GPU is Underclocked?

[yodle137]

Hi!

 

This is my first official post on the forums, though I've been a fan of Linus and his work for a number of years.

 

I'm running windows 8.1 64 bit on an i7 4770k cooled by corsair's h100i, 16gb ddr3 RAM, a 120 gb SSD (boot drive), 2 x 1tb HDD in RAID 10, asus pro z77 motherboard (BIOS updated), a 1000w PSU, and an evga geforce gtx 780. It all fits nicely in my full sized atx tower case.

 

The trouble I'm having is in EVGA's Precision X software. I have three monitors, so i like to have itunes open on one, game on the center monitor, and run precision on the right to monitor my gpu's temperature. I currently have the power target set to 102%, the temp target set to 85 degrees (Centigrade), the gpu clock is offset at +300 mhz and the memory is set at +400 mhz.

 

As my system idles, it shows a real time gpu clock of about 320mhz. That's reasonable, considering i don't need all that power. And my temps idle between 30-35, depending on the ambient temperature. However, once I start playing a graphically intensive game, I notice that the real time gpu clock doesn't usually go over about 500-550 mhz. The temperature also doesn't go above 55 degrees C. So my question is, why isn't my gpu reaching its highest potential performance? I usually just play LoL, so I haven't really cared that much. But I recently bought Dragon Age Inquisition and even with the settings cranked up, v-sync off, i can't break the clock or temperature "ceiling" i seem to be stuck at.

[AlwaysFSX]

Set it back to stock clocks and see if it boosts up.

[TBNRunity]

When you're playing a game that is not gpu intensive it tends to not run at its max speed. Try running unigine valley/heaven/3D mark and see if your card runs at its rated speed when under full load.

[TBNRunity]

your clocks will decrease with v sync. v sync caps your framerates coming out of the graphics at 60 fps which is your refresh rate of the monitor. if the card can produce 60 fps and not be fully utilized it will downclock itself for power and electricity. when you turn the v sync off the gpu is uncapped so it will pump out as much framerate as it can. if you want the gpu to work at maximum then dont turn on vsync in games

 

This is quoted from Tom's Hardware. And LoL has caps in increments of 30. (30, 60, 90, 120fps, and so on) so when your card is locked at 60 or 90 or whatever it may be the card utilizes only what is needed 

 

[yodle137]

Tried that setting my clocks back to base settings, didn't change anything. Precision X still reading that it'll only go from 325mhz at idle to 535mhz in game, and that's running quite a graphically intensive application (DA Inquisiton).

 

It's especially bothersome because i can tell im not getting the highest frame rate out of this card as i feel i should be. though textures and everything load just fine, the input lag and slight jagginess i'm experiencing is honestly not what i paid 600usd for.

[yodle137]

I have v sync turned off in LoL and it'll actually run at about 200-240fps, though it's still not utilizing al lthe resources in the card. In DA: I, it's barely running over 30fps but the clocks aren't going up and my temperature isn't climbing any higher that 50 degrees (air cooled). V sync is also off in DA: I.

[dragoon20005]

I will suggest reinstalling the GPU drivers

 

use the Display Driver Uninstall program

 

boot to safe mode with networking

 

download and install the latest driver and restart

[Mew]

I have v sync turned off in LoL and it'll actually run at about 200-240fps, though it's still not utilizing al lthe resources in the card. In DA: I, it's barely running over 30fps but the clocks aren't going up and my temperature isn't climbing any higher that 50 degrees (air cooled). V sync is also off in DA: I.

 

LoL is very cpu bound. For me, it seems to be only using one core, about 80%, and about 60% of my gpu to produce 200fps (framerates vary between 100-400). Like dragoon20005 said, try reinstalling your drivers and, like Linus used to say, "throw away the driver cd that came with your gpu and download the latest from geforce.com." 

[yodle137]

I will suggest reinstalling the GPU drivers

 

use the Display Driver Uninstall program

 

boot to safe mode with networking

 

download and install the latest driver and restart

Thank you sir, seems like that indeed fixed my problem. Precision X shows the clock is actually dynamically changing depending on my application in a meaningful way.

 

Cheers!