Poor RX Vega 64 performance
Anonymous user
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SkyShelter Posted messages 10 Status Member -
SkyShelter Posted messages 10 Status Member -
Hello,
I am reaching out to you because I have a problem with my recently purchased second-hand GPU.
I upgraded from an RX 480 to a RX Vega 64 Liquid Cooled. However, the performance on this one is barely higher than on the 480. I replaced my 600W power supply with a 750W one, did a fresh installation of Windows 10. I checked the temperatures of the CPU and GPU under load with Aida64 and they seem correct. In short, I don’t understand anything! Can you help me?
My config:
GPU: ............Sapphire RX Vega 64 Liquid Cooled
CPU: ............i7 6700k
WC: .............NZXT Kraken x62
Ram: ...........Trident Z 2x8GB 3000MHz
PSU: ............Corsair RM750x
Link 3dmark: https://www.3dmark.com/3dm/28276998
Thank you for your help!
I am reaching out to you because I have a problem with my recently purchased second-hand GPU.
I upgraded from an RX 480 to a RX Vega 64 Liquid Cooled. However, the performance on this one is barely higher than on the 480. I replaced my 600W power supply with a 750W one, did a fresh installation of Windows 10. I checked the temperatures of the CPU and GPU under load with Aida64 and they seem correct. In short, I don’t understand anything! Can you help me?
My config:
GPU: ............Sapphire RX Vega 64 Liquid Cooled
CPU: ............i7 6700k
WC: .............NZXT Kraken x62
Ram: ...........Trident Z 2x8GB 3000MHz
PSU: ............Corsair RM750x
Link 3dmark: https://www.3dmark.com/3dm/28276998
Thank you for your help!
5 answers
Hello,
We should elaborate on "the performance is barely higher": on what, in what context, compared to what?
Moreover, such a second-hand card raises questions... Recent, presumably powerful, but sold second-hand? ;-(
In short, as I always say, with second-hand processors and graphics cards, you never know what kind of life they’ve had, what maintenance has been done, or how they’ve been used... And sometimes, you end up with "lemons" because they are defective or they work on 3 legs instead of 4... and since there is no guarantee between individuals, very often, it's bought just to be bought and we can't do anything more.
--
~ To know how to listen is to possess, beyond oneself, the minds of others... said Leonardo da Vinci.
~ “The art of writing is above all to be understood” — Eugène Delacroix
We should elaborate on "the performance is barely higher": on what, in what context, compared to what?
Moreover, such a second-hand card raises questions... Recent, presumably powerful, but sold second-hand? ;-(
In short, as I always say, with second-hand processors and graphics cards, you never know what kind of life they’ve had, what maintenance has been done, or how they’ve been used... And sometimes, you end up with "lemons" because they are defective or they work on 3 legs instead of 4... and since there is no guarantee between individuals, very often, it's bought just to be bought and we can't do anything more.
--
~ To know how to listen is to possess, beyond oneself, the minds of others... said Leonardo da Vinci.
~ “The art of writing is above all to be understood” — Eugène Delacroix
I just noticed that when I put the card under full load, in GPUZ the memory frequency is stuck at 500MHz.
Could there be something preventing the frequency from reaching its normal speed, or could it be coming from the GPU?
Could there be something preventing the frequency from reaching its normal speed, or could it be coming from the GPU?
After some testing, I've noticed that the frequency in-game (Assassin's Creed O) varies between 500MHz / 800MHz and 945MHz in fits and starts?!
And during stress tests, it seems to go into safety mode (?) and locks at 500MHz. Since the card isn't overclocked, I'm starting to wonder if it has overheated...
And during stress tests, it seems to go into safety mode (?) and locks at 500MHz. Since the card isn't overclocked, I'm starting to wonder if it has overheated...
Heat wave... Possible.
It's a "watercooling" card and therefore it is worn out with the use it has had (Mining), combined with the fact that the watercooling must be AiO and thus "maintenance-free" since it's sealed. In short, everything is the worst for a graphics card...
These are some of the reasons why I always advise against buying a second-hand card, especially when it's recent and sold at a "low price"... ;-\
Often, it hides issues.
