Unusual performance with boost and overclocking on the EVGA RTX 2080
Unusual performance with boost and overclocking on the EVGA RTX 2080
My current GPU-z screenshot shows power limits ranging from -53% to +30%, which translates to 105W to 292W. The adjustment slider on X1 doesn't respond at all—can't increase or decrease it. This issue persists even after installing MSI Afterburner and removing X1. When I change settings, the screen becomes blank briefly, but no actual changes occur. This isn't a problem with X1 itself. I'm certain this is because I initially had only Afterburner installed. I only changed to X1 after encountering problems (removing AB) in hopes of using EVGA software.
I should have clarified my point more clearly. My setup uses MSI Afterburner on my machine, and I also enjoy adjusting the fan ramp-up control to keep things running smoothly. That said, I also use Razer Cortex to fine-tune the system before gaming. Regarding overclocking software, I’ve always preferred Asus Tweak 2 for those who don’t go that far with custom settings. I mistakenly referred to MSI Afterburner earlier—it was actually MSI Dragon Center that caused problems on some systems I’ve worked with. Since then, it seems they’ve made significant improvements, so it might not be an issue now. Looking at your screenshot, it appears I was discussing the wrong tool and an older version that previously caused trouble.
oh ok, yeah that's not the same software at all, the biggest difference being dragon center actually being developed by msi as far i can tell, whereas afterburner is not, its just sponsored by msi. afterburner is actually developed and maintained by a russian guy (unwinder) mainly, maybe he gets compensation (i suppose) but he doesn't work directly for msi - again as far as i know (and i think he said so himself)... i wouldn't recommend dragon center anyone either, its buggy, unreliable and kinda dangerous, as pretty much all manufacturers software is (more or less) Also these typically always get "fixed' with the next version, but basically never actually are fixed... lol . also pretty sure they keep changing names often , specifically due to their poor reputation. i think its called msi center now, maybe its better, but i don't know so i won't recommend or use it. Sure, there are exceptions, but generally you're better off and have better performance without manufacturer bloatware tbh. yeah, but i didn't comment on it because I don't know the software but im obviously skeptical... thats besides i don't think it would be actually beneficial (even if it works as advertised), i don't have any unnecessary background processes, my ram game is on point , if i may say so, my system usually performs as expected or better... the only thing that annoys me sometimes is Shadowplay (again a manufacturer software, surprise!) which just randomly seems to bug out and not record properly... but that's not my system its just the known awful bugginess of it and sadly there aren't really good alternatives afaik, OBS is definitely a lot less buggy, but it also doesn't have the same features, instant replay doesn't work reliably at all for example... my temps are fine, games dont hitch... etc, so i don't think there's anywhere anymore performance here for such an app, and i certainly do question it from a stability and reliability standpoint... how does it know which background processes i may or may not need, only I know this, not even windows has a say in this (unless i allow it, for the most part : p) OK, i see, i mean that is certainly weird, and since it's both afterburner and x1 im also not sure thats a software issue then... idk, as said its difficult to me to suggest what to do, because x1 is being used, its just not as reliable and has the same features as afterburner. that said, what i would do is reset everything (literally, except windows itself i guess) then run Superposition 4k optimized settings and check with afterburner what the actual boost frequency is... if its still not boosting i would assume a defect, i actually read some stories about this specifically with evga 2080/ti cards... if you still have warranty I would rma in this case 100%.
It seems you're doing quite a bit of system optimization. I tend to be a bit more relaxed about managing process permissions. Cortex offers some useful tools, especially its cleaning function which outperforms the Windows version in removing unnecessary files. I've kept an eye on the system boost to understand what's blocking services and freeing up RAM from applications. It performs well and is free, making it a solid choice. I'd consider checking it out if you think it could help those with limited RAM or want to reduce bloat while gaming. For this concern, I fully support the RMA process if possible—it might be worth it. EVGA is a reputable brand and will address your issue directly if you reach out. They’ll investigate your problem thoroughly and possibly provide a solution tailored to your needs.
Ahh, the situation varies... I made some adjustments here and there, okay? My RAM, GPU and CPU were underclocked, and my startup bar is almost empty—just like MS Defender and the icon because I need to manage my PSU fan, honestly. The biggest change was removing "Update Orchestrator" completely since that’s what causes Windows to lag and behave erratically. Also, "WaaSicine" (the service meant to restart updates) is gone; it’s no longer there. That’s a big shift—it makes Windows usable or not, while other features like automatic trim, defender updates, page file, and even Cortana remain functional. The only hiccup is the MS Store, but that’s not too bad.
My background processes are minimal, RAM usage usually stays around 20%, etc. I’m not saying Windows can’t work with all this background stuff, especially if Update Service is enabled, but it’s definitely annoying and can slow things down—especially when you’re playing a game. That app might help people with lots of background apps and bloatware, though. I wonder how they decide what runs and what doesn’t. That’s probably why they’d consider adding a GPU if needed. Probably 3070 or 3080 models (I doubt they still have the 2080).
I also reviewed the previous screenshots and analyzed the details—it really clarifies what functions and what gets removed. Most tools stop there; they only provide a "boosted" result without deeper insight. The system cleaner was much more thorough than I anticipated, eliminating outdated updates, cleaning through CCMcache, and removing numerous files that standard cleanup missed. I was quite impressed.