CPU underperforming

[Harry_P_Nass]

Recently I've noticed my i5-7600k CPU underperforming. I am getting average 90-110 fps in overwatch where i before easily got 150 fps. Ofc on the lowest settings & 100% render scale.

 

The CPU usage in OW is around 80-90% and it is constantly at 100% usage while playing. I have tried changing the priority for overwatch, overclocking the CPU to 4.6 GHz, and those settings seem to increase FPS, but I think it increases CPU usage? Which I think is my problem.

I tried running benchmarks, on userBenchmark and got these results:

UserBenchmarks: Game 63%, Desk 69%, Work 46%
CPU: Intel Core i5-7600K - 81.1%
GPU: Nvidia GTX 1060-6GB - 66.4%
SSD: Kingston A400 240GB - 76%
HDD: WD Blue 1TB (2012) - 56.6%
RAM: G.SKILL F4 DDR4 3000 C16 1x8GB - 38.7%
MBD: Asus PRIME Z270-P
 

Notably, the CPU is overclocked to 4.4 GHz and "performing way under expectations (16th percentile)".

I also ran Cinebench R15 and got a CPU score of 635 cb (see attached) and from what I can tell that is quite low for an overclocked 7600k with 1060.

 

Furthermore, I ran PassMark, see attached for scores. 

Aaaaand I tried disabling antivirus if that was using a lot of CPU, but that wasn't it. 

 

I don't know what I am doing wrong, and it is quite frustrating since it shouldn't be underperforming like this. 

Let me know if you need more information, I'd love any help to resolve this. 

 

Cheers

[Alexalmighty502]

you HAVE checked temps correct?

 

Also it looks like you didn't set the xmp profile for the ram too.

 

also also you should REALLY get a ssd they're actually very cheap lately

[Harry_P_Nass]

Just now, Alexalmighty502 said:

you HAVE checked temps correct?

Oh yeah, forgot that. I have Core Temp running in the background and it is never higher than 80 C.

Picture from today

[Harry_P_Nass]

4 minutes ago, Alexalmighty502 said:

Also it looks like you didn't set the xmp profile for the ram too.

5

Is this important? I have tried the automatic overclocking on my motherboard which I believe sets an XMP profile

Quote

also also you should REALLY get a ssd they're actually very cheap lately

I do, 240gb with OS and a few bigger programs

[Alexalmighty502]

4 minutes ago, Harry_P_Nass said:

Is this important? I have tried the automatic overclocking on my motherboard which I believe sets an XMP profile

I do, 240gb with OS and a few bigger programs

wait you are only using 1 stick of ram? its running in single channel then so 3000mhz ram would be running at 1500

 

and yes xmp is very important without it most ram will run at a stock speed of 2133 open up task manager and go to memory and look at the speed it should be at 3000 (although you're in single channel mode so it might show 1500)

[Harry_P_Nass]

1 minute ago, Alexalmighty502 said:

wait you are only using 1 stick of ram? its running in single channel then so 3000mhz ram would be running at 1500

 

and yes xmp is very important without it most ram will run at a stock speed of 2133 open up task manager and go to memory and look at the speed it should be at 3000 (although you're in single channel mode so it might show 1500)

huh, that is interesting. Right now it shows 2263 MHz

[Alexalmighty502]

Just now, Harry_P_Nass said:

huh, that is interesting. Right now it shows 2263 MHz

set xmp and also you didnt answer my question are you using only 1 stick?

[Harry_P_Nass]

Just now, Alexalmighty502 said:

set xmp and also you didnt answer my question are you using only 1 stick?

Yeah, it's only 1 stick. Do I need to do anything specific with xmp?

[Alexalmighty502]

Just now, Harry_P_Nass said:

Yeah, it's only 1 stick. Do I need to do anything specific with xmp?

turn it on and running with only 1 stick of ram isn't a good idea you're bandwith is split in half ddr ram is only double data rate if theirs atleast 2 sticks

[AskTJ]

7 minutes ago, Alexalmighty502 said:

wait you are only using 1 stick of ram? its running in single channel then so 3000mhz ram would be running at 1500

What? 1500MHz? The slowest speed for DDR4 is 2133MHz. There is no way ram would run at 1500MHz.

[Harry_P_Nass]

Just now, Alexalmighty502 said:

turn it on and running with only 1 stick of ram isn't a good idea you're bandwith is split in half ddr ram is only double data rate if theirs atleast 2 sticks

Alright, ill try that. Thanks for the help, hope it works.  I guess I gotta go get more RAM. 

