Option to Disable SteamVR Auto Benchmark Limitations

[ASVAB WAIVER]

As I have posted in a few group chats and groups on a few platforms, there is a way to get insane quality on SteamVR, without a single drop in Performance.

The auto benchmark that runs when SteamVR runs does not actually push the GPU so users like myself that use Nvidia Inspector's Multi Display Power Saver get a major negative hit to quality.

With my 1080 Ti + Ryzen 5600X and Multi Dispaly Power Saver I still got around 1400 for my "gpuSpeed" score in the "steamvr.vrsettings" file. However, with my EVGA RTX 3080 FTW3 12GB + Ryzen 5900X with Multi Display Power Saver enabled, I get around 400. That makes ZERO sense.

This all started when I switch my SteamVR XR Runtime from Vive XR to SteamVR XR. AFter that the Quality of my Vive Pro 2 dropped so low that my Vive Cosmos Elite looked better than my Vive Pro 2.

Upon research I found a video explaining how VR resolutions work with a multiplier to counteract Distortion. This lead to a user posting about how their Laptop with better hardware than their Desktop got WORSE scores in the "steamvr.vrsettings" file. They said to manually enter in values for "gpuSpeed" and "gpuSpeedHorsepower" to 15000 which gave them proper resolutions. They did lower their multiplier to 1, but it should remain at whatever value is set.

The multiplier in the file clarifies this: Your resolution is now going to be the same as your VR headset's native resolution because the resolution you see SHOULD be the value BEFORE the multiplier takes effect. So I'm around 1750x1750 to get to the Vive Pro 2's 2448x2448.

Doing some more testing I realized that, holy $#@!, Not only did my Vive Pro 2 now look insanely crisp, my resolution was set insanely high. I dropped it back down to the value to match my headset and there was NO DIFFERENCE in FPS, but everything was the clearest I've ever seen VR. This was even before I upgraded to the 5900X and 3080.

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So, y'all are probably confused as heck, and that's understandable.


Basically when this auto benchmark runs, it determines how limited your visual clarity is by the quality it sets, and you CANNOT change it anywhere. This is not ideal because the software is basing your experience off some number that is based off a very minimal benchmark that probably takes a second or to to run. That is absolutely atrocious. Or it just looks at your GPU and CPU then sets it to a value that matches other systems. Either way: atrocious.

So when you change the "steamvr.vrsettings" values to 15000, you are essentially removing every single limiter that would otherwise be placed upon you, but now it thinks you have a supercomputer and sets your resolution to an insane value. All you do is change that resolution back to where it was before and now you will be blown away at your new and improved experience in VR.

However, every time you launch SteamVR, it runs that benchmark thing again and gives you a new score

The average of all your scores is the value of "gpuSpeedHorsepower". The more values of 15000 you have, the longer it will take to enact any limiters. For each line of "gpuSpeed", you need to take that number and put it into "gpuSpeedCount". 0=1!! So if you have 0-11, that's 12, not 11 for your "gpuSpeedCount".

Here's what my "steamvr.vrsettings" file looks like

"GpuSpeed" : {
"gpuSpeed0" : 15000,
"gpuSpeed1" : 15000,
"gpuSpeed2" : 15000,
"gpuSpeed3" : 15000,
"gpuSpeed4" : 15000,
"gpuSpeed5" : 15000,
"gpuSpeed6" : 15000,
"gpuSpeed7" : 15000,
"gpuSpeed8" : 15000,
"gpuSpeed9" : 15000,
"gpuSpeed10" : 15000,
"gpuSpeed11" : 15000,
"gpuSpeed12" : 15000,
"gpuSpeed13" : 15000,
"gpuSpeed14" : 15000,
"gpuSpeed15" : 15000,
"gpuSpeed16" : 15000,
"gpuSpeed17" : 15000,
"gpuSpeedCount" : 18,
"gpuSpeedDriver" : "512.15",
"gpuSpeedHorsepower" : 15000,
"gpuSpeedRenderTargetScale" : 1.5,
"gpuSpeedVendor" : "NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080",
"gpuSpeedVersion" : 2

That should help you understand more about what I've discussed

[Pro Tip: don't put the file on Read-Only. Trust me, you don't want to put your headset on if you do. Trust me. I did so that you don't have to (Spoiler alert: It looks like an original gameboy screen blown up 100x, seeing every single pixel in full detail)]

[PLEASE only copy and paste values for the following lines if you want to copy this and run it: gpuSpeed, gpuSpeedCount, gpuSpeedHorsepower. If you copy everything you will break stuff and I am not responsible if you do!]

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I mentioned this to Valve's help desk folks after I figured all this out while waiting for assistance to fix my Vive pro 2 quality and they responded with this (which is pretty rad if I might say so myself)

"Hello,

Thanks for your comments - we value feedback from the Steam community.

When SteamVR starts, it will automatically detect the power of your GPU and adjust the resolution to compensate for your current refresh rate. The criteria these defaults are based on change as SteamVR, GPU hardware, and GPU drivers develop over time. This means that the same manual override multiplier can provide different resolutions, and different performance from one update to the next.

At this time, there is no way to disable this within SteamVR. I can see how making this optional could be useful, so I'm forwarding your comments on to the appropriate department.

In the meantime, we encourage you to continue using your workaround or remove the limiter from the GPU.

Additionally, if you wish to share an opinion, suggestion, or idea with the community as well, please visit the Suggestions/Ideas section of the Steam Discussion forums.

This forum is regularly read by Valve's development team."

So let's all just ask for the ability to have an option to disable any and all limitations that is set forth by the benchmark results so that we can have unlimited potential and keep having a massively improved visual experience with our VR HMDs. If you're skeptical about this, try the trick yourself and tell me your results.








PS your "steamvr.vrsettings" file is located in your SteamVR install drive under the file path "...Steam\config"

[wuddih]

https://steamcommunity.com/app/250820/discussions/
maybe a more appropriate forum.

[ASVAB WAIVER]

In the quote I pasted from a Valve employee, this is where I was directed to, to make this post. On my end, the "Suggestions/Ideas section of the Steam Discussion forums" is linked text which directs me here.