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CPU usage percentage while gaming

E

EclipseRydr

Limp Gawd
Joined
Mar 7, 2009
Messages
146
What percentage is acceptable for CPU usage while gaming? I have a rather old system with an E8400 at 3.0ghz, and I play an old game until I upgrade for newer games. Game is Modern Warfare 3.

Now I have MSI afterburner and I've seen both cores of my CPU get up to 100% and then the game becomes quite choppy. My video card is ATI 4890 and gets up to 90-95 degrees C.

Seems like my system should run this game but I don't know why my CPU is getting up to 100%, I even disabled my anti virus and shut down all programs except MSI afterburner
 
Your CPU is being maxed out right now. You don't want it hitting 100% (going to lead to the drop in FPS).

That's pretty hot for that video card too, it could be clocking down too.

Look at which programs are using what %s of your CPU. If it's mostly used by the game, then you're going to need to upgrade your CPU.
 
Can your mobo suppoft Q9550 ? THere are some for sale here affordable.
 
EclipseRydr said:
What percentage is acceptable for CPU usage while gaming? I have a rather old system with an E8400 at 3.0ghz, and I play an old game until I upgrade for newer games. Game is Modern Warfare 3.

Now I have MSI afterburner and I've seen both cores of my CPU get up to 100% and then the game becomes quite choppy. My video card is ATI 4890 and gets up to 90-95 degrees C.

Seems like my system should run this game but I don't know why my CPU is getting up to 100%, I even disabled my anti virus and shut down all programs except MSI afterburner
Click to expand...

Personally I start to look for upgrades when my CPU hits 70% usage in games. It's not that I need to right then but it means that my CPU is starting to hold me back. Just going from my old FX-6100 at 4.0 GHz to my FX-8350 at 4.5 GHz gave Watch Dogs a double digit boost to my minimum FPS. Also 90-95 degrees is a dangerous temperature for your GPU. You should look into raising the fan speed and making sure that it is dust free. Most newer games will make it run at 100% which will make it hotter but anything you can do with fan speed or dust to help it cool down is a plus.
 
Were now to the point where dual cores are struggling to run modern games with higher settings, the Wolfsdales cores prime days are over with, they came out back in 2008. Quad cores are what needed to run newer games well and have room to breath.
 
colinstu said:
Your CPU is being maxed out right now. You don't want it hitting 100% (going to lead to the drop in FPS).

That's pretty hot for that video card too, it could be clocking down too.

Look at which programs are using what %s of your CPU. If it's mostly used by the game, then you're going to need to upgrade your CPU.
Click to expand...

After I restarted it seemed to be down to 70-85% usage but that was quite strange. I'd been playing the game for a week and a half just fine.

What program can I use to see what programs are running? I play full screen at 1900x1200
 
ToddW2 said:
Can your mobo suppoft Q9550 ? THere are some for sale here affordable.
Click to expand...


Yes, I just picked one up from a fellow [H] member, should be installing it soon, waiting for other parts to upgrade my PC all at once.
 
That card is running really hot.. I use a dualcore as well though, and its prettymuch tapped out when gaming. If your card isn't being fully utilized, you'll be able to see your bottleneck pretty quick. On the other hand, is it throttling? because that game should run like butter.
 
Voxata said:
That card is running really hot.. I use a dualcore as well though, and its prettymuch tapped out when gaming. If your card isn't being fully utilized, you'll be able to see your bottleneck pretty quick. On the other hand, is it throttling? because that game should run like butter.
Click to expand...


I'm sorry I'm not exactly sure what it means to throttle, I have MSI afterburner on while gaming, anything I should look for in it in particular?
 
Arct1c0n said:
Were now to the point where dual cores are struggling to run modern games with higher settings, the Wolfsdales cores prime days are over with, they came out back in 2008. Quad cores are what needed to run newer games well and have room to breath.
Click to expand...

Except for the fact he is trying to play COD Modern Warfare 3, which came out in 2011 and doesn't utilize a quad core. His system should be enough to play that game, especially when the minimum was an E6600 running at 2.4ghz.

