Quest for FPS and Overclocking..

[cuca]

Hi Guys,

in Short: my Rig isn’t giving me enough FPS in BMS 4.33. Overclocking it has no effect.

My Box is an AMD FX-4300 @ default clock (3.800)

• R9 Radeon 200 Series 2GB Graphics Adapter
  runnning into two screens:
  Main screen full HD
  Second screen 1280*1024 with MFDs from display extraction and a bunch of other instruments from MFDE.

After disabling all config settings (Shadows, Water, Particle System, HDR Lighting - all that stuff), turning off Anisotropic Filtering and V-Sync in-game and setting them in the driver instead, also setting all 3D-parameters fairly low, I get flyable/mediocre 36fps on the ground in the TFR Training TE, around 50 FPS when flying away from Kunsan.

When I activate WPN video (Maverick), or TGP, or even both (when boresighting the Mavs), the FPS hit is devastating…even more so in campaigns with lots of units around.

Now, I figured, I give my CPU-fan a bit more work, and push the clock up to 4200MHz for starters. Interestingly, this does give me no FPS gain at all.
I checked in the AMD CCC and in the BIOS, but aside from the core temp rising a handful of degrees celsius, no effect FPS-wise.

Now that makes me think maybe the CPU is not the actual bottleneck here, or am I doing something wrong?
I realize anything I do won’t turn this pig into a race horse, but a faster pig would be a good start
Appreciate any help in squeezing all there is out of this box.

(BMS takes exactly 25% of CPU during gameplay, -> using exactly the equivalent of one of the four cores - thats what one would expect, right?)

[Shadow]

Witch R9 Radeon 200 Series card?

OK general term for all the R9 cards, starting from the Mid level cards 270, 270x. A good step up to the 280,280x & 285. Big boys 290, 290x & 295x2.

I would hazard a guess and say you are GPU limited,

You need to find out which card you have, AMD CCC/Information/Hardware/Graphics Chipset.

And with muilty monitors 36fps is reasonable. As long as there is no micro stutters.

[Arty]

Download:
http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/2571/techpowerup-gpu-z-v0-8-6/mirrors

Also hw monitor
http://www.cpuid.com/softwares/hwmonitor.html

set them to log activity and run falcon… like normal and heavy duty mission or gfx demand like inclement weather etc.
then close falcon and observe the results. It will help you spot if you get bottleneck on a system cpu or gpu…
If you get low fps despite cpu and GPU it might be your mb bw feeding subsystems (memory or vram) I believe with those 2 tools you will be able to spot the issue.

I’m about to do the same soon.

Edit: this:http://openhardwaremonitor.org/downloads/ seems to monitor and log both at the same time…

[cuca]

Hi Arty, Hi Shadow, thanks for your suggestions!

The GPU is a 270 R9.

did the GPU-Z and HWMon and observed 18% CPU load on average (GPU-Z), momentary readings anywhere between 10 and 50% (HWMOn).

VRAM used is about 1.3GB out of the 2GB the Card has.
RAM is 3GB in use, 3GB standby, 1,9GB free, 100MB reserved for HW.

How can I now spot bandwith issues with both memory types? IT isn’t obvoius to me from HWMon and GPU-Z Readings.

I noticed in the BIOS that my RAN strip sits in the second instead of the first slot. Does that affect anything?

[cbo]

An idea here

[Arty]

@cuca:

I noticed in the BIOS that my RAN strip sits in the second instead of the first slot. Does that affect anything?

well take the log to excel and look it from there average and momentary readings might not help you.

It would be better to have your memory stick in the first slot not that it would make of a big difference.

In my case from a quick look I see max cpu load reading 100% so my cpu just tops out holding back the rest. I will have to see the log in excel for better results as this 100% could be momentary.

For overclocking try oc settings and observe how the system behaves.

I believe your CPU can go easily to 4.2Ghz

[hoover]

Thanks for the links Arty, openhardware monitor is a cool tool and even has support for Linux, yay

I just ran it in my standard fBMS benchmarking environment, namely “instant action / fighter sweep” with no display extraction except for native BMS mfd extracts.

Here’s my report:

