• Welcome to TechPowerUp Forums, Guest! Please check out our forum guidelines for info related to our community.
  • The forums have been upgraded with support for dark mode. By default it will follow the setting on your system/browser. You may override it by scrolling to the end of the page and clicking the gears icon.

GPU at 30% TDP but PWR PerfCap

N

NickSummer7

New Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2022
Messages
13 (0.01/day)
This is recent (over the past month) where my fps would drop heavily but then go back up. So I uninstalled and reinstalled the game. Now its a consistent 30 fps, settings at where I used to get 160+. Because of that I started troubleshooting the graphics card using 3D mark as the baseline. I’m getting less than 50% the average score for my build.

Here are the steps I’ve done to troubleshoot (still no help):
Update GPU Drivers
Update MB Firmware
Update Windows 10
Install a fresh version of Windows 11
Reconnect 8 Pin power cables
Swapped PCUs

The more technical info:
When running the graphics tests the temp won’t go above 50 C. I have the max set to 83. (The GPU shows its at 100% utilization at this point).
The max power I’ve seen it draw is 160 Watts. GPU-Z is showing PerfCap being Power. (I can share the sensors tab)

Specs:
EVGA FTW3 RTX 3090
Intel I9-10900k
Seasonic 850W PSU
64 Gb RAM
Asus Maximus XII Formula Mother Board

I really want to think its some easy power limit that I can adjust… but my hope is low.

Any ideas are welcome
 
Which ftw version do you have? get white sticker pics from back of card.
Get a gpu-z screenshot, then go to advanced tab in gpu-z, click on memory/ram and get a screenshot of it, post all pics and screenshot here.
 
GPU-Z_3-23-2022.PNG

^GPU-Z during gaming

I can't seem to find the memory/ram drop down menu under advanced.
1648086756307.png

1648086918113.png

I think this is the tag you're asking for.
 
Last edited:
I'm sure you checked it, but is your power plan set to balanced with the setting pushed to best performance?
1648088199856.png


Otherwise make sure Windows isn't kneecapping your graphics performance:
1648088134339.png


I'm not sure if this is the cause, but try disabling G-Sync if you have it enabled, just to rule it out.

Something I'm also concerned about is why there's an inconsistency with the GPU clock between the two screenshots.
 
Checked and enabled those. No change.

Looking into this..... This screenshot is from gaming. Why would the GPU clock be so low?
1648089572364.png
 
While this doesn't address your PWR throttling, you should look into enabling PCIe x16 4.0, since you're currently running PCIe x16 3.0

Other than that, I would strongly recommend reinstalling your GPU drivers with DDU. Uninstalling/Reinstalling a game shouldn't affect how a GPU runs it.

If you wanted to try something before nuking your driver, you can check NVIDIA control panel for the power management mode:

1648090432744.png
 
Used DDU and downloaded the newest driver straight from NVIDIA. Here's the newest GPU-Z (During a VF curve scan in EVGA Precision X1)
1648092918178.png


Also, PCIE x16 4.0 doesn't seem to be supported by the MB :/
 
That gpu draws about 350Watts on its own, minimum is 750Watts, remember you have to compensate for the rest of system power draw.

You are using separate pcie cables correct?
 
420W is Target and 450W is Limit, there are some that go to 500, you need a PSU that can handle 500 Watts draw on thst GPU.

I suggest 1000+ Watts
 
Understood, I’ll certainly get one for the future. But the PSU can’t be what has caused the sudden change in performance…. Can it?
 
NickSummer7 said:
Understood, I’ll certainly get one for the future. But the PSU can’t be what has caused the sudden change in performance…. Can it?
Click to expand...

This is the specific bios of your card.

www.techpowerup.com

EVGA RTX 3090 VBIOS

24 GB GDDR6X, 1395 MHz GPU, 1219 MHz Memory
www.techpowerup.com www.techpowerup.com

Target and Limit say it all.

It could be an OS update or just the card hitting its physical wall with your power supply. Apparently nv released new drivers.

You can always contact nvidia and evga on this. 420-450 and 500 power draw from a gpu is ridiculous, and most thought a 290, vega were power hogs, this takes the cake.
 
Yeah, I think I’ll have to go to Nvidia or EVGA. Funny thing is I tried it out with a 650 W psu and saw absolutely no difference.
I think the problem isn’t that there isn’t enough power (at least not yet). The problem is that the GPU isn’t pulling anywhere near the available amount of power from the psu. (Leaving a lot left on the table).
 
NickSummer7 said:
Yeah, I think I’ll have to go to Nvidia or EVGA. Funny thing is I tried it out with a 650 W psu and saw absolutely no difference.
I think the problem isn’t that there isn’t enough power (at least not yet). The problem is that the GPU isn’t getting anywhere near the available amount of power.
Click to expand...
Well you can't squeeze blood from a turnip

I'd say for a safety net grab a 1200 watt and call it a day.
 
So doing a bit of math. (Please correct me if I’m wrong). Using PSU calculators to figure this out: The rest of the system, non oc’d, only draws ~277 Watts. And if the GPU will pull 450…. an 850 W should cut it. At least to allow the GPU to stretch its legs a bit.

While I really really want the issue to be a simple PSU bottleneck, I fear its more complicated.
 
NickSummer7 said:
So doing a bit of math. (Please correct me if I’m wrong). Using PSU calculators to figure this out: The rest of the system, non oc’d, only draws ~277 Watts. And if the GPU will pull 450…. an 850 W should cut it. At least to allow the GPU to stretch its legs a bit.

While I really really want the issue to be a simple PSU bottleneck, I fear its more complicated.
Click to expand...
Yup id say its the way the card handles things, take it up with evga, also, another bit, if your system is ocd, it draws even more power, that gpu will draw more if the psu will give it.

I still say you need a bigger psu
 
Sieyk said:
While this doesn't address your PWR throttling, you should look into enabling PCIe x16 4.0, since you're currently running PCIe x16 3.0
Click to expand...
He's on 10900K. That's a no-go.

OP - RMA the card or at least contact EVGA support.
 
Yeah thanks, that’s what I’m leaning towards at the moment. Can’t think of any other path.
 
Last attempt would be to try and install Windows 10 instead of 11.
 
Hi,
Intel chart I'd image their going by nvidia not third party 3090's
PSU chart.PNG
 
ThrashZone said:
Hi,
I'd personally not get anything under 1000 watt.
Click to expand...

Yeah first time ive seen a card need it, I got my 1250 in 2014 for 2 GPUs with leway to oc everything
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top