GTA V shows clear FPS reductions when using G-Sync technology.
GTA V shows clear FPS reductions when using G-Sync technology.
You're experiencing FPS fluctuations with G-Sync in GTA V. Adjusting the in-game monitor refresh rate to 85Hz causes drops around 75 FPS when CPU and GPU aren't fully utilized, while setting it to 100Hz still leads to noticeable drops but at a slightly higher FPS. You've tried various drivers without improvement. Your system includes an i7-6700K processor, 16GB DDR4 memory, GTX 1070 graphics, and a Samsung 850Pro monitor.
It seems the noticeable frame rate drops occur in certain areas, yet the GPU usage stays high during those moments. You’d think the graphics card would handle it fully, but not quite. When I enable MSAA, the GPU load reaches 100%, yet I still want better FPS. I’ve adjusted the in-game settings to try that. I’m currently playing at 1440p.
Frame rate reductions often stem from CPU limitations in handling tasks efficiently. It’s wise to save your progress. GTA V typically manages a moderate workload, usually supporting only 3 to 5 threads at once. When the processor can handle five or more threads smoothly, game performance becomes more tied to single-thread efficiency. The observed drop to 75 FPS seems reasonable given this context.
From what I understand, GTA V is quite demanding on the CPU compared to games like Dirt Rally. It seems to utilize all eight threads during gameplay. The expected FPS drops are normal, but I’m surprised it never hits a 10 FPS reduction at that point. Thanks for your fast responses!
When it launched, GTA V fit well with 4C/4T processors. However, a histogram shows the number of threads ready for use (from PCPer). If the CPU can't process these threads quickly enough, it won't send render commands to the GPU. This often leads to GPU load dropping during sudden frame rate drops. This is likely the main cause of those sudden drops. It's similar to how the NES slowed when too many things appeared on screen. For comparison, PCPer also tracked performance in Ashes of the Singularity—GTA V isn't that demanding on the CPU. Edited May 10, 2018 by M.Yurizaki
I disabled multithreading optimization in the nvidia control panel, which made the game run a bit better. I also turned off hyperthreading in the BIOS, but it caused stutters when CPU was at 100%. After re-enabling hyperthreading, GPU usage stayed around 70-75% and CPU about 65%. (85Hz works best, 100Hz is also fine but 85Hz gives smoother gameplay.) Most players experienced fps drops while driving on grass, but I didn’t notice any issues there—I can reach 100fps in grass. (High grass quality, no MSAA applied, and in-game FXAA is also enabled in the nvidia control panel)
I kept the settings at 85Hz/fps with V-Sync active, and enabled MFAA in the NVIDIA control panel along with MSAA set to two levels during gameplay. There are still some FPS fluctuations, but they’re not too significant compared to before because multithreading optimization is disabled. The visual experience remains excellent, delivering around 85 fps most of the time at 1440p. GPU utilization now ranges between 85% and 99%.