Graphic Cards How to check GPU usage??

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Wraith

Contributor
Under Win XP taskmanager allows to check current cpu usage...is there any similar software which shows gpu usage??

i have always wondered why does the gpu get so hot even @ idle...how much gpu power is actually required to run windows??

And with the all the talk abt Vista requiring DX9 compatible cards n stuff...if the OS itself uses a decent amount of gpu power then will there be an impact on gaming??
 
Don know abt any tool but one estimate would be temperature. Higher the temperature obviously greater the card is being stressed. And the GPU temp varies on a lot of things, how old it is( this could affect the fan), whether it has active or passive cooling and how good the airflow in ur case is, etc. In windows the card will be running in 2D mode so it dosent require much power.

To answer your second question, in Vista when Games are run, the entire 3d power is used only by the game, unless ur running in Windowed mode and even then when u run a game, Aero is turned off. So it really wont affect the game much.
 
my second pc has a XFX 6600GT AGP and A64 3000+ housed in some Antec case...but the GPU temp @ idle is abt 70C and the CPU temp @ idle is abt 40-42C

Why so much diff?
 
^^ Check the airflow arond the card. If necessary place an 80mm fan below it to suck hot air away.

If possible, remove the HSF and apply AS5, will drop temps by atleast 5-6 C.
 
No place for a 80mm fan below the card and i have already applied AS5...

My concern isnt the temp...its the diff between gpu n cpu temps...
gpu temps always seem to be higher than cpu temps in all cases...why so?
 
I guess when you applied AS5, the hsf wasn't properly seated. IIRC an XFX 6600GT idles around 55 or so and reaches 85 or so on load.
 
GPU temps are always higher than CPU temps. Compare the size of the HS on the GPU and that on the CPU ;)

Also as Chaos said, your HSF isn't secured. Your temps must be around 60C
 
The HSF is secured properly....its just that the pc is inside a table thingy...and 3 hdd's in front of the gfx...

GPU temps are always higher than CPU temps. Compare the size of the HS on the GPU and that on the CPU
Click to expand...

ya thats quite true!!
 
my temps dropped from 72C idle to 58C idle... after apply as5 and putting a fan to blow in cool air.. also load is now at 70C ..

if i put it the ther way the temps actually increase a little more.... idle is around 61C and load is around 76C..

(load temps are after playing Bro in arms , at full settings)
 
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