PC Graphics

[elvenhax2]

Greetings!

Two weeks ago I plug in second R9 270X in my PC and have some problem in GTA V that I can't undestand. I call this "asynchron load".

My system:

• AMD Graphics Card
  • Sapphire R9 270X Dual-X OC 2GB in CrossfireX (Sapphire Dual-X R9 270X OC | TechPowerUp GPU Database )
• Desktop or Laptop System
  • Desktop
• Operating System
  • Windows 10 Pro 64bit
• Driver version installed
  • Radeon Software Adrenalin 17.12.1
    
• Display Devices
  • Asus PA238Q 1920*1080 @60Hz via DVI cable.
• Motherboard + Bios Revision
  • MSI Z77A-GD55, Bios version: 1.11
• CPU/APU
  • Intel Core i5-3570K
• Power Supply Unit  Make, Model & Wattage
  • Aerocool Strike-X 1100W 80Plus Gold
    
• RAM
  • 16GB DDRIII (4*4GB Samsung 1600MHz CL11)

In GTA V I use high-ultra setting in most options considering 2GB Vram. Suddenly, i have problem with different settings, not important how much Vram it required (below 4096MB or more). Game can work without any trouble for 6+ hours with average framerate 60 (Vsync in GTA V settings and FPS limit in RTSS) even with ultra textures, but not always. I can't explain whats happening, in some moment (after loading from bunker to surface or just while I driving the car) I have "over9000" stutters with insane Framerate and Frametime graphs. It can be GPU's usage like 30%\99% or 99%\30%, or 99%\99%. Sometimes it goes away in a few minutes, sometimes alt+enter helps me (strange when after alt+enter in windowed mode I see 60fps and normal synchronous GPU's usage), in most cases I just reload the game. Problem is seen on Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit with 17.12.2, Windows 10 Pro 64bit (clear installation after formatting HDD) with 17.7, 17.12.1, 17.12.2 and 17.4.4 AMD drivers.

I have this not only in OC CPU@4.2GHz and RAM@2200MHz but with stock Bios settings too.

I prepared six screenshots with MSI AB Overlay, 1-3 with normal gameplay and 4-6 just after... lag\bug?

What it can be? Problem with PCIE lines in MB? PSU voltage drop maybe? Software problem? With single R9 270X this doesn't happen. First R9 270X works fine since 2013, second R9 270X was purchased in summer 2014 and works fine in CrossfireX until summer 2015 then second GPU was put in other PC. I dont remember something like this after GTA V release in 2015. Since summer 2015 until december 2017 one contact lag in MB socket was broken, now it was replaced and both PCIEx16 slots works again.

[Matt_AMD]

Given GTA V's high video memory usage requirements and based off of your description, sounds like you are running out of video memory and your system is using the slow pagefile which drops your FPS. I see around 4GB of video memory usage on my Vega GPU at similar settings at 1080P, so this backs up my theory.

[elvenhax2]

Thanks for reply!

I'm not sure about the reason of this lags.

It's strange that on DX10 ultra settings (Just for test. Game shows 6+ GB Vram requirements but it with x2 multiplier because crossfirex) I can play without asynchronous load, just rarely stutter (for refreshing data in vram I think). But on DX11 with ultra settings for my GPU's (Under 4096MB in GTA V menu, that means under 2048MB per GPU. Disabled MSAA, Reflections MSAA and cutting some options like distance for loading more detalized object when flying, high resolution shadow, variety of pedestrians) I have tons of stutters like i'm trying to show on OSD in first message.

For example, I have the same problem with DX11 with standart textures, 5/10 distance for loading more detalized object when flying and other setting on Ultra or close to that (Under 2048MB per GPU) and with DX11 with full ultra setting which requirement much more than 2GB vram per gpu (yeah, i'm tested this). I'm trying now detect which setting leads to problem in my case. As I remember, in Watch Dogs with insufficient vram I just have stable low fps, absolutely not like in GTA V now.

I thought, can be my bottlenecking CPU cause this, some mistake in his calculations that kills correct work of crossfirex? Ultra setting means higher load not only for GPU's and in some variations (like standart textures with 5/10 detalized object loading distance) I have almost stable 100% CPU utilization.

Sorry for my bad english, it not my native language.

[Matt_AMD · Accepted solution]

If you have 100% CPU utilisation, or near it, that would certainly cause performance drops and eractic behaviour for sure.