# Weird FPS fluctuation when gaming. Please enlighten me.



## brump

I'm sure someone here knows enough about computer to enlighten me.

It's about gaming, so here's the problem:

The FPS in every game I play on my 1 year-old laptop has a weird, continuous fluctuation starting from about 60 seconds into the game. When it goes weird, it drops from 40-something (depends on game) to 15-20 range for about 4 seconds or so, and then it rises back to normal 40+ for about 2 sec, and then it all repeats again, dropping to 15-20. It all happens even when you look at just one thing and never moves.

And it goes down and up and down, from smooth to laggy to smooth, again and again. 

Fraps shows me the FPS change. And then I opened EVGA precision which helped monitor my GPU usage. The usage chart shows me a wave-like pattern (as shown below).






But here's the funny thing. I play whatever game, tap out for some time, and go back in, there is no fluctuation anymore! Until, again, about 30-60 seconds later, fluctuation is all over again.

So is it about temperature? Not exactly. As on-screen display showed, in one game the fluctuation hangs at around 66-68C (minor temp drop coincide with FPS drop), but in another game it hangs at around 71-73C, and no fluctuation before that range.

Then another funny thing. In one game Skyrim, the fluctuation is there whenever I'm in the world cell, but when I go into a smaller cell (smaller area load) the fluctuation is gone. I checked carefully, the temperatures are about the same.






My laptop has a medium to low end GPU Geforce 520M (1GB VRAM I believe), with 6GB RAM, an i3 CPU. 

I played graphics-intensive games like GTA4, Skyrim, Mass Effect 3, and even less intensive ones like NBA2k, but the same problem persists in every one of them. 

I checked periodically and noticed that games never really exceeded 1.5GB system mem, and I theoretically have 6.

I admit I'm not an expert here. But if anyone knows what this fluctuation is called, or know the root of the problem, please tell me. Thanks. Really thanks. Anything at all.


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## salvage-this

That is an interesting problem.  Have you tried updating the drivers for the 520?


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## Virssagòn

Perfectly normal, try to play on the lowest graphics. Your gpu is just bad as shit...


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## salvage-this

It's not normal.  Look at his GPU usage.  It keeps going between 50% and 100% usage.  That would explain the frame drop.  

@ brump- Shot in the dark here but are you running your games with V-sync enabled?


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## ShrunkThatGUY

i have had the same problem... it was my gpu telling me its about to die?
how old is your gpu?


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## ShrunkThatGUY

i know you have had the laptop for 1 year but how long ago was the laptop manufactured?
have you tried taking it apart and vacuuming the gpu there may be some dust build up in the gpu.


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## brump

> Have you tried updating the drivers for the 520?



Yes I have. I've used quite a few different driver versions already, including of course the latest one. Problem persists.




> Shot in the dark here but are you running your games with V-sync enabled?


No. I know about this and I've always turned it off.



> i have had the same problem... it was my gpu telling me its about to die?
> how old is your gpu?



Well this is closest to what I'm looking for, someone with the exact same problem! 
My GPU Geforce 520M is released in  Jan 5, 2011, and my laptop is about a year old.
Could you tell me more. How's your problem and what did you do about it?


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## Turbo10

Could it be from overheating? Im not too good with Laptops so thats my best guess.


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## Aastii

Turbo10 said:


> Could it be from overheating? Im not too good with Laptops so thats my best guess.



Would have been my first guess too but 60 isn't overheating or even getting close.

Open start and type dxdiag and hit enter. What driver version and what directx version are you running?


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## SevenKid13

I have had the same problem with my DV6636...... I cleaned off my fans and found out one was malfunctioning. Bought a replacement fan and haven't had a problem since


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## Aastii

SevenKid13 said:


> I have had the same problem with my DV6636...... I cleaned off my fans and found out one was malfunctioning. Bought a replacement fan and haven't had a problem since



This is because it was overheating. OP's system is not overheating so this won't help. Unless the temperature sensor is faulty or the software is, the GPU is well within normal operating temperatures


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## ShrunkThatGUY

My gpu was alot older but the fps fluctuation was ridiculous... Then it just didnt work one morning... I had to replace the gpu


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## salvage-this

Can you use MSI Afterburner and let us know what the GPU memory usage is while gaming?


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## brump

> What driver version and what directx version are you running?



I'm using Geforce, version 306.97 - WHQL. Tried switching between older and new, didn't do much.



> I have had the same problem with my DV6636...... I cleaned off my fans and found out one was malfunctioning. Bought a replacement fan and haven't had a problem since



I am starting to think it might have to do with dust and the fan. I'm checking to see if I could buy one of those can of air bottle that I saw on youtube to clean computers.
Perhaps it really have to do with temperature. Not sure yet. Problem not solved yet. But trying.

But really thanks. I'll give you all a thank if this forum has that function.


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## brump

> Can you use MSI Afterburner and let us know what the GPU memory usage is while gaming?



Haven't thought about VRAM usage. I'll try it some time soon.



> My gpu was alot older but the fps fluctuation was ridiculous... Then it just didnt work one morning... I had to replace the gpu



Oh that's what I don't want to go to.

But thanks, really thanks everyone. Am trying.


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## Okedokey

What OS are you using?  Also, a lot of the games you mention are actually CPU intensive so I would monitor CPU temp and work load.  I also suspect the HDD is slow (texture loading issues) so if you're using Win 7 or Vista, try enabling ReadyBoost with a 8GB thumdrive or similar or replace the HDD with an SSD.  Also does this issue occur when the laptop is plugged into mains power?

