9

This.

Put more load on the GPU by making it do more of the work. But you are going to have a bottle neck with the CPU no matter what with these newer games.

I was having this issue with a Gen 7 i5 CPU and a 3060 12GB. The 3060 isn’t a super powerful card, but I was running into CPU use at 100% and heavy at times with D4.
My Gen 11 i5 on the laptop on the other hand, no problem.

And now my new system with an i9 and a 2070, cpu runs practically cold.

10

Yeah, got the graphics card running at 98% due to settings. CPU is like 70%-80% out in the world and 95%-100% in town. So, not a true bottleneck. But I’d feel better if the CPU could stay in that 70-80% range.

What does vsync do that limiting the fps won’t?

11

VSync forces the card to match the monitor. Don’t try to cap the FPS over Vsync, that is what VSync is supposed to do. You can limit how much with the cap. (for example, I have a 144hz/144FPS capable monitor, but I cap D3 to 60 FPS, as I don’t need it to run 144, but I keep vsync on.)

12

Same here, I’ve to change my motherboard and I don’t want to. I’m using 3070 ti with i5 7600K. 2K monitor, my GPU use was 90%-95% around on beta.

13

Even if I’m already running free sync and capping fps at 60? Does it still help?

14

Well, probably not going to help the CPU issue no.

I don’t use freesync so my experience with it is 0. I have a G-Sync monitor here.

15

Gah, I thought this thread said, “Professor Optimization,” and I was all excited for someone doing a deep dive on theorycraft!

1 Like
16

Your processor is designed to run at 100%. You are not going to melt the thing unless you did something stupid.

17

Limit your FPS, it’d help. At least you won’t get any freeze. Vsync was an example if he doesn’t have a Freesync or G-Sync monitor. Because, manual limitting will cause monitor strip vertically

18

Well, that does make me feel better.

19

Not to mention, being at 100% doesn’t always mean its working really hard either. You can hit 100% without actually running it hard enough to heat up. And even if it did heat up, it has safeties built in to slow it down. The problem is, that affects its top performance and cause more slow downs in the game.

This is primarily why I upgraded. My laptop was murdering my desktop in frame rate and performance, with a lesser GPU, all because it has an 11th gen i5. And it only as a 3050Ti.

20

Also, you can try it even now. You can play CPU heavy games. On PC industiry, there is bunch of combinations. Bottleneck problems can get being solved but you have to try it