Ryzen 1600 + GTX 1060 GPU Usage Problem

[VicioMK]

I recently build a new gaming pc with a ryzen 5 1600 and a gtx 1060 6gb, and i've been having this problem since day 1. Battlefield 1 is the most demanding game i have and i notice my gpu is not been 100% used. 

Every time gpu usage drops, fps does too. I already tried most of the forum "tips" (windows energy modes, nvidia maximum performance options, M/B last bios update, nvidia last drivers 384.76) and nothing seems to help. I know the CPU should not be a bottleneck because all the reviews and youtube videos i've seen with the same specs dont have this issue.

I know there are like 100 post already with similar topic "1060 gtx gpu usage", but most of them were bottleneck problems or nvidia - windows power saving related problems, which i think are no the case here.

Here is a video where you can see what i mean: 

My specs: 
- Ryzen 1600 3.6ghz (OC)
- MSI B350m Gaming Pro
- Kingston Hyperx DDR4 2400mhz 1x8gb
- EVGA 750w BQ
- MSI GTX 1060 X 6gb
- HDD Toshiba 2Tb
- HDD Samsung 320Gb

I would really appreciate some help guys, this is driving me crazy.

[Zando_]

Can you turn on K boost? it's supposed to make it run at the max boost speed constantly, so it won't keep fluctuating. 

[3rrant]

13 minutes ago, VicioMK said:

I recently build a new gaming pc with a ryzen 5 1600 and a gtx 1060 6gb, and i've been having this problem since day 1. Battlefield 1 is the most demanding game i have and i notice my gpu is not been 100% used. 

Every time gpu usage drops, fps does too. I already tried most of the forum "tips" (windows energy modes, nvidia maximum performance options, M/B last bios update, nvidia last drivers 384.76) and nothing seems to help. I know the CPU should not be a bottleneck because all the reviews and youtube videos i've seen with the same specs dont have this issue.

I know there are like 100 post already with similar topic "1060 gtx gpu usage", but most of them were bottleneck problems or nvidia - windows power saving related problems, which i think are no the case here.

Here is a video where you can see what i mean: 

My specs: 
- Ryzen 1600 3.6ghz (OC)
- MSI B350m Gaming Pro
- Kingston Hyperx DDR4 2400mhz 1x8gb
- EVGA 750w BQ
- MSI GTX 1060 X 6gb
- HDD Toshiba 2Tb
- HDD Samsung 320Gb

I would really appreciate some help guys, this is driving me crazy.

Turn off your overclock

Turn on any setting that prevents the GPU from changing its speed, and manually set it to te max.

 

Check if you still have the problem. If you don't, renable the OC to check if that was the issue.

[tom_w141]

Check what clock speed you are actually running at. Aside from drivers, which I'm sure you've tried, all I can think of is you have the bug where OC'ing pins you at 1.5GHz which is why you can't utilise the GPU fully. Check this speed with a program like HWinfo64 or eliminate the possibility by going back to stock (for now) and testing again.

 

The quickest way to return to stock is to select something like "load optimised defaults" in the BIOS

[101m4n]

I think I know what your problem is, you only have 1 stick of ram!

Most machines have multiple memory channels (ryzen included). They will run with a single stick, but you won't get the bandwidth of both or all of your memory channels. So it could be that your cpu is memory starved. Grab a second identical 8gb stick if you can and install that.

[VicioMK]

1 hour ago, Zando Bob said:

Can you turn on K boost? it's supposed to make it run at the max boost speed constantly, so it won't keep fluctuating. 

I already use "Force constant voltage" with MSI afterburner and no changes. The GPU keeps droping usage (and fps)

[Zando_]

2 minutes ago, VicioMK said:

I already use "Force constant voltage" with MSI afterburner and no changes. The GPU keeps droping usage (and fps)

Like @101m4n said, you may need more RAM (I'd get at least 3000MHZ, RAM speed is just as important as clock speed on Ryzen). And what res/settings are you playing at?

[101m4n]

2 minutes ago, Zando Bob said:

Like @101m4n said, you may need more RAM (I'd get at least 3000MHZ, RAM speed is just as important as clock speed on Ryzen). And what res/settings are you playing at?

That may be true, but it's always best to keep the ram on each channel matched. If he wants faster memory, he'll have to buy two new sticks rather than just one. A quick search on google though does confirm what you say, that ryzen does like higher memory bandwidth. So he is definitely not doing himself any favours by only running one stick.

[Zando_]

1 hour ago, 101m4n said:

That may be true, but it's always best to keep the ram on each channel matched. If he wants faster memory, he'll have to buy two new sticks rather than just one. A quick search on google though does confirm what you say, that ryzen does like higher memory bandwidth. So he is definitely not doing himself any favours by only running one stick.

Yup, so either a new 8GB stick of 2400MHz RAM (preferably the same type), or 2x8GB of 3000+MHz RAM (preferably on the mobo QVL list). 

[VicioMK]

3 minutes ago, Zando Bob said:

Like @101m4n said, you may need more RAM (I'd get at least 3000MHZ, RAM speed is just as important as clock speed on Ryzen). And what res/settings are you playing at?

I'm using default ultrasettings on a 1080p 60hz AOC monitor. Not using dual channel technology, does it really impact performance that much?

