High EE, Low CPU usage??? don't understand
#1
Question 
Game: Xenosaga Episode 1
CPU: Intel Core i7 2675qm 2.2ghz
GPU: AMD Radeon HD 6750M
(MacBook Pro Late 2011 under bootcamp, but since i'm running the windows release i'm posting here, but let me know if you think this is a bootcamp issue)

I get that PCSX2 isn't particularly graphics intensive in the traditional sense and that the fact that it's an emulator means it's much more CPU intensive. But here's what I'm not understanding. My framerate general hovers around ~60 give or take but during more busy or graphically intense parts that are actual renders (like lots of characters/enemies on the screen during battle) the framerate can drop as low as about ~45ish. Generally my stats are as follows:

60 FPS: EE: ~63-85% GS: 5-20%
45-55 FPS: EE: ~95-100% GS: (can't recall) (which im assuming means my CPU can't keep up)

But if I look at the windows CPU monitor, it shows every core doing almost nothing and total usage at around 10%. So I don't get it. How can my CPU / GPU be not enough to keep things smooth 24/7 but barely be trying? Is my laptop just lazy? Does it need a man to machine motivational talk? Grounding? A hug? What? I'm lost here.


Code:
PCSX2 1.2.1.r5873 - compiled on Feb  3 2014
Savestate version: 0x9a0a0000

Host Machine Init:
    Operating System =  Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate Edition Service Pack 1 (build 7601), 64-bit
    Physical RAM     =  8102 MB
    CPU name         =  Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-2675QM CPU @ 2.20GHz
    Vendor/Model     =  GenuineIntel (stepping 07)
    CPU speed        =  2.194 ghz (8 logical threads)
    x86PType         =  Standard OEM
    x86Flags         =  bfebfbff 1fbae3bf
    x86EFlags        =  28100000

x86 Features Detected:
    MMX.. SSE.. SSE2.. SSE3.. SSSE3.. SSE4.1.. SSE4.2.. AVX

Reserving memory for recompilers...

Loading plugins...
    Binding   GS: C:\PCSX2\Plugins\gsdx32-avx-r5875.dll
Windows 6.1.7601 (Service Pack 1 1.0)
    Binding  PAD: C:\PCSX2\Plugins\lilypad-r5875.dll
    Binding SPU2: C:\PCSX2\Plugins\spu2-x-r5875.dll
    Binding CDVD: C:\PCSX2\Plugins\cdvdGigaherz.dll
    Binding  USB: C:\PCSX2\Plugins\USBnull.dll
    Binding   FW: C:\PCSX2\Plugins\FWnull.dll
    Binding DEV9: C:\PCSX2\Plugins\DEV9null.dll
Plugins loaded successfully.

(GameDB) 9655 games on record (loaded in 225ms)
HLE Notice: ELF does not have a path.


Initializing plugins...
    Init GS
Windows 6.1.7601 (Service Pack 1 1.0)
    Init PAD
    Init SPU2
    Init CDVD
    Init USB
    Init FW
    Init DEV9
Plugins initialized successfully.

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#2
Try enabling some speed hacks. If you're running in hardware mode the gpu doing majority of the heavy lifting. O and your cpu is probably a little on the slow side. Think intel processor needs to be > 3 ghz but I could be wrong
#3
(12-16-2014, 03:53 AM)markyrocks69 Wrote: Try enabling some speed hacks. If you're running in hardware mode the gpu doing majority of the heavy lifting. O and your cpu is probably a little on the slow side. Think intel processor needs to be > 3 ghz but I could be wrong

Yeah no. His gpu has nothing to do with it unless he runs it at an ir wich the gpu is not capable of running. Besides hitting 100%ee definitely means hes short on the cpu side.
Try the slider on the left in speedhacks. Only put it to the middle. ( i dont know if the cyclerate hack works with xenosaga but its worth a try. )
What are your gsdx settings? whats your internar resolution? Are you running msaa?
PS: im pretty sure the xenosaga series is hard to emulate. if none of the above work im afraid you have to play it like this.
#4
(12-16-2014, 03:53 AM)markyrocks69 Wrote: Try enabling some speed hacks. If you're running in hardware mode the gpu doing majority of the heavy lifting. O and your cpu is probably a little on the slow side. Think intel processor needs to be > 3 ghz but I could be wrong

Yes, I'm using hardware rendering. And >3 ghz doesn't make sense. Clock speed doesn't really mean much alone. It depends on what specific cpu it is. a core i7 2.2ghz is going to be exponentially faster than a 3ghz core2duo even though they're both Intel. And clock speeds across brands aren't directly comparable. a 3ghz intel cpu and 3ghz amd cpu are not going to be the same performance.


