Why Your GPU Usage Drops to 0 During Gameplay
GPU usage drops to 0 during gameplay is a common question we receive from our community. There are some tweaks you can perform to fix this problem, but it isn’t the end of the world. Our guide will help you resolve this issue in simple steps by identifying the real cause.
Your graphics card uses less GPU when it is not performing at its full potential. Game or use any other graphics-intensive application while your GPU is running at 99% or 100% to deliver the best results.
Causes Behind Low GPU Usage & Possible Fixes
Finding the cause of the problem is the first step to troubleshooting. You don’t have to worry about your GPU performing at its best if it is running at a lower GPU usage. It can be due to software, hardware, and a number of other factors.
Here are some reasons that might explain why your video card isn’t performing to its full potential while you game.
- GPU Overheating
- Updated GPU Drivers
- Hardware Bottleneck
- Power Supply (Not providing enough energy)
- VRMs overheating
- SLI/CrossFire Issue
GPU Overheating
Overheating is the cause of GPU usage going to zero. High GPU temperatures may be caused by several factors, including overclocking. Overclocking your GPU produces massive amounts of heat, and your cooling fan has to work extra hard to deal with it. Your GPU throttles down its clock speed to prevent itself from being damaged.
Do not overclock your GPU if the manufacturer has not specifically instructed you to do so in the instructions. We highly recommend water-cooled graphics cards for overclocking enthusiasts, since they handle high temperatures and clock speeds well.
Besides overclocking, GPU cooling fans can malfunction, causing overheating issues. GPUs under full load can generate a tremendous amount of heat, which can be difficult for a faulty or malfunctioning fan to dissipate.
Updated GPU Drivers
The majority of people believe that updating their graphics card drivers will solve all of their GPU-related problems. The truth is that updating graphics drivers can also result in lower GPU usage. It’s best to uninstall or roll back your GPU drivers. If your problem is not resolved by the previous GPU driver, you can install it and see if it helps.
Hardware Bottleneck
The bottlenecking of GPUs is a major cause of lower GPU utilization. The GPU bottleneck occurs when the CPU is weak and the GPU is powerful.
As an example, you are using an older CPU like the Intel Dual-Core with an RTX 2080 Ti graphics card. There is a bottleneck when you play games because CPU usage is 100% and GPU usage is below 60%.
It is unlikely that your graphics card will be able to keep pace with a weak gaming CPU.
Power Supply Issues
You might experience lower GPU usage while gaming if your power supply is not sufficiently powerful. It is important to choose a PSU that meets the minimum requirements of your GPU. The latest graphics cards from Nvidia and AMD require either an 8-pin or 6-pin power connector and a reliable power supply.
VRM Overheating
There are many online forums that discuss the VRM. Graphics cards are powered by their Voltage Regulator Module or VRM. Inductors, MOSFETs, capacitors, and MOSFETs make up the VRM of a video card.
MOSFETs are one of the most crucial components of VRM. A GPU’s power needs are lowered by the MOSFET’s ability to absorb more heat and throttle down. Heat should be dissipated efficiently when the GPU heatsink is in contact with the VRMs. You are also more likely to encounter overheating VRMs if you are using old-generation video cards.
Heat management is improved with modern graphics cards thanks to their high-quality VRMs.
SLI/CrossFire Issues
There is a possibility of experiencing lower GPU usage if you run multiple GPUs on your computer. You can add multiple graphics cards to an AMD or Nvidia setup using SLI or CrossFire. The performance of some games does not benefit from a crossfire or SLI configuration.
It is also possible that your HB SLI Bridge is causing problems. Your graphics card may not be able to deliver the maximum output if your bridge is faulty. If the GPU usage goes from 0 to 99% or 100% after replacing the HB SLI Bridge, you’ll get better performance.
Conclusion
You have a clear understanding of what causes 0% GPU usage and how to fix it. The troubleshooting of this problem cannot be carried out without measuring it. Your graphics card’s performance can be easily tracked with tools such as Nvidia-SMI. You should measure your GPU’s performance to make sure it’s performing at its best.
The GPU must now display 0% usage when gaming or performing graphics-intensive tasks. If this happens, you can increase GPU usage as high as 100% by following the steps described in this guide.
you can also read Maximum and Safest Temperature Range for RX 580 GPU