It's a "watercooling" card and therefore it is worn out with the use it has had (Mining), combined with the fact that the watercooling must be AiO and thus "maintenance-free" since it's sealed. In short, everything is the worst for a graphics card...
These are some of the reasons why I always advise against buying a second-hand card, especially when it's recent and sold at a "low price"... ;-\
Often, it hides issues.
Good evening,
I don't think that your graphics card has poor performance or is too worn out; your 3DMark score is very high. For my part, I have an RX 580 8GB and on the same test (FireStrike), I score about 12,200 points, knowing that my card is slightly better than an RX 480 (just a bit, but still). That's quite a leap in performance on your side, which is quite interesting.
By the way, have you checked your performance by comparing your results with websites that tested your graphics card?
Here in case: https://www.tomshardware.fr/articles/rx-vega64-sapphire-custom-review,2-2776.html
3DMark: https://www.noelshack.com/2018-35-4-1535664143-3dmark-firestrike-results.png
Keep me posted.
And before I finish, I found someone who took your test (FireStrike), and if you look at the details of the results, their graphics card scored lower than yours, yet you both have the same one, even though your frequencies are different. In this case, it would be worth checking the WattMan tool in Radeon Settings.
Link: https://www.3dmark.com/fs/13675589
I don't think that your graphics card has poor performance or is too worn out; your 3DMark score is very high. For my part, I have an RX 580 8GB and on the same test (FireStrike), I score about 12,200 points, knowing that my card is slightly better than an RX 480 (just a bit, but still). That's quite a leap in performance on your side, which is quite interesting.
By the way, have you checked your performance by comparing your results with websites that tested your graphics card?
Here in case: https://www.tomshardware.fr/articles/rx-vega64-sapphire-custom-review,2-2776.html
3DMark: https://www.noelshack.com/2018-35-4-1535664143-3dmark-firestrike-results.png
Keep me posted.
And before I finish, I found someone who took your test (FireStrike), and if you look at the details of the results, their graphics card scored lower than yours, yet you both have the same one, even though your frequencies are different. In this case, it would be worth checking the WattMan tool in Radeon Settings.
Link: https://www.3dmark.com/fs/13675589
When comparing with the benchmarks on Tom's Hardware, except for Doom (Vulkan), I'm always below, around a RX Vega 56.
Where I have the most issues is on Assassin's Creed Origins, 35 - 60 fps no matter the resolution or graphics options, strange isn't it?
Dishonored 2 shows a similar problem to ACO but less severely.
I have significant frame rate variations, and the GPU usage and power draw vary extremely.
But what concerns me the most is that in these games I'm quite far from using 100% of the GPU or CPU, as if something is blocking...
P.S.: Regarding the lower score on the last 3DMark link you posted... it's due to its GPU, the core clock is lower on this model, and its processor is also less powerful.
Where I have the most issues is on Assassin's Creed Origins, 35 - 60 fps no matter the resolution or graphics options, strange isn't it?
Dishonored 2 shows a similar problem to ACO but less severely.
I have significant frame rate variations, and the GPU usage and power draw vary extremely.
But what concerns me the most is that in these games I'm quite far from using 100% of the GPU or CPU, as if something is blocking...
P.S.: Regarding the lower score on the last 3DMark link you posted... it's due to its GPU, the core clock is lower on this model, and its processor is also less powerful.
When I talked about the 3DMark score, I was only referring to the graphics score (your score is higher, but his memory frequency speed is higher than yours).
For Assassin's Creed Origins, indeed it is very strange, does your GPU and memory frequency speed match the speeds that your graphics card should normally have? In your 3DMark test, it reaches 1750MHz, which is much higher than its OC boost speed.
[945MHz memory freq] [1400MHz base I believe/1670MHz Turbo]
Of course, there should be some variations in frequencies of a few tens of MHz when the card is heavily stressed for an extended period in the worst case, but the differences you’re giving us seem quite large..
Open AMD Settings (WattMan) and send me a photo of your usage curves while your GPU is under load (in this style: http://oi64.tinypic.com/14lu73n.jpg)
For Assassin's Creed Origins, indeed it is very strange, does your GPU and memory frequency speed match the speeds that your graphics card should normally have? In your 3DMark test, it reaches 1750MHz, which is much higher than its OC boost speed.
