[Tip] Great FPS Boost on NVIDIA graphics card

[Scogol 10]

Hi,

I noticed a great performance boost when selecting "Single display performance mode" in the "Multi-display/mixed GPU acceleration" field. (NVIDIA Control Panel)

Without it, I have severe lags, with it, I can play with everything on Ultra (except PIP) without any lags.

So if you haven't tried that option already and are using a NVIDIA graphics card, try it!

My system is:

Intel Core i7 3770K (no OC), NVIDIA GTX 660 (Asus, I believe), 16GB RAM

Regards

Scogol

[NeuroFunker 11]

nice, what about before/after fps count?

P.S. geta love threads as this, especially there are lots of optimization and stuff threads...

[cNINEcl 1]

x2 show us your before/after fps!

[Kemeros 1]

Nothing to lose to try it... but if you lie....

Edited April 14, 2013 by Kemeros

[Scogol 10]

So, this is slightly embarrassing: I just set up my demo mission (a lot of bullets flying around in there), and according to Fraps the avg FPS are actually lower with mentioned setting - but I could swear it was the other way!

Maybe it's the demonstration effect...

But still, I suggest to anyone with a nVidia Card to try it out, it has to have some effect on the FPS.

[Sneakson 1]

... well that was short-lived.

[antoineflemming 14]

So, this is slightly embarrassing: I just set up my demo mission (a lot of bullets flying around in there), and according to Fraps the avg FPS are actually lower with mentioned setting - but I could swear it was the other way!

Maybe it's the demonstration effect...

But still, I suggest to anyone with a nVidia Card to try it out, it has to have some effect on the FPS.

Well, lower and smooth (no FPS spikes) will seem better than higher FPS and a bunch of lag spikes.

[Sneakson 1]

Well, lower and smooth (no FPS spikes) will seem better than higher FPS and a bunch of lag spikes.

I thought of that too. I've never played aroud with Nvidia settings so I dunno what they could possibly do though.

[pathetic_berserker 4]

Well short of locking your max frames to your panel refresh with vsync the standard NVidia panel doesn't allow a whole lot of tweaking. Grab nvidia inspector, has a tools button which leads you to a profile editor. You can then manually set your own limit (seen as 'Frame Rate Limiter' under common). Can be very handy for mid-lower systems to set your max frames at say 30 frames then reverse engineer video settings from there. The idea being that when your cruising through open sections and hitting your max frame setting the GPU still has a bit in reserve when you hit tougher sections and isn't wasting the effort on superfluous frames, improving the transition and reducing noticeable lag.

[dnk 13]

MSI Afterburner also lets you set FPS limits.

[pathetic_berserker 4]

FYI I just locked my high end system (spoiler below) to 30 frames. Wasn't surprised to not see it drop below 30 of course, but it did drop 2-5 degrees off the 690's running temp, and seemed to improve lod/texture switching quite a bit. So the over all perception was actually improved.

Also, if you pause your self in a chopper over a forested area and start sliding object detail, terrain detail, shadow distance around you may notice they all effect each other, even eat into each other. Seems arma is in a battle to prioritise these effects while squeezing the most frames out of your GPU at the same time. if the GPUs resources are freed from producing frames (you probably wont notice anyway) it can better render the settings you actually set.

Definitely worth a try

[Bryce23 10]

I noticed a great performance boost when selecting "Single display performance mode" in the "Multi-display/mixed GPU acceleration" field. (NVIDIA Control Panel)

A few days ago I bought a GTX670FTW. Mostly to prepare for arma 3. But to be totally honest, I'm a bit disappointed with how insanely resource heavy the game is. When I have my viewdistance set to 2500 and everything maxed out (except PIP, shadows, and Antialiasing set to 4x) I still don't get a steady and acceptable framerate. I can play literally every game I have tried on max settings without dipping below 60 FPS. Playing arma3 online is a performance nightmare, when there are a lot of players or vehicles my FPS is in the 20's/30's. (I'm running an i7 920 @ 3.66 ghz). In single player it's usually around 40-50 but it's inconsistent. Very disappointing. I know the game will be better optimized upon release, but I'm skeptical.

Long story short, because of this, when I saw your post it got me excited to try out your suggestion. So I did. I used the arma3 benchmark mission from armaholic to test it. Here were my results:

As you can see, I got slightly better performance with the setting set to multi display performace. Even though I'm only playing on a single 1920x1080 monitor. Hope this helps. Even though your suggestion didn't work for me, I really appreciate it when people post about possible ways to improve on performance. :)

My specs:

GTX670 FTW

i7 920 @ 3.66 ghz

8GB ddr3 1800 RAM

[nodunit 397]

Your video card and processor is better than mine yet you get less frames despite far shorter view distance (standard for me is 5-8K) ...hmm... curious, I suggest dropping to anti aliasing x2, above can really eat frames..