Something else is the issue, most likely software. He even states the cpu usage goes back down to 75-80% after reboot.
 
here is my in game temps and stuff...

2jskz.jpg


sometimes the 2nd number of RAM goes up to 6500 MB... not sure what that number is, my specs are

Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 @ 3.0ghz
4gb ram
ATI HD4890
1 tb wd black
 
OK noob here... so I'm trying to upgrade my e8400 to the q9550. I opened the case up and saw this aftermarket CPU fan on it.. and I have no idea how to take it off. Can anyone help please?

It's a little dusty in there, so I'll be taking care of that too...

x1fvxl.jpg


dnbjvc.jpg
 
Are you gonna reuse this heatsink or get a new one? Good idea either way to clean some of the dust and dirt out of the box and off the parts--will help everything run cooler.

That looks like a Coolermaster Vortex 752 heatsink. The fan is held on by rubber grommet things that just go through it--should be able to just lift the fan up on either side to remove it. Underneath there should be screws at each corner that are loosened to remove the heatsink. Use an "x" method--loosen one corner a bit using proper screwdriver, then to opposite corner and loosen a bit, then the remaining two corners in oppostion. Once the screws are loosened you should be able to twist a bit side to side to loosen the thermal compound and lift the heatsink out.

Don't force anything because the thermal compound might be like a glue after all the time it has been in place. Just twist and wiggle. If you are going to use a new heatsink when you install the Q9550 then the motherboard will have to come out probably to get the backplate off--not sure if the Antec 900 allows access to the back of the MB while it is in the case.

Think Coolermaster still has instructions for installation on their website but it requires a password to sign in and it's been so long since I used Coolermast I've forgetten the password! Did find this review of the Vortex 752 that has some installation instructions.

http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/Cooler-Master-Vortex-752-CPU-Cooler-Review/834/1

I had a Q9550 once and it was a great processor. And, if you do change to a new heatsink the Coolermaster Hyper 212 Evo can hardly be beat for the money--might even be able to use the same backplate hardware to mount it. If you reuse, be sure and clean the
old thermal paste off the heatsink with 90% alcohol.
 
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Hey I have a similar setup for a spare machine

I would start and stop with your video card.. Modern games are GPU GPU GPU.

You can get a low powered card like the 750ti for $100. Will make all the difference.

Or a a AMD 270 or 270x for $100, and it will make all the difference.

Do that first and then go from there.

Or be dumb and do that last..
 
lodoss900 said:
Hey I have a similar setup for a spare machine

I would start and stop with your video card.. Modern games are GPU GPU GPU.

You can get a low powered card like the 750ti for $100. Will make all the difference.

Or a a AMD 270 or 270x for $100, and it will make all the difference.

Do that first and then go from there.

Or be dumb and do that last..
Click to expand...

I installed the q9550 and 8gb ram... I also bought a GTX 750 ti for 129 new, haven't installed it yet, but it's next.
 
Sounds like you now have a nice bump up all around! Enjoy! (I loved my 750 Ti)
 
This is an odd metric because if two people have a different number of cores it's not really comparable to say x% CPU usage is good or bad.
 
Sgraffite said:
This is an odd metric because if two people have a different number of cores it's not really comparable to say x% CPU usage is good or bad.
Click to expand...

I agree.. however, if even 1 CPU core is running at 100%, then you are CPU limited.
 
cyclone3d said:
I agree.. however, if even 1 CPU core is running at 100%, then you are CPU limited.
Click to expand...

Usually yes, but that is not always the case. That's why it would make more sense to say "of the number of threads a game can use, how many cores are loaded and to what percent?".
 
EclipseRydr said:
OK noob here... so I'm trying to upgrade my e8400 to the q9550. I opened the case up and saw this aftermarket CPU fan on it.. and I have no idea how to take it off. Can anyone help please?
Click to expand...

Get a new mobo and cpu. The performance difference will be minimal. It will be a waste of time.
 
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