GPU Usage seems low

So I've been trying to dial in my settings to maximize the best FPS/performance ratio my computer can muster. I've run into quite an interesting find.

When I was getting the best FPS (45+) my GPU usage was at 95%. When I was in a mission that my buddy created for Nevada I was getting around 15 on the tarmac and the GPU usage was only 35%. In the meantime he was getting 40+ FPS running at 95% GPU usage.

Why would my GPU usage be running lower and therefore giving me lower FPS? Or is the GPU usage tied to the FPS with a software setting?

Ultimately how do I get my GPU to run at 90-95% to give me the best FPS? Especially when my friend is getting that in the same mission.

My system:

i7-7820X, X299 Dark, 64G DDR4 3200 RAM, EVGA 2080Ti FTW3 Ultra, SSD, Valve Index HMD.

In Steam VR I made sure my video setting resolution match my per eye setting on the Index and I have also messing with the PD (which is set at 1.2 for now), but there doesn't seem to be any change with this.

Any help would be appreciated!

If GPU usage stays low, it could be that your CPU bottlenecks the GPU.

I was observing something like this on my system that runs on an i7-7700K at stock speed of 4200 MHz and a 1080Ti. After disabling hyper-threading in the BIOS and overclocking the CPU to 4800 MHz (Intel provides software tools for easy overclocking of unlocked CPUs), GPU usage went up to 95-97% in computationally demanding scenarios (such as flying low over Las Vegas).

As Waxi says,..

Check that one of your CPU cores are not running at 100% overall CPU utilisation can seem moderate but generally DCS still needs at least one fast core (the more the better)

Generally you will want CPU high clock speed for best performance with given VR settings and GPU as there is quite a lot of CPU work to do.

That said in a "free flight" in NTTR you should be able to hold 45FPS with fairly high settings with some differences depending on module and settings.

Whilst your system is different to mine and I use Rift I generally have my GPU working anywhere between around 60% to as much as 90 something % peak depending on situation. In NTTR I can get 45 to 90FPS .

As a general tweak if you hit 100% in either CPU core or GPU you may actually need to back something off, well that's how it works for me.

in nvidia control panel set your card to low latency mode. ultra.

and set virtual reality pre rendered frames to 1.

this will stop your cpu and ram from being used to draw unused frames.

let the steam/oculus VR service control all that. rather than the gpu.

If GPU usage stays low, it could be that your CPU bottlenecks the GPU.

 

I was observing something like this on my system that runs on an i7-7700K at stock speed of 4200 MHz and a 1080Ti. After disabling hyper-threading in the BIOS and overclocking the CPU to 4800 MHz (Intel provides software tools for easy overclocking of unlocked CPUs), GPU usage went up to 95-97% in computationally demanding scenarios (such as flying low over Las Vegas).

I did overclock my CPU to 4.4ghz as well. I'll double check the hyper threading. The weird part is when I am flying over a demanding area like las vegas my frames go to shit (15-20) and my GPU usage goes to ~30%. You would think it would go to 95 or so. So it seems that my GPU usage is more matching my frame rate rather than what it actually needs to do. That's the part I can't figure out.

As Waxi says,..

 

Check that one of your CPU cores are not running at 100% overall CPU utilisation can seem moderate but generally DCS still needs at least one fast core (the more the better)

 

Generally you will want CPU high clock speed for best performance with given VR settings and GPU as there is quite a lot of CPU work to do.

 

That said in a "free flight" in NTTR you should be able to hold 45FPS with fairly high settings with some differences depending on module and settings.

 

Whilst your system is different to mine and I use Rift I generally have my GPU working anywhere between around 60% to as much as 90 something % peak depending on situation. In NTTR I can get 45 to 90FPS .

 

As a general tweak if you hit 100% in either CPU core or GPU you may actually need to back something off, well that's how it works for me.

Thanks for the tips. I'll check on that with process lasso.

UPDATE:

Ok so I turned low latency mode to Ultra and confirmed my pre rendered frames are at 1. That seemed to give me a slight boost (15FPS - 24FPS on the ground in Nevada) but my GPU usage is still around 40-50% at those frames. I'm sure if my GPU was running towards 95% I would be getting better frames.

I also turned off hyperthreading but that did not affect performance.

By the way my buddy who is running a 1080Ti and he is getting ~45+ frames on the ground in the same mission. We are using that as our test bed to figure out why my frames are so low in comparison. His GPU usage is also at ~95% with those frames.

Also when I am flying over the desert in the same mission my FPS jumps from 45-70 and GPU usage increases to 80-90%. That's what is weird about this. So why is my GPU usage low on the ground when that's when it should be working the most?!

Someone please help!!

Im having this same issue

Ryzen7 3800X on water, RTX2080TI also on water and overclocked.

sitting at 30-35% GPU usage at all times, game runs like total crap on my Rift S

Other games like Elite Dangerous runs smooth as glass, as well they should.

You guys only focus on GPU usage. What about your CPU usage when this happens because that's the other 50% of the equation.

CPU usage is the same for me, 30ish percent...

Depends on what you have from hardware.

If you go Oculus Rift S you can skip step WMR and Steam. That's 2 down out of 4. Then step 4 is also good for 2D so it's not a real VR thing and/or not needed, i never see any difference in deleting/clearing these.

This leaves you with only step 3...and even there isn't much to fiddle about.

Microsoft has unlimited budget and 20+ yrs and the sim still required a PHD and a NASA computer to run it. Now Lockhead freakin Martin is trying with it's expertise.

Since Microprose F-19 I have spent 3/4 my time tweaking rather than flying. Now toss VR into the mix and it really is frustrating.

My headache is I make a change and DCS behaves. Just right when you think you got it WHAM. CTD.. No rhyme or reason just outta the blue stalls and then you slide down your VR and see the error message.

So far the only things that on MY system that appear to make it worse are highly overclocking my card or ram. Stability test means nothing. All USBs need to be the latest and do not use a hub. Lastly, everyone says hit alt/enter to go into full screen. It is also checked in options. Last few days I have not used alt/enter and the crashed have reduced by 1/2.

Stability in DCS VR is inversely proportional to the fun you are having and how long you spent building up that complex mission with the editor.

It seems like I am living in another planet or just being luck when it comes to vr in dcs. My experience with my odyssey + has been and remain smooth. No crashes, ghosting or any other glitches that has been reported lately.