i5-6500 underperforming in games that should be easy to run

[idata]

I've had severe framerate issues in a lot of games, and I've narrowed it down to something going wrong with my CPU. Outside of games I've noticed nothing wrong, but in games that it should be able to run no problem (elder scrolls online, max payne 3, dark souls 3) its usage goes straight to 90%, which is crazy because I've seen other people with my same CPU running these games fine. Is mine defective or something? In task manager its only the game that's using that much CPU, no other programs taking up more then a few usage. So somehow I'm getting bottlenecked by my i5-6500 even though everyone I've talked to says that's crazy.

My specs are

EVGA GTX 970 SSC

EVGA 600b psu

Gigabyte H110M-A mobo

i5-6500

8gb DDR4 ram

[idata]

Hi Toxinia,

I need to collect more information about your issue, could you please provide the information asked below? Are you using these games on high performance?Could you please fill out and attach the information asked in this site?/thread/77761 https://communities.intel.com/thread/77761 Regards,Hellen.

[idata]

Category

Questions

Answers (N/A if not applicable)

Description

Provide a detailed description of the issue

CPU usage is extremely high (which is causing huge framedrops with games), with nothing else on the task manager other than the game itself taking up that much usage, though other similar specs and even specs worse than mine benchmark much better.

Please place an X to the right of the option showing how often you see this issue using specific steps. (Ex: 'Every few times a game is started it flickers.' <- This would be "Often")<p> 

100% of the time

Hardware (HW)

Brand and Model of the system.

Hybrid or switchable graphics system?

ie Does it have AMD or NV graphics too?

No

Make and model of any Displays that are used to see the issue (see note2 below). 

LFP = Local Flat Panel (Laptop panel)EFP = External Flat Panel (Monitor you plug in)<td style="border-top: none; border-right: 1pt soli...

[idata]

Hi Toxinia,

Let's try to test your system with the Intel® Processor Diagnostic Tool, to verify the functionality of your system. The diagnostic checks for brand identification, tests specific processor features, and performs a stress test on the processor.Please attach the results to your answer. Intel® Processor Diagnostic Toolhttps://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/19792/Intel-Processor-Diagnostic-Tool https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/19792/Intel-Processor-Diagnostic-Tool

What are the games you are running?

Regards,Hellen.

[idata]

Hi, here's the results for the diagnostic check, it showed everything as passing on the tool. All games I've played have been effected by this issue, some examples are Source games, Max Payne 3, Mechwarrior Online, Serious Sam 3 & HD, Elder Scrolls Online, Dark Souls 3, Strike Suit Infinity

--- IPDT64 - Revision: 3.0.0.25.W.MP

--- IPDT64 - Start Time: 9/21/2016 5:41:07 PM

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Processor 1

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Genuine Intel CPU Test

Module Version: 1.0.12.64b.W

Start Time: Wed Sep 21 17:41:07 2016

Test Result - PASS

Expected: GenuineIntel

Detected: GenuineIntel

End Time: Wed Sep 21 17:41:07 2016

Total Time: seconds: 0

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Temperature Test

Module Version: 1.0.12.64b.W

Start Time: Wed Sep 21 17:41:07 2016

Test Result - PASS

Expected: Greater than 1 degrees below max

Received: 60 degrees below max

End Time: Wed Sep 21 17:41:07 2016

Total Time: seconds: 0

--------------------------------------------------------------------

CPU Brand String Test

Module Version: 1.0.12.64b.W

Start Time: Wed Sep 21 17:41:07 2016

Test Result - PASS

Expected String Parts: As Defined in BrandString_LocalConfig.xml

Detected: Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-6500 CPU @ 3.20GHz

End Time: Wed Sep 21 17:41:07 2016

Total Time: seconds: 0

--------------------------------------------------------------------

CPU Frequency Test

Module Version: 1.0.14.64b.W

Start Time: Wed Sep 21 17:41:08 2016

Test Result - PASS

Processor Name: Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-6500 CPU @ 3.20GHz

Expected CPU Frequency: 3.20

Detected CPU Frequency: 3.20055

Expected Base Clock: 100

Detected Base Clock: 100.017

QPI link rate Test - Not supported.

Skipping QPI link rate Test.

