P3D V5.4 High CPU Usage & Temps

[Pilotmini 3]

Hey guys im currently using a 13700K, 4080, 32GB DDR4 ram, and a liquid cooler. When playing p3d, specifically when im in the air, my CPU reaches temps of up to or even over 90 degrees, but the GPU stays well below the 50s. This happened to me before, I couldnt find a solution so I uninstalled the game. Now im back, and im ready to actually fix it. Ive seen a lot about the jobscheduler here, and so here is everything you guys probably need to know in order to help me. I set the vsync to partial in nvidia control panel, limiting the FPS to 30 there aswell. Set FPS to unlimited in sim, same results. 

My current p3d world settings:

https://gyazo.com/930fd5c222a37d54cb80b9e9d338bc9a

My current Job Scheduler Settings:
 

[JobScheduler]

AffinityMask=16777173

P3DCoreAffinityMask=16777173

MainThreadScheduler=0

RenderThreadScheduler=1

FrameWorkerThreadScheduler=2

 

[verbal 102]

Just completed my first full flight in P3D v5.4 since upgrading to the 13900k and 4090 (ANZ136 - YBBN to NZAA in the PMDG 77W with AIG at 100%) - completely hassle free flight where CPU temps averaged 47° to 50°c, GPU temps 37° to 40°c. FPS across the tasman at a constant 60fps, during final approach to RWY 23L it dipped to around 50fps and back up to 60 when taxxiing, which is more than acceptable.

Thanks again to @SteveW for his assistance.  

[Luis Hernandez 570]

8 hours ago, verbal said:

tasman at a constant 60fps

This is the key difference. @Pilotmini, are you limiting your framerate? 

[Pilotmini 3]

40 minutes ago, Luis Hernandez said:

This is the key difference. @Pilotmini, are you limiting your framerate? 

Yes, I set in game to unlimited, limited it in NCP, and set refresh rate to partial. Im downgrading to 5.1 and so far good results (doesnt go over 79), ill load up all my orbx stuff and see if the issue continues. Dont get me wrong 79 is still a lot. Limited it to 30 and tried 60. Nothing above that, still the same results for 5.4. Ill report back my findings for 5.1

Note: I also tried in 5.4 to reduce the texture to 1m and mesh to 19m, absolutely no changes. I play MSFS at ultra with no temp issues or even usage issues.. p3d is just wild.

Edited October 8, 2023 by Pilotmini

[N119UA 3]

Does anyone have experience with performance of 5.4 with VR?

Flying in VR it is advised to have unlimted FPS (and I have not noticed any significant performance improvements by having unlimited FPS in P3D 5.3 with Vsync on while reducing FPS in the Nvidia display config so I am using unlimited FPS and Vsync Off and no adjustments in the Nvidia display config). However, I am getting quite high temperatures but I manage at quite decent settings (far from max and no traffic etc.).. 

I am considering the jump to 5.4 but I am wondering if there may be a performance hit?. 

Anyone could share their experience with VR in 5.4 in relation to CPU usage and temps?

[SteveW 1,792]

On 10/6/2023 at 5:56 PM, okupton said:

Just to make sure I understand,  I have a 9700K which doesn’t have HT.  There is nothing I can or should do regarding affinity mask, correct?

Yes. Basically all you can do with the affinity mask is reduce the cores used by P3D, and with v5 and v6 you can define on which cores the three main thread schedulers reside.

[SteveW 1,792]

Recapping - Here's three basic steps to go through setting up P3D for best performance:

1/ If you have HT enabled on your CPU set up the Prepar3D.cfg jobscheduler section as per the instructions in this thread. That is to basically ensure the three threadschedulers each reside on a logical processor (LP) on a core to themselves with the other LP on that core unallocated. Once that is done leave that alone because there's nothing else to do there.

2/ Choose the fps limit desired. What works best is a whole number division of the display refresh frequency. So for example on a 60Hz refresh display aim for 20fps (60/3), 30fps (60/2), 40fps (120/3). Do this usually by setting P3D options to Unlocked fps and VSync=On and in Nvidia Control Panel (NCP) and limit the fps in the Prepar3D.exe profile. Set the highest refresh frequency if the display is configurable and go from that.

3/ In P3D start by setting graphics settings low enough to observe the MainThreadScheduler in Task Manager showing less than 100% activity. Now gradually increase the most desired graphics settings keeping that MainThreadScheduler LP or core below 100%. Allow some headroom to avoid spurious demands reaching greater than 100%. If that reaches 100% the fps will drop.