I find the biggest frame munchers to be anti aliasing, PXAA and post processing (standard+) Object detail is also another heavy hitter (they really need to diversify objects from plants)

Edited April 14, 2013 by NodUnit

[pathetic_berserker 4]

When I have my viewdistance set to 2500 and everything maxed out (except PIP, shadows, and Antialiasing set to 4x) I still don't get a steady and acceptable framerate. I can play literally every game I have tried on max settings without dipping below 60 FPS. Playing arma3 online is a performance nightmare,

Bit of a simplistic view. I can find ways to get most good sims to cripple my machine. However most mainstream games have spent loads in development on making sure there isn't too much going on under the hood, for all the appearances its more like comparing apples to oranges. Though it would be nice to know they are making ground on the online issues.

[EDcase 87]

I've got a GTX580 and I can max almost everything at 4k viewdistance with 60-80fps WHEN STRATIS IS EMPTY.

The AI calculations are actually what need optimizing. (and hopefully they will when its near final)

If you want to test your graphics settings then do it in the editor with an empty map. That will show you the effect of graphics options.

When you play with AI then your CPU is being hammered and changing graphics settings will have minimal effect to help FPS.

The AI are much more advanced than any other game so that's the main reason why ARMA runs worse than other games...

Edited April 14, 2013 by EDcase

[St. Jimmy 272]

EDcase is right that many people would get nice frames if the AI calculations are optimized. AI just drops your GPU usage the more there are AIs. I've tested couple times that when I add 100 Ai to fight on each other and watch them to fight my GPU usage is avg. 50% and so does fps drop 50% but I don't see much CPU usage rise even. Normally GPU usage is 99% on an empty island.

What comes to OP tip I shall test it right now.

/Now tested

Multi was on by default and the fps trend went downward when switching first to comp. and then single. Though we are only talking about 1-2 fps.

Edited April 14, 2013 by St. Jimmy

[NeoArmageddon 958]

The toolstip of "Multi-display/mixed GPU acceleration" hints that this option is only related to OpenGL-Renderers. ArmA3 uses an DX10/11 renderer so your better or lower FPS with changing this option is probably just a placebo effect.

BTW: I have an GTX670 and I get smooth 50-70 FPS while antialiasing is set between 2-8 and 3D-resolution is set to 120%. I disabled postprocessing completely (I hate those effects).

[Sneakson 1]

I actually wouldn't be too skeptical that the retail game will be a lot better optimized. Whenever I update my drivers they've found some way to crank out 50% more performance out of Skyrim. Ought to be the same with ArmA once it hits.

[Kemeros 1]

I actually wouldn't be too skeptical that the retail game will be a lot better optimized. Whenever I update my drivers they've found some way to crank out 50% more performance out of Skyrim. Ought to be the same with ArmA once it hits.

They(BI) use physx. They have a game that runs on project shield. You can bet your sweet ass they will have all the support they need from Nvidia. Nvidia are usually very interested in companies who uses their solutions.

[seamusgod 1]

I actually wouldn't be too skeptical that the retail game will be a lot better optimized. Whenever I update my drivers they've found some way to crank out 50% more performance out of Skyrim. Ought to be the same with ArmA once it hits.

not every game gets that much improvement. some are as low as 30 to 10 percent. so i don't know where this blind optimism comes from.

[Sneakson 1]

not every game gets that much improvement. some are as low as 30 to 10 percent. so i don't know where this blind optimism comes from.

Blind optimism? Wanna bet the game will be better optimized from now to retail? How mcuh you wanna bet?

I've heard a lot of people say they game runs perfect on an empty Stratis but AI slows it down right now. Since I haven't noticed lag because of AI in any other action game ever before I'm pretty sure they're gonna get rid of that to begin with -- and it's an improvement alright.

[seamusgod 1]

it's blind because you claim it without any evidence or proof. there have been plenty of nvidia supported games where their performance increase have been minimal. this is a fact that is backed up by statistical charts on the nvidia forums themselves. you claim that so and so game receivd a 50 percent improvement in performance, and arma 3 would probably be the same. what gives you that idea? again, blind hope.

and i didn't say it wouldn't be better optimized. learn to read.

[Sneakson 1]

it's blind because you claim it without any evidence or proof. there have been plenty of nvidia supported games where their performance increase have been minimal. this is a fact that is backed up by statistical charts on the nvidia forums themselves. you claim that so and so game receivd a 50 percent improvement in performance, and arma 3 would probably be the same. what gives you that idea? again, blind hope.

and i didn't say it wouldn't be better optimized. learn to read.

You know what? :j: Fuck off. I'm not going to argue with you any more, sport.