Low GPU Usage in SLI - low fps

[asleaker]

I recently got my new computer. Can someone please help me??? I got low GPU usage when I play at big BF3 maps when SLI is enabled. Gpu usage drops down to 50/50 at worst and is fluctating between 50 -80 on each gpu. When I am playing at smalll maps i got 70 - 100 GPU usage. When SLI disabled(one card only) I got 95-100 % all the tim, and much more stable FPS.
FPS drops to around 60 at worst scenarios when I also got gpu usage at 50/50. I got nearly same FPS with 1 card at 100%.
I use HW monitor(i think) and I never reach mnore than 84% CPU usage in any of my 4 cores/8 threads. Therefore I have concluded that its not a CPU bottleneck - I really hope not!

My temps
< 60 degrees on both GPUS
<70 degrees on CPU

Have tried alot of different settings in nvidia controlpanel.

My spec is the following:
solution; 1920 x 1080
Nvidia driver: 310.90
EVGA Precision for tuning - have tried framerate controll.


2 x MSI GTX 680 2GB "Lightning" @ 1267 mhz SLI (LN2 bios), MSI Z77 MPower , i7-3770K @ 4,2 ghz., HyperX Beast 16GB @ 2400 mhz ,120hz Asus VG236H 23" 2ms, 1920*1080, 120GB SSD Intel 330 Series , Corsair HX 1050W PSU , Corsair H50 Hydro Series CPU , Windows 7 Home Premium ENG, 64bit , Corsair Carbide 500R Midi Tower White

[ruff0r]

Originally Posted by asleaker

I recently got my new computer. Can someone please help me??? I got low GPU usage when I play at big BF3 maps when SLI is enabled. Gpu usage drops down to 50/50 at worst and is fluctating between 50 -80 on each gpu. When I am playing at smalll maps i got 70 - 100 GPU usage. When SLI disabled(one card only) I got 95-100 % all the tim, and much more stable FPS.
FPS drops to around 60 at worst scenarios when I also got gpu usage at 50/50. I got nearly same FPS with 1 card at 100%.
I use HW monitor(i think) and I never reach mnore than 84% CPU usage in any of my 4 cores/8 threads. Therefore I have concluded that its not a CPU bottleneck - I really hope not!

My temps
< 60 degrees on both GPUS
<70 degrees on CPU

Have tried alot of different settings in nvidia controlpanel.

My spec is the following:
solution; 1920 x 1080
Nvidia driver: 310.90
EVGA Precision for tuning - have tried framerate controll.


2 x MSI GTX 680 2GB "Lightning" @ 1267 mhz SLI (LN2 bios), MSI Z77 MPower , i7-3770K @ 4,2 ghz., HyperX Beast 16GB @ 2400 mhz ,120hz Asus VG236H 23" 2ms, 1920*1080, 120GB SSD Intel 330 Series , Corsair HX 1050W PSU , Corsair H50 Hydro Series CPU , Windows 7 Home Premium ENG, 64bit , Corsair Carbide 500R Midi Tower White

i should read more carefully next time. Could you update your system specs.
Have you tried switching back to the "normal" bios of your cards and let them run @ stock in sli with a fresh instillation of the drivers.
Are you using a SLI bridge?

[asleaker]

I am using a sli bridge. And i get enabled sli in nvidia cp. All prgrams refer to that I have sli enabled. I have tried both bios versions. Is it Anything wrong with the unlocked ln2??

[Jack1n]

I remember some one having a similar issue,i believe he solved it by using different drivers.

[asleaker]

Originally Posted by Jack1n

I remember some one having a similar issue,i believe he solved it by using different drivers.

mmh, it seems to me that most people is very satisfied with 310.90, but maybe it's worth a try.

Thanks for help

[silapakorn]

From my spec I got around 90-100fps in BF3, both GPU are at full stress.

BTW your CPU is too hot. Try disable HT from bios.

[asleaker]

Originally Posted by silapakorn

From my spec I got around 90-100fps in BF3, both GPU are at full stress.

BTW your CPU is too hot. Try disable HT from bios.

HT? Hyper Treading, isn't that memory function ? I have just Enhanced turbo and Turboboost in BIOS settings, can not fint HT.

[DOM]

Use the non ln2 bios no reason to use it if your not using it on ln2 reason its called ln2 bios XD

And cpu temps are fine

Are you playing in window mode ?