[945MHz memory freq] [1400MHz base I believe/1670MHz Turbo]
Of course, there should be some variations in frequencies of a few tens of MHz when the card is heavily stressed for an extended period in the worst case, but the differences you’re giving us seem quite large..
Open AMD Settings (WattMan) and send me a photo of your usage curves while your GPU is under load (in this style: http://oi64.tinypic.com/14lu73n.jpg)
I'm going to take care of the tests on my clean Windows 10. This time I'm going to do everything. Screenshots from Afterburner, OCCT, HWMonitor, CPUZ and I'll post that.
Last night I tried Assassin's Creed again on the Windows 10 I've been using from the start. The memory frequency went up to 2500Mhz instead of 1750Mhz, incredible!
Last night I tried Assassin's Creed again on the Windows 10 I've been using from the start. The memory frequency went up to 2500Mhz instead of 1750Mhz, incredible!
Have you tried testing a game without all those software installed beforehand?
Your video memory frequency should be at 945MHz; you must have confused it with the GPU frequency, try again without those software (OCCT, AfterBurner, etc., keep only Radeon Settings WattMan without configuring it, so reset it)
If that hasn't been done, do it and send me the curves obtained on AC mainly.
If the frequency exceeds the standards again, lock it at 1750MHz with AfterBurner (Core Clock Max) and try again.
Your video memory frequency should be at 945MHz; you must have confused it with the GPU frequency, try again without those software (OCCT, AfterBurner, etc., keep only Radeon Settings WattMan without configuring it, so reset it)
If that hasn't been done, do it and send me the curves obtained on AC mainly.
If the frequency exceeds the standards again, lock it at 1750MHz with AfterBurner (Core Clock Max) and try again.
So after spending an afternoon reinstalling almost all my recent games on a clean installation and running tests comparing different benchmarks.
Hitman, Far Cry Primal, Rise of the Tomb Raider, Metro LL, Batman Arkham Knight, Doom, The Witcher 3, RE7, Deus Ex MD, Assassin's Creed Origins.
All my tests are within the average benchmarks on the Vega 64, and in some cases even well above. And I have no more issues with the GPU frequency.
The two games I tested the card on when I received it are strangely the two that have the most problems for me... who knows why!!
The test on Deus Ex MD wasn't great either, but nothing compared to the other two games.
Anyway, I conclude that it must have been a driver or optimization issue; I don't see other explanations.
Hitman, Far Cry Primal, Rise of the Tomb Raider, Metro LL, Batman Arkham Knight, Doom, The Witcher 3, RE7, Deus Ex MD, Assassin's Creed Origins.
All my tests are within the average benchmarks on the Vega 64, and in some cases even well above. And I have no more issues with the GPU frequency.
The two games I tested the card on when I received it are strangely the two that have the most problems for me... who knows why!!
The test on Deus Ex MD wasn't great either, but nothing compared to the other two games.
Anyway, I conclude that it must have been a driver or optimization issue; I don't see other explanations.
Surely optimization at the level of games, but if most run like clockwork then all is well, don’t worry.
Now you still have a few things to check:
- Are your temperatures at idle and under load correct?
- Do your memory and GPU frequencies match your card?
If there are no issues at this level, you can sleep soundly; your graphics card has no more anomalies, and as driver updates roll out, your performance will likely improve.
Now you still have a few things to check:
- Are your temperatures at idle and under load correct?
- Do your memory and GPU frequencies match your card?
If there are no issues at this level, you can sleep soundly; your graphics card has no more anomalies, and as driver updates roll out, your performance will likely improve.
Yes, I believe I no longer have any issues on that front.
My CPU may be running a bit hotter than average, but that's certainly due to poorly applied thermal paste.
It's under 70°C at 100% and 25 - 30°C at rest with water cooling. But since I don't plan to overclock it for now, that will do the trick.
And it goes up to 4.2GHz while gaming.
My GPU also seems to be within normal ranges. 60°C while gaming at 100% and 25°C at rest.
Same for the memory frequencies, 945MHz / 1100MHz overclocked while gaming.
At rest, it drops back to 167MHz, so that seems fine except when the drivers mess up, the memory frequency stays at max even at rest.
