New GPU performance is lower than expected.
New GPU performance is lower than expected.
I have an issue... I recently upgraded my GPU from HD 6970. The PC was brand new and didn’t require a better one since I only played CS:GO, which ran smoothly at 250fps with low settings and 900p in 4:3. Scalper prices back in 2021 made it a good deal compared to newer models. Most 2017 titles and older games handled 100+ fps at 1080p with 1080p resolution. However, Minecraft is different. On a 32 render distance, my GPU and CPU used 10-20% of capacity, only achieving 30fps. I know Vega isn’t the top choice for gaming, but I expected better performance from it in Minecraft. It struggles with the game, especially at higher render distances—around 50% usage at 10 render distance and up to 90-95% at 2 render distance, reaching 250fps. When I lowered the render distance, usage increased significantly. Despite trying fixes from YouTube and forums, nothing worked. Only Minecraft behaves this way. I updated drivers and removed old ones with DDU. My CPU is an i5 10400, which should handle it fine. Minecraft uses about 8GB RAM in settings, so memory isn’t a concern. Vega has 8GB VRAM, but the HD 6970 has slower VRAM, which might affect performance. The PSU is 700W with two cables connected to the GPU, so it should provide enough power. The game runs at high performance settings in Radeon mode, and I used MSI afterburner for monitoring. My PC power plan is set to high performance, and the game isn’t pirated—it launched directly from the launcher. Background programs were off except Discord and Task Manager. Temperatures stayed within normal ranges (60-70°C), and CPU temps were also good. Overheating wasn’t an issue in other games either. I tested other Minecraft versions (1.15, 1.17, etc.), but nothing changed. The game uses vanilla settings without texture or shader packs, and the Java version is standard. I tried OptiFine on older builds, which helped a bit with FPS, but no lasting improvement. Could you assist? Any solution would be greatly appreciated. This might be something simple I missed or a more complex problem I don’t understand.**
They mentioned "updating your graphics drivers." The latest AMD driver version is 23.3.2. Consider updating it if you haven’t done so yet.
Adjust your render distance in Minecraft downwards. High distances cause heavy CPU strain—usually only a few cores are needed, which keeps Task Manager usage around 20%. For comparison, 32 chunks on a 5800X with RTX 3070 feels sluggish, so your setup is likely underpowered. Right-click the CPU graph in Task Manager and switch to logical processors view to confirm two or fewer cores. Using 16 chunks usually gives stable 80 FPS with SEUS PTGI and 64 textures.
They checked if adjusting performance settings in the AMD control panel helped with any games they played.
You can enhance Minecraft performance through various adjustments. Start with adding Java arguments to ensure sufficient resources. Suggest installing Fabric ModLoader and installing the Sodium, Lithium, and Phosphorus mods. This approach is similar to how Optifine has been used for a long time to eliminate lag spikes. These mods don’t alter the game’s core but maintain vanilla functionality while boosting frame rates from around 80fps to 250fps or more. They’re created by the same developer and preserve everything exactly as intended.
Remembered to leave off the salt, tried it on my old computer before, it performed well, will try it again soon. Appreciate the help.