[LDNL]

Originally Posted by silapakorn

BTW your CPU is too hot. Try disable HT from bios.

No it isn't. Even at 80C it would be acceptable run. And don't disable hyper threading. It's the reason you got a 3770k with 4 cores and 8 threads and not a 3570k with 4/4. There seems to be something wrong with the drivers or the SLI profiles. Do full drive swipe and try again.

[asleaker]

Originally Posted by DOM

Use the non ln2 bios no reason to use it if your not using it on ln2 reason its called ln2 bios XD

And cpu temps are fine

Are you playing in window mode ?

No, i am not playing in windowed mode. Yes I will change to normal bios again. But with the locked Ln2 bios I can not see any difference. One of my gpu is stock at 1202 mhz and the other at the usual stock 1176mhz, when i enable stock bios or locked ln2 bios. I have OC the other gpu ut til 1202, but is this an issue?

[asleaker]

Originally Posted by LDNL

No it isn't. Even at 80C it would be acceptable run. And don't disable hyper threading. It's the reason you got a 3770k with 4 cores and 8 threads and not a 3570k with 4/4. There seems to be something wrong with the drivers or the SLI profiles. Do full drive swipe and try again.

I will try one more time. I do the "manual" drive swipe. Can I thrust any driversweeper nowadays?

[Mussels]

if its not CPU or GPU limiting you, it could be ram (system or video card).


remember that just because CPU and GPU are the two primary bottlenecks (and easy to measure) that they arent the only ones.

[asleaker]

Originally Posted by Mussels

if its not CPU or GPU limiting you, it could be ram (system or video card).


remember that just because CPU and GPU are the two primary bottlenecks (and easy to measure) that they arent the only ones.

Yes, easy to forget. I have been monitoring GPU memory and it never reach more than 1800 mb on each card. I have 2 GB per card. 16 GB hyberbeast RAM @ 2133 mhz should be enough I hope

[Mussels]

Originally Posted by asleaker

Yes, easy to forget. I have been monitoring GPU memory and it never reach more than 1800 mb on each card. I have 2 GB per card. 16 GB hyberbeast RAM @ 2133 mhz should be enough I hope

not the amount, the speed.


find a test you can reproduce easily, and try lowering your ram speeds to see if it gets worse. if it does, then you know that part is the bottleneck. hell for all we know you've hit a chipset limitation.

[asleaker]

Maybe it helped me reinstall driver on stock bios:???

I got these scores at Operation firestorm 64 maps(full server) with custom Ultra settings, only mesh @ high and motion blur off, 4x MSAA and AA deferred high.

Frames, Time (ms), Min, Max, Avg
36692, 300000, 83, 200, 122.307

and same settings on 24 player scrapmetal Conquest domination

Frames, Time (ms), Min, Max, Avg
39774, 300000, 69, 201, 132.580

Can i expect more? 69 min FPS is not satisfing though,but BF3 are maybe not optimized in every area for SLI. I still got low gpu usage. So I wonder what fps i will got in a game which use all my power. Any got some idea?

[TC-man]

Please, check your Lucid Virtu settings, drivers/software and in motherboard's bios, maybe they are causing the issues.

[RCoon]

Originally Posted by asleaker

Maybe it helped me reinstall driver on stock bios:???

I got these scores at Operation firestorm 64 maps(full server) with custom Ultra settings, only mesh @ high and motion blur off, 4x MSAA and AA deferred high.

Frames, Time (ms), Min, Max, Avg
36692, 300000, 83, 200, 122.307

and same settings on 24 player scrapmetal Conquest domination

Frames, Time (ms), Min, Max, Avg
39774, 300000, 69, 201, 132.580

Can i expect more? 69 min FPS is not satisfing though,but BF3 are maybe not optimized in every area for SLI. I still got low gpu usage. So I wonder what fps i will got in a game which use all my power. Any got some idea?

First world problems xD
Though I must say 69 fps on two 680's is incredibly curious, i expected far more for min.
Granted SLI isnt always up to scratch for all games and doesnt get efficiently used, but that seems way off for me. I have a friend with two 6950's running 3 24inch monitors and he gets comparable fps for BF3, I wouldnt jump first on to optimization.

[asleaker]

Originally Posted by TC-man

Please, check your Lucid Virtu settings, drivers/software and in motherboard's bios, maybe they are causing the issues.

I have last BIOS on motherboard. version 17.5. Lucid Virtu is disabled.