CPU Usage During Games

jeffy777 · February 21st, 2006, 03:33 AM

Is it normal for the CPU usage to be at 100% during games?

I haven't really done a whole lot of monitoring in the past, but I've been using Rainmeter lately. I have a A64 3500+ and when I fire uip Richard Burns Rally it shoots up to 100% even at the menus when I'm just sitting there doing nothing. In windows, the CPU is usually only in the range of 0-2% when I'm not doing anything important (Besides uTorrent running in the background).

Just wondering if this is normal. I'll have to try another game and see what happens, but this is all I've been playing lately images/smilies/smile.gif

bartboy9891 · February 21st, 2006, 03:51 AM

my computer isnt a gaming pc by any means, but when i played HL2 all the time, it said i was using 50%. going near 90% just slows my comp down a lot. however, when i downloaded and used ulead GIF animator 5, it was using 98% images/smilies/eek.gif

http://img113.imageshack.us/img113/8156/uleadisgarbage3gp.th.jpg

flyingfridge · February 21st, 2006, 03:58 AM

I find it varies a lot depending on the game. FIFA 06 tends to push mine up a bit, HL2 is generally fairly low but then I find HL2 varies depending on what's going on in the game.

Vette Boss · February 21st, 2006, 04:05 AM

Yeah, it's supposed to go to 100% when you play games, if it didn't you'd be wasting CPU power. images/smilies/tongue.gif

I run my CPU at 100% all the time cos of Folding@Home, as long as your temps stay within spec it's fine.

jeffy777 · February 21st, 2006, 04:28 AM

I just find it weird that it skyrockets to 100% as soon as I doubleclick the game icon and it stays at 100% until I exit the game. It never bogs or anything and my frame rates are beautiful, but I just figured it the CPU usage would fluctuate depending on what I'm doing in the game.

BlaRo · February 21st, 2006, 05:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bartboy9891

my computer isnt a gaming pc by any means, but when i played HL2 all the time, it said i was using 50%. going near 90% just slows my comp down a lot. however, when i downloaded and used ulead GIF animator 5, it was using 98% images/smilies/eek.gif

That's eerie...I had the exact same desktop for a month... images/smilies/unsure.gif

...before I replaced it with the new 911 Turbo a week ago. (What a magnificent-looking car. I want 3, dammit.)

Viper007Bond · February 21st, 2006, 05:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffy777

I just find it weird that it skyrockets to 100% as soon as I doubleclick the game icon and it stays at 100% until I exit the game. It never bogs or anything and my frame rates are beautiful, but I just figured it the CPU usage would fluctuate depending on what I'm doing in the game.

Uh, that's how games work. They try and get the most outta your system. If you have a really powerful CPU, it may not use 100%, but I mean, physics and all that crap is CPU powered.

I mean, this is like asking if a GPU (the video card's CPU) should be at 100% when playing a game and the answer is yes. I mean, why would you want less FPS than you should get? images/smilies/wink.gif

jeffy777 · February 21st, 2006, 05:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Viper007Bond

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffy777

I just find it weird that it skyrockets to 100% as soon as I doubleclick the game icon and it stays at 100% until I exit the game. It never bogs or anything and my frame rates are beautiful, but I just figured it the CPU usage would fluctuate depending on what I'm doing in the game.

Uh, that's how games work. They try and get the most outta your system. If you have a really powerful CPU, it may not use 100%, but I mean, physics and all that crap is CPU powered.

I mean, this is like asking if a GPU (the video card's CPU) should be at 100% when playing a game and the answer is yes. I mean, why would you want less FPS than you should get? images/smilies/wink.gif

I see what you mean, and I knew this before. I just find it weird that it uses 100% on the menus. Never noticed this before. I guess that should have been my original post "Is it normal for games to use 100% of the CPU when at menus or paused and idle?"

chaos386 · February 21st, 2006, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffy777

I see what you mean, and I knew this before. I just find it weird that it uses 100% on the menus. Never noticed this before. I guess that should have been my original post "Is it normal for games to use 100% of the CPU when at menus or paused and idle?"

