Is the RTX 4070 Ti a performance issue?
Is the RTX 4070 Ti a performance issue?
I recently got a new graphics card and thought it was time to upgrade my RTX 3060. I chose the RTX 4070 Ti Super to match my R7 7700X. After testing in games like Stalker 2 and Indiana Jones TGC, I noticed some performance drops. My GPU struggles to exceed 90% usage unless I push the settings high, especially with upscaling or presets. When lowering the graphics, my FPS falls more sharply than at full resolution. It’s confusing—my CPU stays around 70-80%, but I feel like there should be a bigger bottleneck. Could it be my GPU failing, or is the CPU really limiting things? It seems reasonable that I’d see better performance at lower settings.
CPU doesn't have to hit any specific usage level to cause a CPU bottleneck. What really counts is whether your GPU can reach full performance. If it can't, you're likely CPU limited—though that's not always true. Stalker 2 is particularly demanding on the CPU, which explains why even a strong modern CPU like the 7700X has trouble running it well, especially with older models like the 4070ti. The game itself plays a bigger role here than your hardware.
I understand. A game running on half the CPU cores will display 50% performance while the two active cores remain at full capacity. Other factors like PCIe bus speed, storage rates, and RAM capacity may also affect results. Try your system with several other titles to determine if your GPU can perform well in different games. Have a great day!
I've seen that Stalker 2 has a fairly low optimization level, but games like Indiana Jones required the highest settings (ray tracing on) to hit around 99% usage. At those levels, my FPS would drop below 60fps sometimes. Why shouldn't I be able to use upscaling to boost performance? It seems counterintuitive—upscaling usually helps, not hurts.
Your GPU handles image creation but also needs extra power for DLSS. When your GPU is already under strain from a game, adding DLSS might actually lower your overall frame rate instead of improving it. Another reason is that developers must turn on DLSS in their software. Running a game without it disabled means you won’t get any performance boost.