± Intel Core i5-2300 (/intelcpu/0)
| ± Bus Speed : 100.328 100.328 100.334 (/intelcpu/0/clock/0)
| ± CPU Core #1 : 2909.52 1605.25 3009.85 (/intelcpu/0/clock/1)
| ± CPU Core #2 : 2909.52 1605.25 3010.01 (/intelcpu/0/clock/2)
| ± CPU Core #3 : 2909.52 1605.25 3010.01 (/intelcpu/0/clock/3)
| ± CPU Core #4 : 2909.52 1605.25 3010.01 (/intelcpu/0/clock/4)
| ± CPU Core #1 : 52 33 54 (/intelcpu/0/temperature/0)
| ± CPU Core #2 : 55 35 58 (/intelcpu/0/temperature/1)
| ± CPU Core #3 : 51 33 53 (/intelcpu/0/temperature/2)
| ± CPU Core #4 : 48 30 52 (/intelcpu/0/temperature/3)
| ± CPU Package : 55 36 58 (/intelcpu/0/temperature/4)
| ± CPU Total : 36.5385 0.769234 77.3077 (/intelcpu/0/load/0)
| ± CPU Core #1 : 18.4615 1.53846 98.4615 (/intelcpu/0/load/1)
| ± CPU Core #2 : 61.5385 0 87.6923 (/intelcpu/0/load/2)
| ± CPU Core #3 : 10.7692 0 61.5385 (/intelcpu/0/load/3)
| ± CPU Core #4 : 55.3846 0 88.8889 (/intelcpu/0/load/4)
| ± CPU Package : 29.1697 6.61291 37.6797 (/intelcpu/0/power/0)
| ± CPU Cores : 23.9112 2.11051 32.2297 (/intelcpu/0/power/1)
| ± CPU Graphics : 0 0 0 (/intelcpu/0/power/2)

GPU:

± NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 (/nvidiagpu/0)
| ± GPU Core : 999.844 0 1126.41 (/nvidiagpu/0/clock/0)
| ± GPU Memory : 3505.5 405 3505.5 (/nvidiagpu/0/clock/1)
| ± GPU Shader : 1999.69 0 2252.81 (/nvidiagpu/0/clock/2)
| ± GPU Core : 37 26 37 (/nvidiagpu/0/temperature/0)
| ± GPU Core : 37 0 38 (/nvidiagpu/0/load/0)
| ± GPU Memory Controller : 14 0 19 (/nvidiagpu/0/load/1)
| ± GPU Video Engine : 0 0 0 (/nvidiagpu/0/load/2)
| ± GPU Memory : 19.318 4.77333 19.3238 (/nvidiagpu/0/load/3)
| ± GPU : 798 751 1611 (/nvidiagpu/0/fan/0)
| ± GPU Fan : 30 30 30 (/nvidiagpu/0/control/0)

GPU usage:
Nvidia GPU

Name: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960
Index: 0
Driver Version: 358.91
Driver Branch: r358_85-2

DeviceID: 0x140110DE
SubSystemID: 0x140110B0
RevisionID: 0xA1
ExtDeviceID: 0x1401

Thermal Settings

Sensor[0].Controller: GPU_INTERNAL
Sensor[0].DefaultMinTemp: 0
Sensor[0].DefaultMaxTemp: 127
Sensor[0].CurrentTemp: 37
Sensor[0].Target: GPU

Clocks

Clock[8]: 3505500
Clock[9]: 11
Clock[10]: 416666
Clock[11]: 1
Clock[12]: 405000
Clock[13]: 17
Clock[16]: 138499
Clock[17]: 1
Clock[18]: 108000
Clock[19]: 1
Clock[30]: 1999687
Clock[31]: 17
Clock[32]: 1800000
Clock[33]: 25
Clock[34]: 1645312
Clock[35]: 25
Clock[36]: 1080000
Clock[37]: 9
Clock[40]: 324000
Clock[41]: 9
Clock[44]: 108000
Clock[45]: 1
Clock[50]: 1782000
Clock[51]: 25
Clock[92]: 3505500
Clock[93]: 32
Clock[99]: 416666
Clock[100]: 32
Clock[106]: 405000
Clock[107]: 32
Clock[120]: 138499
Clock[121]: 32
Clock[127]: 108000
Clock[128]: 32
Clock[169]: 1999687
Clock[170]: 32
Clock[176]: 1800000
Clock[177]: 15
Clock[178]: 90
Clock[183]: 1645312
Clock[184]: 15
Clock[185]: 82
Clock[190]: 1080000
Clock[191]: 32
Clock[204]: 324000
Clock[205]: 32
Clock[218]: 108000
Clock[219]: 32
Clock[239]: 1782000
Clock[240]: 15
Clock[241]: 89

Tachometer

Value: 798

P-States

Percentage[0]: 37
Percentage[1]: 13
Percentage[2]: 0
Percentage[3]: 5

Usages

Usage[1]: 1
Usage[2]: 37
Usage[3]: 40
Usage[4]: 30
Usage[5]: 1
Usage[6]: 13
Usage[7]: 58
Usage[8]: 47
Usage[9]: 1
Usage[11]: 40
Usage[12]: 20
Usage[13]: 1
Usage[14]: 5
Usage[15]: 100
Usage[16]: 100

Cooler Settings

Cooler[0].Type: 1
Cooler[0].Controller: 1
Cooler[0].DefaultMin: 30
Cooler[0].DefaultMax: 100
Cooler[0].CurrentMin: 30
Cooler[0].CurrentMax: 100
Cooler[0].CurrentLevel: 30
Cooler[0].DefaultPolicy: 16
Cooler[0].CurrentPolicy: 16
Cooler[0].Target: 7
Cooler[0].ControlType: 2
Cooler[0].Active: 0

Memory Info

Value[0]: 4194304
Value[1]: 4107968
Value[2]: 0
Value[3]: 3915324
Value[4]: 3384048

So it looks to me like the GPU isn’t even throwing a sweat, while processor usage peaks occasionally on one core around 90% but it doesn’t look too busy on the whole, either.

