Lowering GPU Power Limit for gaming, is it worth it?

[BLOODEDCYBORG]

Hello, so I'd want to share a little insight to what I've come across that I really didn't think would have made a big impact to my gaming performance, on an older system. Lower a newer GPU's Power Limit.

 

So the subject is an Alienware X51 R1 that I've replaced the GeForce 640 GPU for an ASUS GTX 1080 Turbo in the end https://www.amazon.com/ASUS-GeForce-Turbo-Graphic-TURBO-GTX1080-8G/dp/B01HDUVJ2M

The CPU is a 3770 i7 with 8MB of L3 cache, 16GB of RAM. 500GB SSD storage.  The system to compare it with was my custom build PC, with an i5, 9600KF with RTX 2070, 64GB of RAM, with stock settings and no limits. 

 

I would like to see a list of computers around this time period and some more details when doing this to your GPU and to older CPUs in what they might benefit having this as your only option in gaming.. But let me explain a bit in more details first..

 

So to start, I was gifted this little guy about a month ago and the GeForce 640 in it had died. I had two GPUs to throw at it, the first was a XFX 7870HD and it has 2GB of VRAM, though games would be playable at lower settings. Red Dead 2 Online would barely be playable at a lower resolution but the VRAM usage would be overbudget a lot (lol). other games also were lower settings and would lag quite a bit. So recently I waited for a 2+6 pin to a 1, 8 pin adapter for the 1080 to arrive and once it did it was of to the races. I tore down the system and removed the old 7870 for the 1080, and I must say it fit just right once I removed the front fan from inside the case.  (Since the card is blower style, temps were not going to be an issue here).

 

After cleaning up the video drivers and installed the 1080, using MSI Afterburner I lowered the power limit of the 1080 down 50% (90w), after tripping the power adapter several times trying to get into games. Halo MCC was the only title playable without the Power Limit set..  I've also tested at 100w and it would still trip the PSU. So it seemed like the best place for the GPU was at 90 watts.  By default the GTX 1080's power limit is set to 180W and after lowering it down to 90w's, WOW. The CPU seemed like it was able to keep up with the GPU. Probably the best FPS performance I've ever seen with now old hardware!! The power adapter that comes with the computer is about 200w-250w total after looking into more research about the device.. 

 

Lowering the Power Limit to 90W on the GPU allowed me to play Destiny 2, Rd2, No Mans Sky, etc, with all maxed out graphics.. (NOTE; No Mans Sky does runs like a tank, and my Custom Rig doesn't play this title well, but for some reason it ran like butter on the X51), running super smooth at or above 60+ FPS, VSync on or GPU default Fast.  To be fair, the GPU does run cooler with lower TDP settings but it almost feels like it gives the old CPU enough time to process everything the GPU is throwing at it.. A seemingly lower amount of time for two Processing Units to communicate.  

 

I wonder if this trick will help older CPUs from hitching or stuttering if newer GPUs massive ballz can be turned down with MSI afterburner? I would like to see more research into this, as all I managed to adjust was the Power Limit from stock, down 50%. I left everything else stock (clock settings, mem settings) in MSI afterburner and never touched a single OC setting.  The nVidia panel, for those who are interested, I mostly stuck with best optimal/high performance, ultra low latency enabled, and texture performance enabled.  If you need a screenshot I can share once I am home laterz..

 

If anyone has done this before I'd like to know more about this and what some of the set backs might be, could be in a video of some sort, as I have yet to come across any at this time..  I tried searching the forums too, but had a hard time finding anything about it or knowing what keywords are anymore.. (The internet is like piss in a pool.)

 

Cheers!

 

 

Edited June 14, 2021 by BLOODEDCYBORG
Extra word

[jaslion]

Be careful. Those dell adapters that came with the alienware systems are stupid fragile. I legit had piles of those 330w bricks that bricked :p.

 

Also removing the fan from that system is normally going to cause overheating they already barely have cooling.

 

I don't recommend to keep running it like this as this is a waiting for things to go wrong situation.

[tishous]

Instead of setting a lower power limit, you could use VSync. It essentially works in the same way, by limiting the amount of frames needed from the GPU so the CPU can keep up.

