Help: GTX 670 Clock Frequencies in 3D Windows

[lopri]

I have an ASUS GTX 670 TOP model, with the base clock of 1060 MHz and boost 1137 MHz. Its max frequency under 3D is ~1250 MHz.

The trouble I experience is that the card never performs at its potential (max frequencies) when games are in window mode.

When games are played in full-screen mode, the card will always clock near its max frequency except for the menu screens or cut scenes, etc. But in windowed mode, the frequency goes anywhere from 500 to max (1250) with no discernible pattern. My initial thought was, upon seeing the GPU usage way below 100% in GPU-Z, that drivers are intelligently adjusting the frequencies according to the load. But observing further, that doesn't seem to be the case. Even when GPU-Z reports below 100% usage, all games I tested benefit from higher frequencies in full-screen mode.

The result is a lower/unpredictable performance in windowed mode. At this point I would like to know whether,

1) This is a hardware problem, and if so, if it's just my hardware
2) There is a software-based workaround.

Any help is appreciated.

P.S. "Don't play games in windowed mode" isn't exactly an option for me.

 

[cmdrdredd]

I honestly haven't heard of this before. Probably because not many people play in a window.

What game specifically are you seeing this? Does Heaven also do this in a window?

 

[lopri]

Heaven is an exception! (also Heaven always pushes the GPU usage to 100% it seems) Forgot to mention it in the OP. And it was what originally made me thought that frequency fluctuation was based on load.

Happens to every game I played - Witcher 2, Starcraft 2, Oblivion - and I have no idea what exactly the trigger is.

 

[cmdrdredd]

Didn't notice exactly what you said. I got reduced GPU usage in window mode but clocks and voltage remained the same as in full screen.

Are you using the 304.79 drivers or something else?

 

[lopri]

Yes I currently use 304.79. The symptom existed in 302.82 as well.

Here is a screenshot.

 

[blackened23]

Two methods of fixing:

1) Go into nvidia control panel and switch power management to "maximum performance"

2) Or do the same thing in a program profile

I think this only works for fullscreen windowed. Last I checked windowed games won't ramp clock speeds up fully.

 

[cmdrdredd]

I ran below my native resolution so it was a window with a visible desktop. Didn't see this but I do have max performance selected.

 

[lopri]

The first method definitely seems to help. Thanks a lot! Let me see if it stays that way because the frequency drop occurs out of nowhere.

 

[lopri]

After a few hours testing with "Max Performance" setting in control panel, the clock mostly stays at its default 3D. (1070 MHz) Unfortunately it never does its "boost" clocks, but it's without a doubt much better than 500~800 MHz. Thank you for the help.

 

[lopri]

Umm.. the fix seems to have an unpleasant side effect - the system no longer goes to sleep (S3) voluntarily. Is it expected?

 

[blackened23]

Umm.. the fix seems to have an unpleasant side effect - the system no longer goes to sleep (S3) voluntarily. Is it expected?

It should enter sleep if you create program specific profiles, instead of making it a universal setting.