So why am I getting “only” 70fps in the above scenario (“instant action / fighter sweep”)?

All the best, Uwe

[Arty]

I believe you are sure that the nvidia is used and not the in chip intel vga.

why? 70 fps are low???

your cpu speed is low and what is your screen resolution? MFDE?

[Dee-Jay]

@hoover:

So why am I getting “only” 70fps in the above scenario (“instant action / fighter sweep”)?

70fps is way above the minimum required.

[Shadow]

Cuca

By todays standard the R9 270 is entry level for any serious game/sim. Its good for what it coast but it ain’t going to do excitingly well in HD environs and then throw display extraction on top.

Don’t use to much AA, if your current driver allows you to set 0-7 in Falcon setup try 1 or 2.
Shadows are probably your biggest enemy. Heat blur you can do with out

Leave Anisotropic Filtering ON, it doesn’t cost much in FPS if any. But will improve graphics, try it.
I would keep V-Sync on

In game or in CCC doesn’t make any difference for me on a HD 7950 (R9 280).
And I have been testing a few drivers, nothing to report except the old 12.2 that I was using did not displays the TREEs properly.

I create my own TEs for testing FPS with plenty of ground units About (500 in the bubble) & a few dozen Air.

A lot of the time I just spawn, let it settle look around then use snap views with very little cockpit showing look 90deg left, front, 90deg right and look behind over your shoulder. Writing down your FPS.

I get like 42/43, 37/38, 35 & 29/30 over the sholder. Thats on a HD 7950 32"AOC @4560x1440 + MFDE on a 20" 1366x768

MFDE only coast me 1 or 2 FPS while BMS Display extraction coast me 8fps

Ill try and post the TE if you like. I use the DCA at 8.52, it should spawn looking north. But not every time.
Its good to have something that’s easy to repeat.

[Krause]

See A.S’s posts in here:https://www.benchmarksims.org/forum/showthread.php?23536-Massive-FPS-Loss

Helped me gain about 15 FPS.

[hoover]

@Dee-Jay:

70fps is way above the minimum required.

I agree, but as outlined it’s a bare-bones setup with only native mfd extraction…. I did a test flight today and fps in the cockpit at Kimpo were around 25 on the ground with quite a few planes around, so yes, I guess I’m happy

Uwe

[cuca]

@Shadow,
thanks for the tips ill give your TE a try if I find the time (probably tonight or tomorrow night).
Today i have been able to play around with the Northbridge settings, and I get some 4-5fps when pushing the northbridge to 2200 mhz (from 2000) and the cpu to 4200mhz (from 3800) - as opposed to getting NO increase when only having the cpu rev higher…

Having the GPU load at <40% most of the time and the CPU at 25% (which equals 100% - on one core), lets me think l I should get a more serious CPU and keep the GPU for now - or would you say I its the other way round?

EDIT: IN Shadows Kunsan TE, in the DCA Flight, commiting to Taxi, facing north on the taxiway, i get (CPU @4200, NB @2200)
47 FPS looking north
55 looking left/west
37 looking right/east
41/38 over the shoulders

Thats with MFDE plus Display Extraction on,
IN game:
Multisampling off,
V-Sync off,
HDR Bloom, Trees, Grass all off
Advanced Graphics: all off except linear Mipmap and textured TV/IR
Driver/CCC
Triple Buffering on, V-sync on
Anti-Aliasing 8x
Anisotropic Filtering 8x
Tesselation 16x

I figure thats not that bad (given the entry level equipment?)

[Shadow]

In years gone by I was a big AMD CPU fan.

They were cheap, easy to overclock and had good chipset support.

But when Intel dropped their prices a few back while I was due for an upgrade I had to go the i5 3750k, they had left AMD behind.

Did you try lower Anti-Aliasing. And I don’t know if Falcon will take advantage of Tessellation.

But those figure seem reasonable to Me.

Do you have shaders active, and have you tested the lighting per pixel/per vertex.

For me the only thing that had any impact was shadows.

Let me go check that again now.

[tirta]

Hi Cuca,

Do you ever fix your “overclocking has no effect” problem finally?

I have problem rather similar to yours.
My system is:
i3 o/c to 4.4ghz
4gb ddr3
gtx 560

so far I get around 38 fps when playing training mission 4 night ils landing with this setting.

And then I have installed zotac gtx970 and added more ram: total now 8gb ddr3.
However with the same setting and same mission as above,
I only get around 44 fps, so there is not much improvement here.
https://www.benchmarksims.org/forum/showthread.php?24925-GTX970-owner-please-post-your-fps

Maybe something is causing bottleneck in my system.
I do not know what.

Can you tell me how do you fix yours?
Please help.