CPU intensive graphics settings?

[Ashnak]

Hi all,

yet another graphics settings thread/question.

After upgrading my rig and switching to a HP Reverb (from a Rift CV1), I'm still not satisfied with my frame rate (ok, wh is...). Travelling solo between the stars, it's ok - nearly solid 90 FPS. But If I drop into a slightly more busy location (like a planetary outpost or a station), my framerate drops down into the 50s, with associated stuttering. If I take of the headset and check my Task Manager, my GPU is still running at a comfortable 75% (so there should be ample reserves there), but my CPU is flat out at >96%.

So, my question is: are there any graphics settings that will specifically relieve the CPU of some work? Possibly in exchange for some more work on the GPU?

Details:

• i5-4690k @ 4.7 GHz
• GTX1080ti
• 32 GB RAM
• Win 10

watercooling on both CPU and GPU

 

[Gibbon]

That's low. I have the same setup as you, apart from my chip is an i7 7700k. In space, my fps with ultra settings and supersampling 2.0 is around 180, never under 90 in a busy area or station and no watercooling for me either

 

[GroG79]

Check taskmanager what other programs are big cpu users (while gaming)

 

[Ashnak]

That's low. I have the same setup as you, apart from my chip is an i7 7700k. In space, my fps with ultra settings and supersampling 2.0 is around 180, never under 90 in a busy area or station and no watercooling for me either

That's also twice the threads and three generations onwards . And I wouldn't think SS would stress the CPU.

Check taskmanager what other programs are big cpu users (while gaming)

None. Had a case yesterday where the Window manager (or something like that) was hogging >10% CPU (and that definitely was visible in game), but a restart (isn't Windows nice?) fixed that. Everything else is in single figure (or less) range, IIRC less than 10% in total.

 

[sgurr]

Ashnak, I'd suggest your processor is a bottle neck, no. cores matters for ED in VR. I'm on my phone or I'd give links but Morbad looked into this in detail and ED in VR needs 6 (maybe 5?) cores for threads.
I had an i5 with 4 cores, moving to ryzen gen 1 with 6 cores. On paper was a slower chip for gaming but my frame rate jumped massively. I'm now on a gen 3 ryzen and saw more gains and now gpu restricted in VR (also using a 1080ti)

In the meantime there is a setting called (I think) terrain work which can shift the load between cpu/gpu.

Hope that helps

Ps. Also using a Reverb, it's great
And if you're in the UK I have a unused ryzen 1600x is be happy to send you if you can get hold of an amd board for testing.

Edit: many edits

 

[Vtskr]

Best bet would be installing fpsVR to make sure that CPU is indeed your bottleneck. Task Manager is wrong tool for vr performance troubleshooting.

 

[sgurr]

There have been lots of threads on ED in VR needing more than 4 cores, this is a good one to start with:

CPU; # of threads matter much?

Just a quick question about CPUs for VR. I currently have an i5-6600k, which I am looking at upgrading slightly, as I am not inclined to buy a new motherboard as well at this time. Looking at the i7-6700k vs i5-7600k and their comparison here, I am unsure what would be considered the best...

forums.frontier.co.uk

 

[Ashnak]

There have been lots of threads on ED in VR needing more than 4 cores, this is a good one to start with:

CPU; # of threads matter much?

Just a quick question about CPUs for VR. I currently have an i5-6600k, which I am looking at upgrading slightly, as I am not inclined to buy a new motherboard as well at this time. Looking at the i7-6700k vs i5-7600k and their comparison here, I am unsure what would be considered the best...

forums.frontier.co.uk

Thanks - very interesting thread this one.
As for your offer - thanks a lot. I'm in Germany, but if I'm going change my rig on board level, it'll be for keeps and whatever is close to state of the art at that time. I'm more limited by the time I need for rebuilding than anything else. Pity there are currently no interesting intel chips.