Apart from that, make sure everything is up to date, bios, windows, gpu drivers, motherboard drivers, game patches.  Defrag your HDD.

Post back


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## brump

Aastii said:


> This is because it was overheating. OP's system is not overheating so this won't help. Unless the temperature sensor is faulty or the software is, the GPU is well within normal operating temperatures



I can't tell, I'm not exactly familiar with it. It's around 68-75 give or take. Wait how about if you educate me about the range of temperature a GPU could get to and the upper threshold of meltdown.


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## Okedokey

You don't have temp issues.  Try my suggestions above.


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## Aastii

brump said:


> I can't tell, I'm not exactly familiar with it. It's around 68-75 give or take. Wait how about if you educate me about the range of temperature a GPU could get to and the upper threshold of meltdown.



It won't slow itself down if it is in the 90's and can survive at 100 (though never recommended to keep it that high), so you are far away from that still.

Likely ShrunkThatGUY's GPU was overheating, hence the fluctuations, and he didn't fix it so having high temperatures for a long period of time cause the heat to kill it. This isn't the problem you are seeing


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## brump

bigfellla said:


> What OS are you using?  Also, a lot of the games you mention are actually CPU intensive so I would monitor CPU temp and work load.  I also suspect the HDD is slow (texture loading issues) so if you're using Win 7 or Vista, try enabling ReadyBoost with a 8GB thumdrive or similar or replace the HDD with an SSD.  Also does this issue occur when the laptop is plugged into mains power?
> 
> Apart from that, make sure everything is up to date, bios, windows, gpu drivers, motherboard drivers, game patches.  Defrag your HDD.
> 
> Post back



Well I really thank you. I'm using Win 7 64bit. The software mentioned previously, coretemp, doesn't show on-screen display during gaming like Fraps or Afterburner, I couldn't easily keep track of CPU temperature yet. Well if I go through the pain of tabbing out to desktop and in, maybe I can. Need some time.

Haven't had much time testing it out yet. Brief session with Skyrim showed me the VRAM stays relatively constantly at around 400+MB, about 500 max. I should have 1GB, I believe. I don't see VRAM getting close to be used up.

I thought ReadyBoost is something for things like USB? Just googled it, am trying. Need some time.

Defrag: Oh I think it could be this easy. Am defragging this very minute and I haven't done even once since I bought this laptop. I'll be mortified if it's just because I didn't defrag my HD.

But really thank you. I wish you all get the help when you need it most in your life.


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## Okedokey

Have a look at SpeedFan (software) I  think that will give you a CPU temp and workload readout during 3D gaming.


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## brump

Oh, the problem is there no matter whether I plug the power in or not.

And I used SpeedFan before and couldn't find on-screen display function for games, thought it doesn't have one. Re-downloaded again and still can't find it...


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## Okedokey

Sorry, may be im thinking of PC Wizard (in my sig).


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## brump

Now I've checked, the CPU temperature is about that of GPU, at around 68-75C. VRAM didn't show me anything unsual there, remaining relatively constant, with reasonable loading and unloading during entering/exiting large area.

After looking at all these, right now the feeling I have is that the system somehow refuses to go too hot and forces the GPU to nearly stop working (down to roughly 20% usage). Drops in FPS make sense because the GPU isn't really working during those few seconds.

So it goes like this. Temperature is high, the GPU stop working, and thus the drop in FPS,  and it all repeats again and again.

But the funny thing is, now that I have noticed, the fluctuation starts at around 68-69C, mostly, and the temp quickly drops 2-3C, repeat and repeat... but as time goes, and I'm talking about minutes, the temperature range also begins to rise, going from 66-68 to 72-75, something like that. 

So there doesn't seem to be a fixed upper threshold for referencing.

Yet another funny thing, when I was playing Skyrim, the fluctuation is there when I'm in the world, but when I enter a small cell (house, dungeon), fluctuation is gone!! I stared somewhat angrily at the temp, which says 74C.

I tabbed out for a while, tabbed back in, temp at 58C, and the fluctuation is gone even in the world cell!! Of course, until after it rises back to 68C or something.:angry:


Damn. Fumbled around the NVIDIA setting, didn't do anything in particular. Damn I bought the laptop because the older one has yet another funky thing, and I got myself out of it just to fall into another.


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## brump

Well I wasn't exactly following it because I"m not exactly free, but I'm not ready to let it die just yet...

Does anyone else knows what it is or have had problem like this before... (ranting in an empty room)


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## Aastii

Have you checked CPU temps as well as the FPS drop happens rather than just GPU?

Also do you have a cooling mat? If not, it would likely be beneficial to get one, it is a hell of a lot cheaper than a whole new laptop


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## brump

The CPU is probably fine, at around 70+ more or less. Okay maybe I'll try a cooling pad or something, with a fan underneath. I've seen that before. Maybe I should just buy one and see how it goes. 
Okay thanks guys, really thanks.


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## Aastii

The cpu isn't as tolerant as the gpu and 70 is far too high to have constantly for any length of time


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## brump

Aastii said:


> The cpu isn't as tolerant as the gpu and 70 is far too high to have constantly for any length of time



I see. That I don't know. Maybe that is it.


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## Okedokey

bigfellla said:


> Have a look at SpeedFan (software) I  think that will give you a CPU temp and workload readout during 3D gaming.



Been trying to say that for a while.  Stop gaming until you sort this.  Reapply thermal paste correctly as shown here.  

Ensure the mechanism seating the cooler is corectly installed and evenly tightened (i always tighten in opposite directions).

Also (i have forgotten if this has already been asked) - ensure your CPU core voltages are correct.


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