Unplayable FPS

drossi72

I'm having a few odd problems with this game. On start-up the Bethesda and Zenimax logo videos seem to suffer from some kind of lag...and upon entering the starter dungeon my fps is 20 and below. My rig isn't TOO old, and plays other modern games without a hitch. I'm looking for a solution to get this game running at playable frame-rates. Even at low settings, I still don't breach 40 fps.

What I've tried so far:
Replacing ATI drivers (updated to latest, then beta drivers, using Driver Cleaner each time)
Moving game files from SSD to 1 TB HDD
Disabling CPU overclock

These solutions did nothing. Any suggestions?

Preset used: High
Resolution: 1920x1080

SYSTEM SPECS:
OS: Windows 8.1
CPU: i5 2500k at 3.4 ghz (formerly OC'd at 4.4 ghz)
GPU: ATI 7870 (2 gb)
RAM: Patriot Viper Extreme 8 gb (2x 4 gb DDR3)
SSD: Samsung 840 EVO-Series 120GB
HDD: 1 TB Western Digital Caviar Black

ANKKA32

You have to wait amd and nvidia publish new drivers. I have fps in pvp 30-15 (eyefinity)

Endolith

Ironically, I've sometimes solved such issues by going back to earlier drivers until a new one came out that solved it. Don't know if that's the case here, but you should definitely be getting a lot better performance. I sometimes play on a laptop with an A-10 processor at 2.1 GHz, 6 GB RAM, and the built-in graphics chip, and I get decent FPS on medium settings out in the world, and ran FG earlier today on low with no FPS problems.

drossi72

You know, I might just try that. I'll report my results!

drossi72

Ok the problem is fixed...now getting 50-60 fps on Ultra.

My solution was to swap out my HDMI cable for a DVI cable. I have NO IDEA why this solved the problem, anyone care to elucidate?

chipz88b14_ESO

I have to imagine it was a coincidence and something else you tried fixed it. Can you reproduce the problem again by going back to the HDMI cable? If not, that wasn't it.

drossi72

I hooked up my monitor to my GPU using both a DVI and HDMI cable. I started the game with the monitor set to use the HDMI input, and witnessed the aforementioned lag. Using the monitors built-in controls, I switched inputs to DVI, and the FPS rates returned to acceptable levels.

I personally don't have an adequate explanation for WHY this is the case, but I've undeniably isolated the problem. I recommend that anyone with similar issues and a spare DVI cable attempts this solution.

Squishy

HDMI also carries/process sound as far as I know, which could be the reason, maybe.

RunAway

I find it technologically impossible that switching from HDMI to DVI fixes the issue, let alone increases your FPS by so much...

Censorious

No, it's possible. When the operating system encounters a hardware related issue it will often sense it as a 'not ready' signal and try to 'fix' the problem by sending repeated requests until the packet goes through.
Result, everything seems to work - but very slowly.

I't's not like the old days when you flipped a switch and current simply flowed.