If heat is an issue it is best to lower the fps limit / lower the graphics settings, in some cases reducing the number of cores allocated can also reduce heat slightly.

 

Edited October 10, 2023 by SteveW

[michael1508 2]

All, this thread is super helpful and I learned a lot on how to configure my new 13900k.

I am also planning to upgrade my GPU (1080ti) to a RTX4070. But before doing so, I want to measure the performance of my current GPU to see, if it really is a bottleneck and if it forces the CPU to take over more work. 

I have Hardware Monitor 64 installed, but I am unsure, which of the sensors I should look at exactlxy. Too many with similar meanings for me.

Would appreciate, if someone could say, which exact sensors in HW64 I should use for both, CPU and GPU to check my system.

Thanks!

 

 

[Luis Hernandez 570]

On 10/10/2023 at 12:59 PM, SteveW said:

2/ Choose the fps limit desired. What works best is a whole number division of the display refresh frequency. So for example on a 60Hz refresh display aim for 20fps (60/3), 30fps (60/2), 40fps (120/3). Do this usually by setting P3D options to Unlocked fps and VSync=On and in Nvidia Control Panel (NCP) and limit the fps in the Prepar3D.exe profile. Set the highest refresh frequency if the display is configurable and go from that.

That's for fixed refresh rate monitors. For G-sync, are there any suggestions?

[SteveW 1,792]

3 hours ago, Luis Hernandez said:

That's for fixed refresh rate monitors. For G-sync, are there any suggestions?

It would still make sense to limit the fps. For example if your monitor can do 120Hz and the sim fps is unlimited then when the sim makes more than 120fps those are discarded frames and the work done (= heat) is wasted (unwanted). Even with G-Sync monitor types it is best to have a consistent frame rate.

So you would expect your G-Sync setup to be capable of running at your fps limit and can follow sync if/when the fps drops below the limit.

[Luis Hernandez 570]

Thanks, Steve. Getting >120 Hz is almost never feasible in P3D, not when using the FSL birds in international airports 😂

So, for your point 2, for GSync users would be just setting any FPS limit, and enabling VRR in P3D display settings?

Edited November 1, 2023 by Luis Hernandez

[SteveW 1,792]

57 minutes ago, Luis Hernandez said:

So, for your point 2, for GSync users would be just setting any FPS limit, and enabling VRR in P3D display settings?

Setting Unlocked on the fps slider in P3D and limiting externally limits the work done, using the fps slider to set the frame rate does not limit frame generation as it continues building look ahead frames but produces more consistent time between frames. Limiting externally is not so consistent between frames but at least serves to maintain reasonably consistent frame to frame times and leaves the system doing less work. So limit at what the system can reliably achieve and you can use Variable Refresh Rate if the monitor supports it. Search for VRR on the Prepar3D site.

[SteveW 1,792]

Depending on the monitor, G-Sync may only work when above a certain frequency. For example, if the monitor G-Sync works from 30Hz upwards then you would limit at say 40fps and the G-Sync can follow the drops in fps down to 30.

[Kristiannoe 1]

On 10/8/2023 at 6:55 AM, verbal said:

Just completed my first full flight in P3D v5.4 since upgrading to the 13900k and 4090 (ANZ136 - YBBN to NZAA in the PMDG 77W with AIG at 100%) - completely hassle free flight where CPU temps averaged 47° to 50°c, GPU temps 37° to 40°c. FPS across the tasman at a constant 60fps, during final approach to RWY 23L it dipped to around 50fps and back up to 60 when taxxiing, which is more than acceptable.

Thanks again to @SteveW for his assistance.  

Hi verbal,

If you don't mind me asking, what are your P3D settings? I have the same CPU and GPU and even with Steve's suggestions I can not get the temperature down.

Also, HAGS on/off?
NCP settings?

All the best,
Kristian

[michael1508 2]

10 hours ago, Kristiannoe said:

Hi verbal,

If you don't mind me asking, what are your P3D settings? I have the same CPU and GPU and even with Steve's suggestions I can not get the temperature down.

Also, HAGS on/off?
NCP settings?

All the best,
Kristian

I have experienced a significant temperature drop (-15) by setting p1and p2 to 125watt in the bios/cpu settings.