[BLOODEDCYBORG]

2 hours ago, jaslion said:

Be careful. Those dell adapters that came with the alienware systems are stupid fragile. I legit had piles of those 330w bricks that bricked :p.

 

Also removing the fan from that system is normally going to cause overheating they already barely have cooling.

 

I don't recommend to keep running it like this as this is a waiting for things to go wrong situation.

Oh man lol well I've been gaming for a good solid week so far. I was going to run a furmark test to see where it's flaws are in this configuration. 

Before I took the 7870 out I had the case fan in but that and the cpu fan would sound like a rocket was about to take off like the familiar x360. But I've since reapplied the cpu thermal paste upon receiving the system at the time. With the 1080 installed the cpu fan has been hardly audible from that point and there is some heat coming out the back, which to me seems like a good sign. I do lay it flat I don't prefer to stand the system up as you would choke the GPU from grabbing outside air and what ever makes it to the cpu. 

 

The power adapter you mentioned, I've too gotten a little worried since it is working, and how well the power adapter is doing. And it turns out it is warm but isn't warm warm, I should probably take a break warm. So time will only tell I think. I do have a spare adapter for a Dell Precision laptop from back then that also looks to be the exact model. Hopefully I don't end with a pile of bricks because of the 1080s massive cap sacks.. thanks for the tip btw lol

 

I turned off the fps cap in Destiny 2 and I get on average anywhere between 62 to 120+fps. Any drop I noticed which was about at 57fps for a brief second before back into the 60s.. Those seemed as if they were mearly caused by network and in-game loading, that could also effect fps slightly on any computer (I'm running on wifi here). But overall I'm pretty impressed so far. I had very low hopes of it being remotely this playable even with the power limit that is applied. I had figured before I had attempted this project that the hitching would be terrible by combining the GPU with the CPU, but I'm clearly in the wrong so far with this one. 

 

 

I would like to see more science behind it like what's the amount of power the system is pulling from the adapter and the wall,etc. It's also what sparked me to write this post

 

 

 

Edited June 14, 2021 by BLOODEDCYBORG
Extra word.

[jaslion]

12 hours ago, BLOODEDCYBORG said:

Oh man lol well I've been gaming for a good solid week so far. I was going to run a furmark test to see where it's flaws are in this configuration. 

Before I took the 7870 out I had the case fan in but that and the cpu fan would sound like a rocket was about to take off like the familiar x360. But I've since reapplied the cpu thermal paste upon receiving the system at the time. With the 1080 installed the cpu fan has been hardly audible from that point and there is some heat coming out the back, which to me seems like a good sign. I do lay it flat I don't prefer to stand the system up as you would choke the GPU from grabbing outside air and what ever makes it to the cpu. 

 

The power adapter you mentioned, I've too gotten a little worried since it is working, and how well the power adapter is doing. And it turns out it is warm but isn't warm warm, I should probably take a break warm. So time will only tell I think. I do have a spare adapter for a Dell Precision laptop from back then that also looks to be the exact model. Hopefully I don't end with a pile of bricks because of the 1080s massive cap sacks.. thanks for the tip btw lol

 

I turned off the fps cap in Destiny 2 and I get on average anywhere between 62 to 120+fps. Any drop I noticed which was about at 57fps for a brief second before back into the 60s.. Those seemed as if they were mearly caused by network and in-game loading, that could also effect fps slightly on any computer (I'm running on wifi here). But overall I'm pretty impressed so far. I had very low hopes of it being remotely this playable even with the power limit that is applied. I had figured before I had attempted this project that the hitching would be terrible by combining the GPU with the CPU, but I'm clearly in the wrong so far with this one. 

 

 

I would like to see more science behind it like what's the amount of power the system is pulling from the adapter and the wall,etc. It's also what sparked me to write this post

 

 

 

Get a wall wattage meter.

 

Do you have the 330w or 180w adapter with this system? Usually the 640 config came with the 180 but this system is designed to handle up tot the 330w adapter for the higher end gtx 670 config it could have. Of course you'd need said adapter.