Help - Awful performance on above minimum requirements PC

[halica]

So, the minimum specifications for this game are an RX 580, and an i5-7500. I have an RX 590, and an i3-9100F, which is practically a repackaged i5-7600. So, I should be able to comfortably play low settings without a nauseating framerate, right?

I'm averaging 47 frames per second on my rig, while other people with an RX 580 and such are able to get a stable 80/90, no drops. My system did a full wipe a while ago, and benchmarks show my parts are performing above average. So why is my game performing so badly? Please help me out, thank you!

BTW, I'm using the latest optional AMD Adrenalin drivers, not the recommended, if that's any help.

[Galf]

Mhh it's hard to point out without some indication of what's going on. I'd say to get FPSVR, but maybe you don't want to spend $5 on it... it will tell you what's happening.

All I can think of is that your CPU is getting hammered so it spikes and reduces your framerate. Aside from that: force game resolution to 100% in SteamVR, don't add any dynamic resolution increase, disable motion smoothing.

[AfroSniperGirl]

Sorry to tell you this but your cpu isnt really good enough. I find that vr titles struggles on 4 cores with only 4 thread. Once i went to a 6 core it was smooth as butter. Your i3 is low end.

[-Rabid67-]

How much ram you got have tried the standard driver?

[Galf]

Originally posted by Catty Noir:

Sorry to tell you this but your cpu isnt really good enough. I find that vr titles struggles on 4 cores with only 4 thread. Once i went to a 6 core it was smooth as butter. Your i3 is low end.

My i7 4790 does fine with 4 cores (+4 hyperthreading but it shouldn't do too much difference) AND it has a lower clock - sure I had some skipped frames, but I can hold 90 with a GTX 1080, maxed out.

I think it might be either down to RAM or drive. Is it on SSD or HDD?

[halica]

@Galf and @Catty Noir

Thanks. I thought it may have something to do with my CPU. I've been planning to upgrade to a Ryzen 5 3600 for a while, but I can't until September. I may also be unable to afford it so I may have to buy an i5 instead incase I can't afford a new motherboard, and so I'll be able to purchase a new card soon since mine is already becoming quickly outdated.

@-Rabid67- Dual-channel 16GB 2400MHz. I'll try the standard drivers tomorrow.

[halica]

@Galf I decided to put this game on my brand new HDD. 7200RPM. RAM is dual-channel 16GB 2400MHz

[Galf]

Originally posted by Copy of a:

@Galf I decided to put this game on my brand new HDD. 7200RPM. RAM is dual-channel 16GB 2400MHz

That might be a problem. Windows doesn't like HDD's anymore, games neither, and VR games usually choke ever harder on HDD's...
If you can move it to SSD. If you can't, I heavily recommend buying a good SATA SSD - you don't need NVME for games, it makes no difference, so a Crucial MX500 1tb (smaller ones are slower) will do great.

[halica]

@Galf I'll see about moving Alyx from my HDD to my SSD then. I can make some room. I'll report if anything changes tomorrow

[Hooded Crow]

I had do disable super sampling globally even though HL was set to native res, otherwise I was getting horrible stuttering.

[halica]

Originally posted by Galf:

Originally posted by Copy of a:

@Galf I decided to put this game on my brand new HDD. 7200RPM. RAM is dual-channel 16GB 2400MHz

That might be a problem. Windows doesn't like HDD's anymore, games neither, and VR games usually choke ever harder on HDD's...
If you can move it to SSD. If you can't, I heavily recommend buying a good SATA SSD - you don't need NVME for games, it makes no difference, so a Crucial MX500 1tb (smaller ones are slower) will do great.

Hey, looks like it worked! My game looks and feels smooth as butter now! Thank you so much for the recommendation!

Originally posted by Hooded Crow:

I had do disable super sampling globally even though HL was set to native res, otherwise I was getting horrible stuttering.

@Hooded Crow I also checked off supersampling, I'm unsure if it did anything, but still, my game is silky smooth! Thank you!

[Galf]

Originally posted by Copy of a:

Originally posted by Galf:

That might be a problem. Windows doesn't like HDD's anymore, games neither, and VR games usually choke ever harder on HDD's...
If you can move it to SSD. If you can't, I heavily recommend buying a good SATA SSD - you don't need NVME for games, it makes no difference, so a Crucial MX500 1tb (smaller ones are slower) will do great.

Hey, looks like it worked! My game looks and feels smooth as butter now! Thank you so much for the recommendation!

Glad it worked out! I had a sneaking sensation it was related to that, but I wasn't 100% sure!