CPU usage 100% = bottleneck?

[atlau]

Sorry I should have added the this is in VR so essentially 2 monitors as well. I did a clean install of windows recently but haven't checked the background applications.

Single core usage on a i5 6600 often approaches 90-100%

[Bizman]

Did you also install the motherboard drivers?

[atlau]

Umm.. not sure. I'll check. I assumed windows installed the appropriate drivers for the devices.

[Bizman]

Umm.. not sure. I'll check. I assumed windows installed the appropriate drivers for the devices.

It doesn't. It installs generic drivers for limited functionality so you can download and install the real drivers from within Windows. Most likely there's a bunch of Windows drivers from 2006 in the System Devices of your Device Manager. The mothervoard manufacturer should have the latest drivers for your board on their website. -How many components in your system were even on the drawing board back in 2006?

Just to clarify, some of the drivers still will remain as those generic versions so don't try to update each and every device driver you find having an ancient date. That's perfectly OK, they're either for old devices like ISA slots, floppy drives etc. or they're for devices that can install their own drivers when plugged in like many USB devices including memory sticks and game controllers.

[atlau]

I downloaded the ASrock [mb manufacturer] software and updated the drivers thru their app but none of them really seemed relevant.

I did try to look at when my frame rates dropping (usually during heavy maneuvering with lots of other action around). I think vr just takes a heavier toll on the system. Maybe due to the required software running in the background?

[Bizman]

Depending on the motherboard maker, model and age for Win10 the most essential drivers are called Chipset drivers. You may also have them separated to several other Intel drivers and utilities. The Asrock app may do a decent job but since your system already is a few years old, AsRock may not have updated the drivers to the latest ones. Some manufacturers even leave the drivers to be updated by Windows, in which case you should go through the Device Manager item by item and manually check for updates for each (right click-update driver). If Windows can find a newer one it will update it. I've found most of the updateable drivers under the System Devices using this method but often also under other titles so starting from the first one is not overkill. It's not the way I'd like to update drivers but sometimes it's the only method available. 

I found your DxDiag output from last July. If you ran a new one now you could compare the driver data side by side. That might reveal some issues.

Basically your system should be capable of running VR pretty well, but you may need to decrease some settings. Environment mapping, post lighting, shadows are the worst resource hogs and least needed.

[atlau]

I've turned down the shadows and reflections as I found they made the game visuals worse.

I'm gonna try and see if there's maybe background programs that might be making the issue worse. I think the windows mixed reality does add a lot of overhead tho

[Skuzzy]

Many older systems will run Windows 10, but only have the generic Microsoft drivers available, which will impede the system from reaching its full performance potential.  In many cases stability will be affected as well, particularly with the audio drivers as the Microsoft supplied generic driver is not stable when asked to do multi-threading, which we do.

[Bizman]

Umm, Skuzzy, while your information is valid per se, I don't think his system is that old. The i5-6600 and the Z170 chipset were launched at the same time as the initial launch of Windows 10 so most likely Intel had already thoroughly studied the Preview Builds of the new OS to keep the customers happy. The drivers I found for the chipset in Microsoft Update Catalog were from 2016, March and August.

[atlau]

So I went thru the chipset drivers and they seem up to date. When I run various benchmarks such as Firestrike or Timespy the scores are in line with other similar systems.

I'm leaning towards the possibility that having to run the windows mixed reality + steam + AH3 VR is significantly more taxing than when I simply ran AH on my monitor even though the total pixel count isn't that much higher in VR.

Too bad Intel keeps changing the motherboard/cpu compatibility every other generation otherwise I'd consider upgrading to a 9600K.

[FESS67]

Many years ago i had a system where the cpu spiked badly to the point that gaming was impossible.

Tracked it down to a usb joystick.  Powered usb hub solved it for me.  Is it worth adding usb hardware selectively in different usb sockets to see if there is a tipping point?

[Bizman]

FESS, in the Device Manager>USB controllers you can find Host Controllers whose Advanced tab will tell how much bus width each one is reserving. Under USB Root Hubs/Advanced you'll find which controllers you have plugged into that hub and how much power it uses.

For some more information see https://superuser.com/questions/690074/what-is-the-power-output-of-a-usb-port

[FESS67]

Yeah thanks I have a computer networking degree I was offering an avenue for Atlau to consider exploring not seeking assistance for myself.

[Bizman]

Heh, OK. The question at the end of your post fooled me, I didn't figure out it was meant as a suggestion.   

[atlau]

Hmmm so I have something plugged into just about every USB output. I'll try to figure out what you guys are talking about there to investigate:) I did turn the power settings to max if that means anything