 

About the 3000mhz ram, i got 2400mhz because the mobo did no support 2666 - 3200 mhz without OC (wich i really dont know much about). But i saw many ryzen 5 1600 reviews using diferent ram speeds and it basically improve a few FPS (2-5 at most), without any imporant performance impact.

 

In case i would go for 3000mhz, would i have booting issues? 

[Zando_]

1 minute ago, VicioMK said:

I'm using default ultrasettings on a 1080p 60hz AOC monitor. Not using dual channel technology, does it really impact performance that much?

 

About the 3000mhz ram, i got 2400mhz because the mobo did no support 2666 - 3200 mhz without OC (wich i really dont know much about). But i saw many ryzen 5 1600 reviews using diferent ram speeds and it basically improve a few FPS (2-5 at most), without any imporant performance impact.

 

In case i would go for 3000mhz, would i have booting issues? 

Shouldn't. Though MSI mobs are known to have Ryzen problems (especially with RAM). Are you on the latest BIOS update? 

 

And as for RAM OC performance, @stealth80 has proven it's way faster. 

[VicioMK]

2 minutes ago, Zando Bob said:

Shouldn't. Though MSI mobs are known to have Ryzen problems (especially with RAM). Are you on the latest BIOS update? 

 

And as for RAM OC performance, @stealth80 has proven it's way faster. 

Yes i'm already with latest bios update, so if i install a 3000mhz stick i should not have any issue with BIOS BOOT?. Sorry about my english.

 

 

[VicioMK]

I found a very interesting video made by  Zintoatree, testing single and dual channel in gaming.

 

May be it actually is my problem. 

 

 

[Zando_]

1 hour ago, VicioMK said:

Yes i'm already with latest bios update, so if i install a 3000mhz stick i should not have any issue with BIOS BOOT?. Sorry about my english.

 

 

Nope. RAM runs at stock speed (1366 or something 2133MHz for DDR4) until you overclock it or select a faster XMP profile. 

 

[101m4n]

47 minutes ago, Zando Bob said:

Nope. RAM runs at stock speed (1366 or something for DDR4) until you overclock it or select a faster XMP profile. 

The official JEDEC standard for ddr4 specifies that dimms run up to 2133mhz iirc, all sticks sold for higher speeds (2400+) will run at this speed without issue. When you see sticks being sold at higher frequencies, those frequencies are actually overclocks (even 2400), but they are actually pretty easy to use. They usually use something called "XMP" or extreme memory profile. These are overclock profiles which are actually stored on the RAM stick, all you have to do as a system builder is go into the bios and select the profile (speed) you want to try and use, you don't actually have to do any of the work yourself . But every stick will be able to run at the base frequency specified by the JEDEC standards, so there's practically no chance that any sticks just straight up won't work.

As for the single stick thing, with two sticks, the CPU will spread it's usage across both sticks, effectively doubling your memory bandwidth. With only 1 stick it can't do that, for obvious reasons . One way to deal with your memory bandwidth problem is probably to go online and pick up another identical stick to the one you already have (which imho is probably the most cost effective/sensible way). Alternatively, as zando suggests, you can grab a new set of 2x8gb sticks that run at a higher frequency and use those, then return your current stick to get some money back. This would be more expensive, and higher effort, but would yield slightly better results, as you would get the extra channel worth of bandwidth + a bit more from the higher frequency.

 

It's also worth noting that ryzen has had some memory speed related issues, so look online for other people with your motherboard/cpu and check that they aren't having trouble with high speed memories if you do plan to go with faster dimms.

[Zando_]

14 minutes ago, 101m4n said:

The official JEDEC standard for ddr4 specifies that dimms run up to 2133mhz iirc

Aaah... it was 2133. I was sure it had a 3 in it...

[VicioMK]

Ok i will get another stick (i have yet to decide wich speed) and i hope it will resolve the problem. Thanks guys for your help, i'll be posting the results tomorrow to let you know what happens.

[101m4n]

1 minute ago, VicioMK said:

Ok i will get another stick (i have yet to decide wich speed) and i hope it will resolve the problem. Thanks guys for your help, i'll be posting the results tomorrow to let you know what happens.

Good luck!

Take care though that the two sticks you put in the machine have the same speed/timings!

[stealth80]

4 hours ago, Zando Bob said:

Shouldn't. Though MSI mobs are known to have Ryzen problems (especially with RAM). Are you on the latest BIOS update? 

 

And as for RAM OC performance, @stealth80 has proven it's way faster. 

Yup, I saw my FPS in the RotTR Benchmark go from 87 to 101 FPS purely by going from 2133mhz to 3200mhz and keep in mind that is at 1440P, the jump at 1080P would be and was a lot bigger

[VicioMK]

Problem solve by getting another 8gb 2400mhz ram stick. Before: 1x8gb 2400mhz. Now: 2x8gb 2400mhz. Dual-Channel and not the amount of ram did the trick. 

ALWAYS USE DUAL CHANNEL FOR GAMING. Thank again guys.

 

Problem Solve: 

 

 

 

[meske7]

The problem is your ram is being bottlenecked by the game because BF 1 needs more than 8gb ram,other games will run fine but 3000mhz ram is recommended for ryzen cpu