Anyway, I've seen some info in other threads that high EE% doesn't necessarily mean max cpu usage. But I still haven't found info that helps me explain why my computer is barely working yet pcsx2 is maxed sometimes.
#5
Xenosaga isn't gonna happen on that machine, unfortunately. It needs 1600 single threaded to be playable, 1800 to have no drops. That CPU has 1303(Source).

None of the speedhacks help much with Xenosaga. MTVU might help a tiny bit.
[Image: XTe1j6J.png]
Gaming Rig: Intel i7 6700k @ 4.8Ghz | GTX 1070 TI | 32GB RAM | 960GB(480GB+480GB RAID0) SSD | 2x 1TB HDD
#6
(12-16-2014, 03:30 AM)RadicalxEdward Wrote: ...

Unless you're using software rendering pcsx2 is never going to use more than 3 cores, and by default it will only run on 2 cores. Try using mtvu in the speedhacks menu, that should help a bit, but don't expect anything over 35-40% cpu usage.

The reason pcsx2(and just about any other emulator out there) can't just use as many cores you throw at it is because of timing. For an emulator to work properly lots of things have to occur at the right time, sometimes components need to run in lockstep, or one needs to run in an exact ratio to another. If you just split up the work onto multiple cores you'd have to do a lot of extra work making sure everything is being finished at the right time, which could easily negate any performance advantage you'd get from running on more cores.

That's not to say it isn't possible to make an emulator that does this. Exodus is one example. It's extremely accurate to the hardware but it needs a really powerful machine to run. I'm talking quad core sandy bridge or better to run most games in full speed iirc.
#7
I'm referring to relatively current intel cpu. I guess the final answer is upgrade computer or play on your ps2.
(12-16-2014, 04:06 AM)RadicalxEdward Wrote: And clock speeds across brands aren't directly comparable. a 3ghz intel cpu and 3ghz amd cpu are not going to be the same performance.

Very informative.
#8
(12-16-2014, 04:03 AM)vishy92 Wrote: Yeah no. His gpu has nothing to do with it unless he runs it at an ir wich the gpu is not capable of running. Besides hitting 100%ee definitely means hes short on the cpu side.
Try the slider on the left in speedhacks. Only put it to the middle. ( i dont know if the cyclerate hack works with xenosaga but its worth a try. )
What are your gsdx settings? whats your internar resolution? Are you running msaa?
PS: im pretty sure the xenosaga series is hard to emulate. if none of the above work im afraid you have to play it like this.

I will try that. These are my GSDX settings:
[Image: sZPrviu.png][Image: DaTb1DA.png]

I'm currently experimenting with 2x vs 3x scaling to decide if the performance drop vs graphical gain is worth it. But I know for sure that AA is ABSOLUTELY NEEDED in this game lol. I still remember playing it on my original ps2 and at one point in the game the aliasing was so bad all the characters looked like they were made out of legos and ones leg looked like it was a upside down lego pyramid and was like 2 pixels wide at the ankle. it was horrible.
#9
That super bad aliasing is in the FMVs actually, and there is nothing PCSX2 can do about it, and they WILL look awful.
[Image: XTe1j6J.png]
Gaming Rig: Intel i7 6700k @ 4.8Ghz | GTX 1070 TI | 32GB RAM | 960GB(480GB+480GB RAID0) SSD | 2x 1TB HDD
#10
(12-16-2014, 04:06 AM)Blyss Sarania Wrote: Xenosaga isn't gonna happen on that machine, unfortunately. It needs 1600 single threaded to be playable, 1800 to have no drops. That CPU has 1303(Source).

None of the speedhacks help much with Xenosaga. MTVU might help a tiny bit.

That's BS, because I'm 90% of the way through the game and most of the time I'm getting 60fps. So yeah, it is gonna happen on this machine, fortunately. I just want it to be 60fps 100% of the time if possible. Maybe that isn't possible, but that's a far cry from the game not being playable at all.


(12-16-2014, 04:09 AM)dogen Wrote: Unless you're using software rendering pcsx2 is never going to use more than 3 cores, and by default it will only run on 2 cores. Try using mtvu in the speedhacks menu, that should help a bit, but don't expect anything over 35-40% cpu usage.

I assumed it only ran on 1 core, so i expected to see 1 core maxed and the others doing nothing, but they're all doing nothing. That's what i'm not getting. Even in the most demanding scenes, the cpu's barely flinch. (according to the cpu monitor)

(12-16-2014, 04:17 AM)Blyss Sarania Wrote: That super bad aliasing is in the FMVs actually, and there is nothing PCSX2 can do about it, and they WILL look awful.

Not all of it. Actually a lot of the less intense cutscenes are actual renders and they look MUCH better now. As for the videos they just look a little pixelated from the upscaling. but that's to be expected. But they don't look as bad as the old ps2 stuff and the scenes i'm remembering being the worst weren't cutscenes.




Not trying to be argumentative here guys, just looking for responses based in fact and some information. Not speculation that's obviously incorrect.




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