[Alexalmighty502]

Just now, AskTJ said:

What? 1500MHz? The slowest speed for DDR4 is 2133MHz. There is no way ram would run at 1500MHz.

ram is rated at its ddr speed which reqs 2 sticks of ram running with 1 stick is meaning youre running in single data rate or half of what its rated for

['ospis12]

4 minutes ago, Alexalmighty502 said:

ram is rated at its ddr speed which reqs 2 sticks of ram running with 1 stick is meaning youre running in single data rate or half of what its rated for

No, DDR means that in each clock cycle there are 2 transfers/ticks of RAM stick. Using only 1 stick cuts in half available ram bus.

2 channel controller have as name implies 2 x 64 bit memory buses. So when you use both channels technically you have 128 bit memory interface,

but with 1 stick you have only 64 bit bus. Which reduces have much data CPU can take from RAM in given time. 

[Alexalmighty502]

1 minute ago, 'ospis12 said:

No, DDR means that in each clock cycle there are 2 transfers/ticks of RAM stick. Using only 1 stick cuts in half available ram bus.

2 channel controller have as name implies 2 x 64 bit memory buses. 

my bad although the point still stands running with 1 stick will limit the performance of the ram

 

oh and another thing have you checked the vrm temps you can use intels extreme tuning utility to see if you have vrm throttling 

['ospis12]

I think it is possibly memory bandwidth problem, but since you have said, there were no problems some time ago. 

I'm inclining to say what Alexalmighty502 said, it can be XMP not turn on, but don't think it's VRM temps, unless

you have changed airflow in your case. Have you recently installed new microcode to CPU? You know,

specter and meltdown 

[Harry_P_Nass]

6 minutes ago, Alexalmighty502 said:

my bad although the point still stands running with 1 stick will limit the performance of the ram

 

oh and another thing have you checked the vrm temps you can use intels extreme tuning utility to see if you have vrm throttling 

Update: I do have an XMP profile set up at 3000 MHz, so that was not the problem. Though still on 1 stick.

I will take a look at VRM temps, what do I do in case it is throttling?

[Harry_P_Nass]

Just now, 'ospis12 said:

I think it is possibly memory bandwidth problem, but since you have said, there were no problems some time ago. 

I'm inclining to say what Alexalmighty502 said, it can be XMP not turn on, but don't think it's VRM temps, unless

you have changed airflow in your case. Have you recently installed new microcode to CPU? You know,

specter and meltdown 

I did update the microcode, but that was as soon as it was released, so i doubt that has affected it recently.

[Alexalmighty502]

1 minute ago, Harry_P_Nass said:

Update: I do have an XMP profile set up at 3000 MHz, so that was not the problem. Though still on 1 stick.

I will take a look at VRM temps, what do I do in case it is throttling?

wait so you have it set for 3000 and its below that?

[Harry_P_Nass]

Just now, Alexalmighty502 said:

wait so you have it set for 3000 and its below that?

I just changed it, now it is running at 2933 MHz, so close enough.

[Alexalmighty502]

hmm well install Intels extreme tuning utility https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/24075/Intel-Extreme-Tuning-Utility-Intel-XTU-?product=873

 

and see if you find anything inconsistant for example throttling or abnormal temps and the like

[Harry_P_Nass]

4 minutes ago, Alexalmighty502 said:

hmm well install Intels extreme tuning utility https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/24075/Intel-Extreme-Tuning-Utility-Intel-XTU-?product=873

 

and see if you find anything inconsistant for example throttling or abnormal temps and the like

So it is not VRM temps, it only peaks at ~75 C. (Assuming in doing it correctly). The big spike marked on the attached picture is starting OW and running it for a few minutes then closing

 

[Alexalmighty502]

that temp is the cpus temp if the vrm was overheating the motherboard vr thermal throtteling would go to yes (i think atleast im not 100% sure why its vr and not vrm)

 

im not 100% sure why the performance is so low minus the ram speed not set correctly

 

i guess retry the userbenchmark test (and make sure you minimize cpu usage while doing it) and see if it improved 

['ospis12]

It's wired thing to ask, but what are your tdp limits set to?

[Harry_P_Nass]

2 minutes ago, Alexalmighty502 said:

that temp is the cpus temp if the vrm was overheating the motherboard vr thermal throtteling would go to yes (i think atleast im not 100% sure why its vr and not vrm)

 

im not 100% sure why the performance is so low minus the ram speed not set correctly

 

i guess retry the userbenchmark test (and make sure you minimize cpu usage while doing it) and see if it improved 

It's getting late here in Europe land, so I guess I'll cut it for now. Unfortunate that there wasn't a clear answer, but I will try to get 8gb ram more since it was an inevitable upgrade anyways and see if that fixes it. 

Thank you and everyone else for trying to fix my stuff. 

[Harry_P_Nass]

Just now, 'ospis12 said:

It's wired thing to ask, but what are your tdp limits set to?

I have no idea what my tdp limit is. All I know is I never changed it.