Yes, it's normal. Games are designed to go full-bore all the time, whether it's in the game, paused or just in the menu. It's really not that hard for a program to use 100% of your CPU. I could write a console app that just says "Hi." over and over, and it would use 100%. images/smilies/lol.gif

jeffy777 · February 21st, 2006, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chaos386

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffy777

I see what you mean, and I knew this before. I just find it weird that it uses 100% on the menus. Never noticed this before. I guess that should have been my original post "Is it normal for games to use 100% of the CPU when at menus or paused and idle?"

Yes, it's normal. Games are designed to go full-bore all the time, whether it's in the game, paused or just in the menu. It's really not that hard for a program to use 100% of your CPU. I could write a console app that just says "Hi." over and over, and it would use 100%. images/smilies/lol.gif

That might be more interesting than some games I've played images/smilies/lol.gif

February 21st, 2006, 03:33 AM	#1
jeffy777 Joined: Feb 8th, 2005 Last Online: 05:42 PM Location: US Age: 27 Posts: 5,662 Car: '04 Toyota Sienna, crippled people like vans.... Rep Power: 53	CPU Usage During Games Is it normal for the CPU usage to be at 100% during games? I haven't really done a whole lot of monitoring in the past, but I've been using Rainmeter lately. I have a A64 3500+ and when I fire uip Richard Burns Rally it shoots up to 100% even at the menus when I'm just sitting there doing nothing. In windows, the CPU is usually only in the range of 0-2% when I'm not doing anything important (Besides uTorrent running in the background). Just wondering if this is normal. I'll have to try another game and see what happens, but this is all I've been playing lately

February 21st, 2006, 03:51 AM	#2
bartboy9891 I'm not Moe Joined: Dec 1st, 2004 Last Online: 06:55 PM Location: University of Michigan Age: 19 Posts: 7,773 Car: 1996 Grand Am SE sedan, and dad's 2006 S60 2.5T Rep Power: 43	my computer isnt a gaming pc by any means, but when i played HL2 all the time, it said i was using 50%. going near 90% just slows my comp down a lot. however, when i downloaded and used ulead GIF animator 5, it was using 98% __________________

February 21st, 2006, 03:58 AM	#3
flyingfridge Joined: Jul 1st, 2005 Last Online: 09:31 AM Location: Melbourne, Australia Age: 23 Posts: 2,337 Car: R33 Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec, Falcon XR6 Ute Rep Power: 20	I find it varies a lot depending on the game. FIFA 06 tends to push mine up a bit, HL2 is generally fairly low but then I find HL2 varies depending on what's going on in the game. __________________ 1/4 Mile: 12.426 (Calder Park) Winton: 1'42.340 Sandown: 1'27.179 "The old Skyline GT-R felt exciting even when it was in a carwash." - Jeremy Clarkson "Those who know GT-Rs can't explain. Those who don't cannot understand." - frankiess AustralianGamer.com

February 21st, 2006, 04:05 AM	#4
Vette Boss Joined: Nov 14th, 2004 Last Online: 02:38 PM Location: United States, Britain, in time Age: 23 Posts: 3,023 Car: Nissan Altima 3.5-litre SE Rep Power: 36	Yeah, it's supposed to go to 100% when you play games, if it didn't you'd be wasting CPU power. I run my CPU at 100% all the time cos of Folding@Home, as long as your temps stay within spec it's fine. __________________ 2003 Nissan Altima 3.5SE SHIFT_the future

February 21st, 2006, 04:28 AM	#5
jeffy777 Joined: Feb 8th, 2005 Last Online: 05:42 PM Location: US Age: 27 Posts: 5,662 Car: '04 Toyota Sienna, crippled people like vans.... Rep Power: 53	I just find it weird that it skyrockets to 100% as soon as I doubleclick the game icon and it stays at 100% until I exit the game. It never bogs or anything and my frame rates are beautiful, but I just figured it the CPU usage would fluctuate depending on what I'm doing in the game. __________________ A man named Jeffy once said, "If laziness is craziness, then I've lost my marbles...and I don't feel like trying to find them."

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