As for the GPU frequency, 1750MHz while gaming on a clean Windows^^ I still can't understand why it reaches 2500MHz on my other Win10 even when locking the frequency in Afterburner.
Anyway, everything has finally returned to normal.
In any case, thank you for your help and for taking the time to look into what was happening with my PC. ;)
My CPU may be running a bit hotter than average, but that's certainly due to poorly applied thermal paste.
It's under 70°C at 100% and 25 - 30°C at rest with water cooling. But since I don't plan to overclock it for now, that will do the trick.
And it goes up to 4.2GHz while gaming.
My GPU also seems to be within normal ranges. 60°C while gaming at 100% and 25°C at rest.
Same for the memory frequencies, 945MHz / 1100MHz overclocked while gaming.
At rest, it drops back to 167MHz, so that seems fine except when the drivers mess up, the memory frequency stays at max even at rest.
As for the GPU frequency, 1750MHz while gaming on a clean Windows^^ I still can't understand why it reaches 2500MHz on my other Win10 even when locking the frequency in Afterburner.
Anyway, everything has finally returned to normal.
In any case, thank you for your help and for taking the time to look into what was happening with my PC. ;)
Very good news from what I see! :)
I find that your CPU heats up quite a bit (in water cooling it shouldn't exceed 60 degrees if you have a slight overclock), so I think that's still quite high for a base frequency.
I recommend checking if the airflow in your PC is well managed (cool air in from the front and bottom, and expelling hot air from the top and back).
Also, clean your CPU (remove all residues of the old thermal paste, etc.) and apply a very thin new layer of quality thermal paste if possible.
Your GPU has excellent temperatures (thanks to water cooling), for my part, my memory frequency is at its maximum potential (even at rest) and it doesn't cause any problems because even if the frequency is high, it's not used; it generally helps the PC's memory (RAM) by being utilized only in games so that the system memory isn't saturated. Basically, the video memory only helps the RAM by loading textures, etc., instead of the RAM, so its frequency remains at its maximum! This is completely normal, don't worry. ;)
Explanatory link: https://www.tomshardware.fr/cartes-graphiques-deboulonnons-les-mythes/
As for the other Windows, perhaps the card was undervolted at the BIOS level, which allowed it to reach those frequencies, but that remains a mystery. Nevertheless, your graphics card is functioning at full capacity in your completely clean setup, so you don't have to worry anymore.
Be sure to keep your drivers updated and don't install dubious software/games on your computer, you never know, right? ;)
I find that your CPU heats up quite a bit (in water cooling it shouldn't exceed 60 degrees if you have a slight overclock), so I think that's still quite high for a base frequency.
I recommend checking if the airflow in your PC is well managed (cool air in from the front and bottom, and expelling hot air from the top and back).
Also, clean your CPU (remove all residues of the old thermal paste, etc.) and apply a very thin new layer of quality thermal paste if possible.
Your GPU has excellent temperatures (thanks to water cooling), for my part, my memory frequency is at its maximum potential (even at rest) and it doesn't cause any problems because even if the frequency is high, it's not used; it generally helps the PC's memory (RAM) by being utilized only in games so that the system memory isn't saturated. Basically, the video memory only helps the RAM by loading textures, etc., instead of the RAM, so its frequency remains at its maximum! This is completely normal, don't worry. ;)
Explanatory link: https://www.tomshardware.fr/cartes-graphiques-deboulonnons-les-mythes/
As for the other Windows, perhaps the card was undervolted at the BIOS level, which allowed it to reach those frequencies, but that remains a mystery. Nevertheless, your graphics card is functioning at full capacity in your completely clean setup, so you don't have to worry anymore.
Be sure to keep your drivers updated and don't install dubious software/games on your computer, you never know, right? ;)
regarding the context, I'm talking about gaming performance. For a card at this price, I expected a bit more than just a 5 to 10fps increase compared to a RX 480.
As for the GPU itself, I am in contact with the seller and he is willing to take it back if there are any issues, so I have no doubts about his good faith. However, I know that it was used for mining Bitcoin for 8 months.
Bitcoin mining is quite taxing.. So, I wouldn't be surprised if the card is tired and worn out... ;-\