GTX 1080Ti GPU at 99% high power usage in DCS.

[AH64D]

I am sure this is fine, but I wanted to reach out to make sure this is actually normal. I read on the internet from multiple sources, that a graphics card like mine running at 99% is normal and is functioning properly. It is just "doing its job" and running the game correcty.

 

But when I play a game like Destiny 2, my GPU is only running between 65 and 70%.

 

But just for piece of mind is this really normal for DCS?

 

I am aware DCS is probably more intense than games like D2 or something like that.

 

But just incase if this is not normal, please let me know. I run on high default settings and DCS runs like a dream, its perfect. So I imagine everything is ok.

 

I just go into task manager and I got a red symbol blinking "high power usage"

 

Or in otherwords when you run DCS, with a fairly good graphics card like mine, is it the same thing? At high default settings? I keep my posts in the F-18C sector as that is my current cockpit for now.

 

Thank you.

Edited August 28, 2020 by AH64D

[Wade (Python)]

Mine runs @100% 

[SyntaxError]

My 1070 also runs maxed most of the time, which is to be expected.

[Dragon1-1]

Well, it's a 1080ti, of course you're getting a high power usage.  I recently got one, it's a beast of a graphics card that can take in the neighborhood of 300W under load. You can buy space heaters that use that much. As long as your PSU and cooling are up to snuff, you shouldn't have problems.

 

On the other hand, you won't have to worry about being cold in winter, just fire up DCS and the problem will fix itself.  I actually have to keep my window open when she starts chugging, between that, the CPU and the VR googles things get warm pretty quickly, to say the least.

[BaD CrC]

Are you talking about GPU load or VRAM?

Usually DCS is not using much GPU, much more the CPU, but it is using pretty much every bit of VRAM it can get. My 11Gb are filled 96% but GPU load is barely above 40%

[Veseroth]

@BaD CrCThat means your gpu isn't functioning properly.. google low gpu usage to fix it. A GPU should be running 95% to 100% if setup correctly.

[Oceandar]

Mine could jump to 102% then stable at 98% in SP. Strangely in MP when quite alot of players and demanding theater like Syria (Hoggit server) the GPU load reduced to like 60 - 80 and my R5 3600 showed like 15% load. Is this CPU bottleneck?

[WipeUout]

Many factors come to play here.  The frame rate fixed or free, the resolution being used, graphics details settings, what's happening on screen (lots of movement or steady flight), etc...  I have a 2080ti and mine runs at 50-95% typically in 4k.  In general, you want to find a sweet spot where the GPU rarely exceed 95%, try playing with the settings to find the sweet spot.

[BaD CrC]

@Veseroth, if this is a general statement and not one specific about DCS, then you don't really understand what you are talking about. A GPU runs at what it is required by the program that needs its resources. That's why CPU are benched against software like SuperPI or PassMark CPU that don't call instructions from the GPU and as such, gives results irrelevant from the GPU installed. 

Regarding DCS, although there was a significant improvement over the years, the nature of this sim inherently relies on the CPU for pretty much all the calculations (and pretty much on only one core too). The framerate one usually gets in regard to the level of graphic details certainly should be a hint to you: GPU is not, far from it, the bottleneck in DCS (but ED certainly takes every little bit of RAM they can find to store those huge maps textures).This is progressively changing as ED is putting a lot of effort in making VR for example more accessible to wider audience, and the flip to Vulkan engine should hopefully really be the game changer; this is when I expect to see my GPU more heavily loaded and also more fps from my sim.

Edited April 5, 2021 by BaD CrC

[Dragon1-1]

DCS isn't always CPU limited, though. On a regular monitor, this is true, but when you go up to 4K (whether VR or a large pancake screen), you'll tax your GPU much more. Ultimately, it depends on what combination of GPU and CPU you have, and there are situations where the hard drive will be the bottleneck (not even anything exotic, this is what happens when you try to run a modern map from off a HDD).