Unusual CPU Utility
Unusual CPU Utility
Hi,
I noticed some FPS problems on my PC and recorded a log while playing games. The graph indicates the CPU performance fluctuating without any clear cause. The Task Manager doesn’t show any processes running, and I recently reset the system, so I don’t think it’s malware. It might be a hardware issue—possibly related to the PSU, motherboard, or CPU itself. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
It could be typical behavior. The Ryzen CPU design allows core speeds to fluctuate, and the temperature can vary between 40 and 50°C throughout the day. Frequent spikes every few seconds are normal for this type of processor. Ryzen tends to wake up a core, increase its speed when needed, and then return to idle. Running HWINFO would confirm this happens even when the system is idle. You can find more details in the forum thread: https://forums.
It could be typical behavior. The Ryzen CPU design allows core speeds to fluctuate, and the temperature can vary between 40 and 50°C throughout the day. Frequent spikes every few seconds are normal for this architecture. Ryzen tends to wake up a specific core, increase its speed for the task, and then return to idle.
Running HWINFO would confirm this happens even when the system is idle.
A forum discussion on tracking sensor values for Ryzen provides more insight.
I've logged data in top-performing games like Overwatch, and the alternating pattern has disappeared. This made me suspect it might be an issue with my PC. Of course, I'm not expecting fixed values, but the way it consistently alternates is unusual. I'm certain something is wrong with my computer since FPS can jump from 2 to 60 without any change in gameplay or performance compared to other games. If this isn't the problem, I might consider swapping components when I get another PC. To be honest, I've tried many things and now I'm more curious about what's going wrong than annoyed.
Wonder why I assumed you had an AMD CPU instead of Intel. That was a mistake—I thought the I7 3770k was AMD. It was only when I checked the motherboard chipset that I realized I was wrong. That reaction in the first graph was odd. The task manager isn't always reliable; I’d use something like Process Explorer to check CPU usage. Download it and run it as admin—it’s safe since it comes from Microsoft. The default view shows a tree structure, similar to Task Manager, listing processes under each service. Clicking the CPU header sorts the columns by CPU usage. Finding a peak is tricky because the graph doesn’t display running processes. Maybe there’s a better way to see what’s happening...
I'll try it. Do you know how to save logs over time? Without a second screen it'll be difficult to keep track of the process explorer while playing. Streaming the window to your phone might help.
You can track CPU usage over time via the Process Explorer at https://superuser.com/questions/453909/l...-over-time, which is logical.
Hi again,
I've been quite occupied recently, which made gathering more data take some time. This time I used process monitor and now feel fairly sure the problems stem from my CPU not being fully utilized. I played a game and noted the FPS reached 60, then compared it with the CPU graphs—those spikes line up nicely. The pattern isn’t perfect, but the main peaks are too close to be random. Process monitor suggests no other programs are stressing the CPU, yet it still behaves this way. It seems games can fully use my CPU, just inconsistently. I’m thinking about replacing it with a new one. Any thoughts on what might be causing this? Thanks.