Poor FPS performance (GPU Utilization vs FPS)

Technical Support
1

I’m back with another poor FPS performance thread. This time, I have screenshots and some more pointed observations.

Issue:
Large FPS drops fighting enemies whether it’s a small group or a large group.

Observable
I have noticed my GPU Utilization is 90+% when idling (standing in a map) and my FPS is high 110fps+. However, when enemies enter the map and I start fighting, I can watch my GPU utilization start to drop significantly (from 90%+ down to 30-40% range) and it lines up with my FPS, as that drops from say, 110fps+ down to 25-40fps range. Once the fighting is done with, I can see the GPU Utilization and FPS climb back up together.

What I’ve tried
I’ve had FPS problems ever since I bought the game way back when. There’s been performance updates of various kinds but it never translates to my game. Yet, other people seemingly run this game smoothly* on all kinds of different hardware. (*in general, above 60fps on average.)

I have tried every graphic setting in the game menu’s. Low, High, Med, Off if available. Fullscreen, windowed, boarderless. Closing down all applications, bare minimum running in the back ground. Streamer mode, capping FPS, uncapping FPS, tweaking nVidia control panel settings specifically for Last Epoch.exe so that they are all performance based settings.

I play in 2560x1440 normally but I’ve played in 1080p (blurry) and I’ve played in other resolutions (really blurry). It doesn’t change the performance at all.

There has always been problematic mob types. Wengari Shamans, Molten types, Lightning Spiders -anything with big flashy spell effects. I’ve just noticed two more enemy types that absolutely destroy my FPS.

  • Bitterwing (Big white flashy spell effect)
  • Scalebane (poison attack)

Current ingame settings
All graphics options are on VERY LOW or turned off where possible. Current Res is 2560x1440. Currently uncapped FPS - did try capping but no change.

My PC specs

  • CPU Type : OctalCore AMD Ryzen 7 3700X, 4267 MHz (42.75 x 100)

  • Motherboard Name : Gigabyte X570 Aorus Pro WiFi (1 PCI-E x1, 3 PCI-E x16, 2 M.2, 4 DDR4 DIMM, Audio, Video, Gigabit LAN, WiFi)

  • Video Adapter : NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 (8 GB)

  • Disk Drive : Samsung SSD 970 EVO Plus 500GB (500 GB, PCI-E 3.0 x4)

  • Main Monitor : Acer Predator XB271HU [27" IPS LCD]

  • 2nd Monitor : Asus PB278 [27" PLS/IPS LCD] (C9LMTF152052)

  • 3rd Monitor : Samsung SyncMaster BX2440/BX2440X (Digital) [24" LCD] (HVSB200238)

(I’ve included all 3 monitors in case there was some known issue where the game was using the refresh rate from another monitor instead of the primary monitor (144hz) Although the game has never capped itself at 59fps without me forcing it too through the options.)

Here’s a link for 2 screen shots demonstrating the main problem. Highlighted are GPU Utilization % and FPS. Screenshots

Would like to have some developer input! Surely you guys have a boatload of PC configuration data that we can compare?

2

Hey there…

Obviously the game is beta and optimisation is an ongoing thing that will also likely only get full on priority when the content etc is done.

Your description sounds suspiciously like a throttling mechanism… I.e. GPU running ok if somewhat high in idle situations and then pushing busy situation causes it to drop down inexplicably…

What is your GPU clock speed and memory ( and thermals) doing when this happens?

LE has known performance issues like maxing out a GPU for no apparent reason and the only surefire way to keep it in check is using the framerate capping at a level that actually makes a difference… With your higher resolution every setting is exponential and unless you combine the cap with other setting changes then you are unlikely to see differences…

I run a 1060 at 1080p and while I can run it at 100fps+ on very low settings, my GPU will max out permanently and the game is very unstable with high fps spikes, freezes and even crashing… I normally play capped at 55-60fps because this is what keeps my GPU at 60-70% usage while idle in town and allows it the headroom to spike up to max in busy play moments without staying maxed out…

3

Very aware the game is in beta. I’ve had the game quite a while :slight_smile:

So my temps are generally great. At stock settings, GPU never hits above 62c, it has 8gb ram of GDDR5X. GPU clock runs between 1898 and 1923MHz. I’m not totally sure why the difference. I don’t see it overclocking itself but maybe it’s related to a certain temperature and it starts throttling itself. Pascal was always known to be very sensitive with temperatures and clocks.

I’ve frame limited the game to 60fps again. It does seem a bit better today (for whatever reason, I haven’t done anything different) but I still get drops to low 40’s. I can deal with that for now as long as it doesn’t go any lower. Dropping from 60FPS to 40FPS is far easier to play through than a drop from 110FPS to 40FPS.

I’m going to have a go at a stable overclock on the GPU. Never OC’d it before since I bought it brand new when it came out. Hopefully I don’t nuke it but then if I do, I will have a case to put to my wife for a 3080 lol.

I’ll report back when I get some more results.

4

Those figures dont seem like a throttling issue… That range, to me at least, seems within the normal fluctuations the GPU goes through (similar to the CPU)… 62 degrees is perfect… I would only start getting uncomfortable if it was in the mid 70’s. Depending on your specific card design, 80s are when you need to be concerned… I think it auto throttles at close to 90 to prevent damage.

This is exactly my opinion too… and its exactly why I framerate limit my 1060 - I can handle a 20fps drop (hardly even notice it)… but a 60fps is just far too noticeable.

I would not overclock your GPU… at least not to play a beta game like LE that has odd things that stress out hardware for little apparent need… If the game were released and optimised then I would say “Go ahead” but for now overlocking is likely to introduce MORE instability rather than less…

My suggestion would be to mess around with settings - remember at your resolution the settings will have a compound effect on performance compared to the same settings at 1080p. You may find that a minor visual difference could have a fairly high impact on the spikes… There are many people who find that a single setting helps… obviously shadows/aa/grass etc should have an impact, but some have found that just changing display mode can make a huge difference wrt. freezing / spikes etc…

5

I overclocked the card mildly and it’s been running fine all day. I put a +110 core clock and a +425 mem clock on it, plus some extra power and set the fan to 60%. Sits nicely between 50 & 60c. Game performs about the same to be honest so no real benefit in OC’ing.

Probably going to leave it for now and try some other games, see if there’s improvements. But yeah, just constantly messing with graphics settings. At this stage with the frame cap, just leaving it at Very Low settings seems tolerable. Might try Medium and High just to see what it’s like.

1 Like
6

This topic was automatically closed 60 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.