Fixed: Fortnite experiencing performance issues with GTX 1060 and AMD FX 8320.
Fixed: Fortnite experiencing performance issues with GTX 1060 and AMD FX 8320.
Hi there.
I spend a significant amount of time playing Fortnite and I’ve been encountering performance issues, despite my friend who uses a GTX 960 and a 5th generation i5 achieving an average of approximately 160 frames per second. My own GTX 1060 (3GB), paired with an AMD FX 8320 at 3.5 GHz and 8 GB of DDR3 RAM, only provides around 100 fps on average.
Initially, I began watching instructional videos on YouTube to maximize my frame rate. At that point, I was consistently obtaining about 130 fps.
I attempted numerous optimizations in an effort to maintain at least 140 fps due to my 144Hz monitor. However, many of these actions were misguided and ultimately worsened the situation. I frequently experience <= 100 fps during engagements and in the lobby, I often drop below 75 fps.
I’ve also examined the temperatures of all my components, which appear normal.
Could anyone offer assistance with this issue? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Chris
Absolutely, you may push its limits. However, there’s a significant caveat – a major one (and we aren’t kidding) – you absolutely need a motherboard with sufficient power for overclocking alongside an 8-core FX processor AND a cooling solution able to manage the processor's heat output when operating at higher speeds.
Could you provide your motherboard model number and the CPU cooler you are utilizing? Also, please share the precise specifications of your power supply unit, as this will be relevant too.
I personally operate an FX-8320 that’s been overclocked to 4.6GHz on a Sabertooth 990fx R2.0 motherboard as one of my backup systems for automotive applications in my workshop, and when paired with a GTX 1060, it performs adequately given its age and limited single-core speed. It won’t deliver exceptional results…
Your FX-8320 processor’s performance lags significantly compared to your friend's 5th generation i5, particularly in single-core speed. The root cause might not be hardware-related; however, your older CPU and limited 8GB of memory could be contributing factors.
The i5 system boasts nearly double the single-core performance, especially when running games that utilize multiple cores – though numerous weak cores aren’t always beneficial.
[https://www.cpubenchmark.net/compare/Int...2236vs1782](https://www.cpubenchmark.net/compare/Int...2236vs1782)
Fortnite heavily relies on GPU performance. What amount of memory does your friend’s system have?
A clean driver installation using DDU is recommended, potentially even a fresh Windows install if the initial steps fail, as the specific issues you encountered are unclear.
Before considering hardware solutions, follow these initial troubleshooting steps:
If you've already completed all of these steps precisely as outlined, we can proceed to more advanced solutions. If any steps remain undone, it’s advisable to perform them to eliminate this possibility.
First, ensure your motherboard has the latest BIOS version installed. Even if the newer release doesn’t explicitly mention graphics card or hardware compatibility improvements, updates often resolve issues.
Second, visit your motherboard manufacturer's website and download/install the newest drivers for the chipset, storage controllers, audio, and network adapters. Don’t skip driver installations simply because they seem irrelevant; drivers can affect all devices. Driver releases are typically based on a valid reason.
If you have additional hardware connected to your system not covered by motherboard drivers, check the support page for that component for updated drivers. Install them if available.
Finally, perform a clean installation of your graphics card drivers using DDU. Simply re-installing existing drivers or relying on Nvidia/AMD’s “clean” install method is often insufficient. The Display Driver Uninstaller utility has a high success rate and is always worth trying.
If you've previously used both Nvidia and AMD graphics cards, run DDU twice: once for the old card drivers (Nvidia or AMD) and then again for the currently installed graphics card drivers (AMD or Nvidia). For example, if you had an Nvidia card in the past, run it first for Nvidia and then again for AMD if you currently have an AMD card.
Here are the instructions for using DDU and performing a clean driver installation:
*Graphics card CLEAN install tutorial using the DDU*
Here’s a rewritten version of the text:
I'm struggling with poor performance on my computer, and I've tried several troubleshooting steps without success. It seems my primary issue is low single-core processing speed, which many experts have identified as a significant bottleneck. My CPU, an AMD FX-8320, isn’t performing well compared to newer processors like an Intel i5. The core performance is significantly weaker than what's needed for demanding applications. I’ve updated my motherboard BIOS, installed the latest chipset drivers, storage controller drivers, audio drivers, and network adapter drivers from the manufacturer’s website. I also checked for updates on other hardware components connected to my system. However, these efforts haven’t resolved the problem. I've even attempted a clean install of my graphics card drivers using Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU), but it hasn’t made a difference. I followed all the recommended steps precisely – updating BIOS, chipset drivers, audio drivers, network adapters, and running DDU multiple times to ensure no remnants of old drivers remained. I've also researched online forums and found comments pointing out my CPU’s limitations. Is there any way to improve my CPU's single-core performance without purchasing a new one?
Yes, you can overclock it. BUT, and it's a BIG but (No pun intended), you MUST have a motherboard capable enough to support the overclock with an 8 core FX chip AND a CPU cooler that can handle the thermal design power of that processor when overclocked.
What is your motherboard model number and what CPU cooler are you running? What is the exact model of your power supply, because that would be a factor as well.
I actually HAVE an FX-8320 overclocked to 4.6Ghz on a Sabertooth 990fx R2.0 motherboard as one of my secondary systems I use for automotive software in my shop and with a GTX 1060 paired up with it, it can do fairly well considering it's age and weak single core performance. It's not going to get you anywhere near the performance of a newer system, but it CAN improve performance over what you have now if you have the hardware to adequately support it.
It would not however be worth having to BUY a better motherboard, power supply and CPU cooler just to do that. Likely a platform upgrade would be less expensive than that.