CPU Bottleneck or Something Else?

[HDudeness]

Specs are located here.

 

For a little while now, I have been skeptical that my AMD 8350 is bottlenecking my MSI GTX 970 (4G). I felt like taking a couple self tests after finding vague answers throughout the web. So, I fired up BL2, got my handy dandy monitor out, and found a few things that I have no idea how to come to a conclusion about.

 

First of all, here's basically what BL2 is using during fights. As you can see from the monitor on the right, GPU utilization is all over the place. I could record a quick session to show exactly what it does and why, (feel free to ask) but I'll just explain it like this: GPU utilization levels shoot up instantly to the 90% range when I look at, say, a wall or the sky, or things that common sense would tell take hardly anything to run. However, when I look into, for example, the fight scene that is pictured above, it likes to sit around 50%.

 

I first tried overclocking my CPU from 4.0 to 4.5 GHz to see if it helped, and it maybe helped 5-10 or so frames in Skyrim and BL2 specifically, which are both CPU dependent games.

 

I took this in instantly as "Why isn't the GPU utilization maintaining at 90 or so percent?" Either I have no idea how GPU utilization scales, or something's up because it should be completely the other way around: 50% while looking at a wall, 90-100% in heavy scenes (or just staying at 90% because it is a game and the GPU should be running full speed no matter what due to the game's engine.)

 

My theory is that my CPU is not transfering data fast enough to my GPU due to it being an AMD CPU, thus my GPU is only using a portion of its capabilities. I am teetering on the edge of upgrading to an i5 here soon and this thread is probably going to answer that decision for me. Like I said, the i5 is probably going to allow my GPU to use all its got when needed.

 

Temps are predictable. My CPU is not, I repeat, NOT thermal throttling at its 4.5 GHz OC'd state at about 50-55C, and GPU is at a very steady 61C. GPU clock is around 1180-1316 (might be a monitor thing) memory clock is at about 3500 MHz, and shader clock is at 2600 MHz. VRAM usage is at around the 20% range. CPU usage goes around 32-40%, with system RAM using about 4GB out of the 8. I think thats about it information wise, if anything else is needed let me know.

 

So, my question is basically this: does my data conclude that my CPU is bottlenecking my GPU due to my GPU only being able to use around 50% of its utilization when looking into heavy graphic scenes because the CPU isn't transferring data to my GPU fast enough... or is it something else?

 

Thanks!

[007agentHP]

yeah, it being an 8350 it follows behind in most cpu intensive games and getting an i5 would really help

[Atmos]

That graph shows its the other way around. None of your cpu cores are maxed out, and you gpu is instead being maxed out. Afraid in this situation it's a gpu bottleneck. BL2 tends to have actually pretty good multithread support. It's physx though is more than enough to stress a 970 to its breaking point, even at 1080p.

 

EDIT:: And sky boxes can be pretty hard to render sometimes. Thats why a lot of benchmarkers use the good ol' stare into the skybox on crysis 3 or stare into the fire on farcry methods for testing.

[grayblizzard]

-snip-

In some cases for sure yes you probably are experiencing a bottleneck at some points in time depending on what you are doing...

 

however wait to buy a skylake i5 rather than buying now as you already have a working computer

[Guest MinimalEffort]

Why are you running 32bit DX9? Is that all the game can support?

[Atmos]

Why are you running 32bit DX9? Is that all the game can support?

 

OH dear god I didn't even see that. Get out of 32bit mode dude, that will do wonders for your performance, no wonder its breaking things.

[HDudeness]

Why are you running 32bit DX9? Is that all the game can support?

I see nothing telling me otherwise so I would say yes.

[HDudeness]

OH dear god I didn't even see that. Get out of 32bit mode dude, that will do wonders for your performance, no wonder its breaking things.

And how would I go about doing that?

[Guest MinimalEffort]

And how would I go about doing that?

 

Go to video settings and change to DX11. Also, check the launcher options for a 64bit launcher.

[hak4fun]

Hmm... the 8350 should have no problem handling a 970... Can you run firestrike and link me to the results? 

[Gix7Fifty]

There a lot of variables, sometimes the small gain in fps when upgrading a cpu and mobo in your case does not justify the money spent. Check out these benchmarks PCPerspective did over a 6 month period. You can kind of look at things and say, " Yeah that is worth it, or be like meh."

 

http://www.pcper.com/reviews/Systems/Quad-Core-Gaming-Hardware-Roundup/Metro-Last-Light-and-Middle-Earth-Shadow-Mordor

[HDudeness]

Go to video settings and change to DX11. Also, check the launcher options for a 64bit launcher.

I don't see anything, going to go ahead and say the game was programmed for DX9 32-bit unless you can somehow find otherwise

[HDudeness]

Hmm... the 8350 should have no problem handling a 970... Can you run firestrike and link me to the results? 

Give me a few and I can do that for ya

[Guest MinimalEffort]

I don't see anything, going to go ahead and say the game was programmed for DX9 32-bit unless you can somehow find otherwise

 

Never mind. After a bit of research the game only supports DX9 and 32bit mode.

[HDudeness]

Hmm... the 8350 should have no problem handling a 970... Can you run firestrike and link me to the results? 

Sorry had to download it really quick, here's what I got.

[hak4fun]

Sorry had to download it really quick, here's what I got.

Are you able to give me your full results? did it give you a link to share your results? It should have I think... 

 

but from what I see it seems its more the game then anything else. Firestrike didn't seem to have any problems with bottlenecking.

[HDudeness]

Are you able to give me your full results? did it give you a link to share your results? It should have I think... 

 

but from what I see it seems its more the game then anything else. Firestrike didn't seem to have any problems with bottlenecking.

http://www.3dmark.com/fs/5444496

[Guest MinimalEffort]

http://www.3dmark.com/fs/5444496

 

Result makes sense. Its just behind a rig with an i5 and a 970 which is a bit more powerfull.

[hak4fun]

http://www.3dmark.com/fs/5444496

yea your score makes sense and everything seems just fine. Nothing out of the ordinary. try a newer game. It might be the fact that you were playing with 32bit, and DX9.

[HDudeness]

yea your score makes sense and everything seems just fine. Nothing out of the ordinary. try a newer game. It might be the fact that you were playing with 32bit, and DX9.

I don't know... This seems like one of those cases that can be closed by actually swapping processors to see the difference. I think I am going to go with the i5 since I'm going to stick with Intel for a while, so might as well get an Intel motherboard now. Anyway, thanks for all of your guys' help, it helped more than you think.