Low GPU Usage ; Low FPS

Technical Support
1

Recently I have been having a problem with overwatch, where my FPS dips into the 90-100 range. I have a 144hz monitor, and fps like that feels really bad, and is unplayable for me. While having these problems, my GPU usage sits around 4%-5%, while my CPU usage stays at 98% - 100%. I feel like this is a bottleneck, but my PC meets the recommended specs of this game.

IMPORTANT - I DO NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO DISABLE HPET. MY MOTHERBOARD DOES NOT SUPPORT THAT, CMD PROMPT DOES NOT WORK EITHER.

PC Specs:
Windows 10 64bit
Intel Core i5 6600k
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 ti
2x 8GB GDDR4 Memory (16GB Total)

1 Like
2

Having the same problem with Nvidia GTX 1080, but instead I’m not seeing change in FPS, only temperatures. I feel like I’ve tried everything but my GPU stays at 0-3% while I’m running Overwatch.

3

Make sure your power profile in Windows 10 is set for Maximum Performance.

In the Nvidia control panel…
make sure the following are set to (and if this doesn’t help you can always click restore later):

  1. Disable Ambient Occlusion.
  2. Anisotrphic filtering set to application controlled
  3. Antialising Mode = Application controlled.
  4. Turn off Antialiasing Transparency.
  5. Maximum prerendered frames = Application controlled.
  6. Power Management Mode = Prefer Maximum Performance (VERY IMPORTANT)
  7. Preferred refresh rate = Highest Available
  8. Shader Cache = On
  9. Texture Filtering - Anisotropic Sample Opt = On
  10. Texture Filtering - Negative LOD Bias = Allow
  11. Texture Filtering - Quality = High Performance
  12. Threaded Optimization = Off

disable game DVR and any overlays like twitch / discord.

Additionally / Optional but gave me a huge boost and more colors

Adjust desktop color settings (from witin NVidia control panel)
Choose “Use Nvidia settings” and leave all of them on Default. For my monitor I increased Digital vibrance by 10%

4

Hi,

I have the same issue with a simmilar PC configuration (GTX 1080 and i5-6400), I tried your Nvidia settings but i still have the problem.
It will be cool if you or someone have other idea !

Thanks.
Sorry for english mistakes.

5

Try enabling Spacial sound if you haven’t yet. (Windows 10)

How to Turn On Spatial Sound Effect in Windows 10

  1. STEP 1: Right-click the sound icon on the system tray located at the bottom-right corner of the screen.
  2. STEP 2: Select Playback devices.
  3. STEP 3: Select the headphones or speaker type which you would like to enable spatial sound to.
  4. STEP 4: Click the Properties button.
  5. STEP 5: Click the Spatial sound tab.
6

Already try it but no effects. :frowning:

7

If you’re on Windows 10, turn off the game bar / game mode.

Instructions to turn off game bar

Go to settings (I just type settings into the search bar) click on Game Bar settings, click it so it’s in the off position.

8

Thanks for your help !
I already have Game bar and game mode off.
I don’t really understand why we have this issue…

1 Like
9

I agree, I kinda would be P***ed off if it was happening to me but it’s not so I can only guess right now. I might even try uninstalling game and drivers. Not sure I mentioned it or not but have you tried removing GPU drivers with the DDU utility? it’s a very clean way to do it and supposed to address any possible issues with old left over drivers potentially still on your PC. If that fails I don’t know, maybe a patch from Blizzard is in order -.- Best of luck to you XD

DDU cleaner utility
https://www.guru3d.com/files-details/display-driver-uninstaller-download.html

10

Thanks for your help FishyTaco. I have tried literally everything I’ve been able to find on the internet, nothing has worked. It is still saying it is using “Gpu - Copy”. I have no idea if that’s just a graphical bug or something worse.

11

Same issue.

Happens since last patch but that may be coincidence, before the patch my system would push 220+ fps. Now sometimes the GPU load hovers around 70% and 180-190 fps, sometimes it’s 50% load and 120 fps, this is annoying cause I bought a 144Hz display recently.

Resultion: 1920x1080 (144)
Widow mode: fullscreen
Vsync: off
Redce buffering: on
Frame rate cap: 300
Render scale: 100%
Graphics quality: low

Windows 10 Pro
Ryzen 1600
1070 Ti

System and drivers are updated, have done a clean GPU driver install using DUU. Enabling/disable Widows Spatial Sound has worked a few time but not always and it isn’t a permanent solution (it is not a solution at all imo). Fps might be low again next time I play the game even though the Windows sound settings are unchanged from when it worked the time before

12

Hi,

Thanks FishyTaco, I tried to install properly my drivers with DDU but problem is still here.
I think it comes from Blizzard, we just have to wait a patch now…

13

Also, you can change the GPU load by changing graphics quality/render scale, but the fps stay in their limited range till you hit the GPU max.

The low GPU load seems to be an effect more than a cause, as the result of something else capping the game’s fps.

14

Look this video. How off HPET don’t BIOS

FPS will be smoother if you put it lower or higher by 10-15 frames from the Hz monitor. that is, a 144 Hz monitor, then set the FPS limit to 135 or 155. If the monitor is 75 Hz, then we set the FPS limit to 144. If 60Hz, then we set 110 or 140. I don’t know what this is for, it helps me with what to put on 300.
I sorry my English bad, and I use Google translate :slightly_smiling_face:
https://www.wagnardsoft.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=1256
Also, if you have windows 10, you can try this program. for its work, you need to set the time 0.50 not 1.00 put a dot on the red text and press start and minimize the program. This soft of DDU

1 Like
15

Hi Unicorn,

I already try do disable HPET but it doesn’t work better.
Your link doesn’t work (404 not found).

Thanks for your help.

1 Like
17

Hi
I think that this is a rather stupid decision, but try putting high performance in the application profile or turning off the power saving in the BIOS if there is such

18

Hi Unicorn,
I already try to putting high performance but it doesn’t change anything.
I don’t really know how to turning off power saving in my BIOS but I think it will not change a lot…
I don’t really understand how to use “ISLC” ???

I got : - i5 6400
-GTX 1080
-8Gb RAM
-750W power supply
On Userbenchmark, my PC is a UFO for gaming lol.
Can you confirm that i can have 150-200 FPS constantly with this PC configuration ?
I open a technical ticket with blizzard, we will see if they find a solution.

Thanks for your help !

19

Run on behalf of the administrator, leave 1024 = 1024. In the right column, replace 1.00 with 0.50 and enable the custom resolution resolution and press start, the program can be minimized, but not closed.

Everything rests on the processor, at medium settings there will be about 200 fps + -

I would try on the minimum settings for the sake of curiosity.
Ps the heaviest settings are shadows, dynamic reflections, fog and additional darkening. Try to turn them off

20

Hi,

and what will the programm do ?

Of course I already try with all low settings but it doesn’t change anything.
This morning I update all my motherboard driver and BIOS and I still have the issue…
With HWmonitor i can see that :

  • Maximum utilization CPU : 100% (CPU0 ,1 ,2 ,3)
  • Maximum CPU temperature : 61°C
  • Maximum GPU utilization : 40%
  • Maximum GPU temperature : 52°C
21

Can you run UserBenchmark and link your results?