Performance testing

Soopyyy · Sep 9, 2016

So a little while ago I posted a bug report, ED's CPU usage is astonishing for me. Using a 4670K it uses easily 70% on average.

I found out what is causing this. Very simply its the frame rate limiter. If I set the frame rate limiter to "off", the CPU usage sky rockets and it can cause stuttering.
Once I set the limiter to 60hz, I seen a substantial drop, down to about 30-35% CPU usage.

I am running a GTX980 and 4670k with 8gb of ram. The game one ever really uses about 1.2-2.5gb of ram at any given time.

Now, this makes me question just why the CPU is being so heavily leaned on for the extra frames when my GPU is easily capable. I am sure there is a good reason but I'm not that clued into how the software works.

Vurosia · Sep 9, 2016

I think it's like science and stuff.

Paroxsym · Sep 9, 2016

This video explains alot about CPU useage versus framerates.

https://youtu.be/AfoQD9pDwXM

Soopyyy · Sep 9, 2016

Cheers for that. The basis of the video had a pretty obvious conclusion, but he explained some things I didn't realise as well.

GJ51 · Sep 9, 2016

Odd

I'm running a Core i7-950

Damn thing must be 10 years old, but it does have 24GB of ram and a 980Ti in it with a Samsung 1TB SSD

Reading OP I decided to check, as strangely I never had looked at what the game was doing to my system load.

I run a 24" 1920X1200 monitor as a secondary for desktop while running ED on a 34" Dell monitor at 3440X1440

I've recently been thinking about a new build as it's been a while since I've built much of anything but some servers.

So I opened task manager and took a look.

I have Outlook, Chrome, Rainmeter, and Rocket Dock running, as well as ED.

Restarting ED, the CPU load never went over 40% and the only thing that drove load over 30% was opening the system map.

I'm out exploring so I'm a bit limited in what I can do, but I don't limit frame rates and usually run above 100 and up around 140-150 frequently.

OP shouldn't be having CPU related issues for sure.

I might just put off that new build until I feel like I want to try VR. For now, this old 950 seems to be chugging along just fine.

Soopyyy · Sep 9, 2016

I'm running a second monitor as well, it doesn't seem to effect it at all.

GJ51 · Sep 9, 2016

Have you checked the Processes tab in Task Manager to see what's hogging the CPU load?

You've probably got at least twice the CPU power I do.

Taranis Dekker · Sep 9, 2016

Strange... I'm running an i4790 with 32Gb RAM on a 32" 4k TV. GPU is a GTX980 and resolution is 3840x2160 (at 60hz) and frame rate limiter is off (FPS hits 60)

My CPU load is around 25%... RAM is no more than 25%. GPU on the other hand is 99% while ED is running, though GPU memory is 80% and frame buffer never goes above 40%.

I'd prefer it if ED offloaded some of the graphics overhead to RAM, given most of it is unused. I'm assuming that extended periods of time at 99% GPU usage isn't ideal.

Only thing running in the background is Chrome, with 4-5 tabs + extensions.

kalniel · Sep 9, 2016

Soopyyy said:
So a little while ago I posted a bug report, ED's CPU usage is astonishing for me. Using a 4670K it uses easily 70% on average.

I found out what is causing this. Very simply its the frame rate limiter. If I set the frame rate limiter to "off", the CPU usage sky rockets and it can cause stuttering.
Once I set the limiter to 60hz, I seen a substantial drop, down to about 30-35% CPU usage.

I am running a GTX980 and 4670k with 8gb of ram. The game one ever really uses about 1.2-2.5gb of ram at any given time.

Now, this makes me question just why the CPU is being so heavily leaned on for the extra frames when my GPU is easily capable. I am sure there is a good reason but I'm not that clued into how the software works.

Basically, the more frames your GPU is rendering, the more work the CPU has to do in terms of feeding it. Cap the FPS, and the CPU doesn't need to do as much work.

Commander Mike said:
Strange... I'm running an i4790 with 32Gb RAM on a 32" 4k TV. GPU is a GTX980 and resolution is 3840x2160 (at 60hz) and frame rate limiter is off (FPS hits 60)

My CPU load is around 25%... RAM is no more than 25%. GPU on the other hand is 99% while ED is running, though GPU memory is 80% and frame buffer never goes above 40%.

I'd prefer it if ED offloaded some of the graphics overhead to RAM, given most of it is unused. I'm assuming that extended periods of time at 99% GPU usage isn't ideal.

Only thing running in the background is Chrome, with 4-5 tabs + extensions.

Memory is kind of dumb, it just stores stuff (aside from some special types which can go to the grand heights of checking two numbers are the same). So asking RAM to perform the complicated vector maths and shader equations that a GPU carries out would be a non-starter unfortunately.

Extended periods of 99% GPU usage is absolutely fine, and ideal for a game. You want the bottleneck to be the GPU really.

Taranis Dekker · Sep 9, 2016

kalniel said:
Memory is kind of dumb, it just stores stuff (aside from some special types which can go to the grand heights of checking two numbers are the same). So asking RAM to perform the complicated vector maths and shader equations that a GPU carries out would be a non-starter unfortunately.

Fair point... cheers kalniel

Soopyyy · Sep 9, 2016

GJ51 said:
Have you checked the Processes tab in Task Manager to see what's hogging the CPU load?

You've probably got at least twice the CPU power I do.

Yeah, its ED alone is using 35-55% when capped at 60fps. Near enough 70% when unlocked. I get about 110FPS in a station and over 200fps in supercruise with ultra setting, 1080p. But yeah, with the fps uncapped it just abuses my CPU.

Bambi · Sep 9, 2016

The frame pacing in the game is weird, and not smooth. I wish they would fix it. I've had the best results with vsync on so far, which is not great.

Soopyyy · Sep 9, 2016

Bambi said:
The frame pacing in the game is weird, and not smooth. I wish they would fix it. I've had the best results with vsync on so far, which is not great.

Vsync does funny things to me. As soon as a fire a weapon it halves my FPS. Turn it off and its fine...

Bambi · Sep 9, 2016

Soopyyy said:
Vsync does funny things to me. As soon as a fire a weapon it halves my FPS. Turn it off and its fine...

That's just because you have effects turned up too high. Vsync halves your fps because in reality your monitor can only display one set framerate. And displaying the same picture twice (half the fps) is the only other way to do it.