End Time: Wed Sep 21 17:41:09 2016

Total Time: seconds: 1

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Floating Point Test

Module Version: 1.0.10.64b.W

Start Time: Wed Sep 21 17:41:09 2016

Test Result - PASS

Million Floating Points per Second, MFLOPS: 475.2

Error: 0

--- Floating Point Test Passed!!!---

End Time: Wed Sep 21 17:41:11 2016

Total Time: seconds: 2

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Prime Number Generation Test

Module Version: 1.0.10.64b.W

Start Time: Wed Sep 21 17:41:11 2016

Test Result - PASS

Operation Per Second: 3.98747e+006

Error: 0

--- Prime Number Generation Test Passed!!!---

End Time: Wed Sep 21 17:41:13 2016

Total Time: seconds: 2

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Cache Test

Module Version: 1.0.10.64b.W

Start Time: Wed Sep 21 17:41:13 2016

Test Result - PASS

--- Reading Cache Size ---

- Detected L1 Data Cache Size --> 32

- Detected L1 Inst Cache Size --> 32

- Detected L2 Cache Size --> 256

- Detected L3 Cache Size --> 6144

Cache Size Test Passed!!!

End Time: Wed Sep 21 17:41:13 2016

Total Time: seconds: 0

--------------------------------------------------------------------

MMXSSE Test

Module Version: 1.0.10.64b.W

Start Time: Wed Sep 21 17:41:13 2016

Test Result - PASS

--- Determining MMX - SSE capabilities ---

--- CPU FEATURES DETECTION FOR ---

--- MMX SSE ---

MMX - MMX Supported --> Yes

SSE - SSE Supported --> Yes

SSE2 - SSE2 Supported --> Yes

SSE3 - SSE3 Supported --> Yes

SSSE3 - SSSE3 Supported --> Yes

SSE4.1 - SSE4.1 Supported --> Yes

SSE4.2 - SSE4.2 Supported --> Yes

--- MMX SSE - capabilities check complete ---

MMX Test Result --- PASS

SSE Test Result --- PASS

SSE2 Test Result --- PASS

SSE3 Test Result --- PASS

SSSE3 Test Result --- PASS

SSE4.1 Test Result --- PASS

SSE4.2 Test Result --- PASS

End Time: Wed Sep 21 17:41:13 2016

Total Time: seconds: 0

--------------------------------------------------------------------

AVX Test

Module Version: 1.0.11.64b.W

Start Time: Wed Sep 21 17:41:13 2016

Test Res...

[idata]

Hi Toxinia,

Since your processor passed all the tests, seems to be fine.I would recommend you to check the System requirements for these games, I noticed most of them runs on Windows® 7 or vista only Drak Souls 3* runs on Windows® 8.1; also I suggest you verify the Free disk space require for these games. Max Payne 3http://www.systemrequirementslab.com/cyri/requirements/max-payne-3/11331 http://www.systemrequirementslab.com/cyri/requirements/max-payne-3/11331MechWarrior Onlinehttp://www.systemrequirementslab.com/cyri/requirements/mechwarrior-online/11548 http://www.systemrequirementslab.com/cyri/requirements/mechwarrior-online/11548Serious Sam 3http://www.systemrequirementslab.com/cyri/requirements/serious-sam-3-bfe/11192 http://www.systemrequirementslab.com/cyri/requirements/serious-sam-3-bfe/11192The Elder Scrolls Onlinehttp://www.systemrequirementslab.com/cyri/requirements/the-elder-scrolls-online/11969 http://www.systemrequirementslab.com/cyri/requirements/the-elder-scrolls-online/11969Dark Souls 3http://www.systemrequirementslab.com/cyri/requirements/dark-souls-iii/13089 http://www.systemrequirementslab.com/cyri/requirements/dark-souls-iii/13089Strike Suit Infinityhttp://www.systemrequirementslab.com/cyri/requirements/strike-suit-infinity/11659 http://www.systemrequirementslab.com/cyri/requirements/strike-suit-infinity/11659 Also, in case you consider necessary you can contact us by Phone, E-mail or Chat support for warranty information:http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/contact-support.html http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/contact-support.html Regards,Hellen.

[idata]

Hi, I used those links and my computer has above the recommended specs for them, and it says I'm in the 95th percentile.

Anything else to try before trying a warranty replacement? I still need to use this computer for things outside of games.

[idata]

Hi Toxinia,

Your processor passed the diagnostic tool and as you mentioned it works as it should out of games; at this point, there isn't any other troubleshooting we can test. Regards,Hellen.