Rendering CPU Usage not a maximum?

[k235]

Hey,

I'm just now rendering a project, and the render speed was ok (4x).

But task manager gives me ~25% CPU usage*. Resource monitor says about the same (distrubuted across all 8 cores (4 real, 4 virtual I guess).

Is there something I can do in the Reaper settings, is there something in windows I need to look at, or is this normal behavior for some reason? (maybe a plugin doesnt allow full render speed)

Please help

Win 8.1, latest Reaper version

* also says CPU clock speed is @ 1.2 - even though 2.4 is the maximum speed.

Edit: Just to be sure: in my energy options, CPU is set to 100% minimum/maximum.
Also I just checked: if i disable all fx, the render speed picks up (to ~12x) but CPU usage still at 24%/1.2ghz

[Xenakios]

Your project may have routings between the tracks that don't allow full multicore CPU utilization. Even worse, maybe you don't even have as many tracks as you have CPU cores. Processing inside single tracks can't really be multithreaded (that is, split between CPU cores).

[k235]

There seems to be some throttling going on on my computer.

I did some tests, and when I manually jack up the "multiplier" with the help of "ThrottleStop" and thus make the cpus run at the maximum speed (not even turbo mode) rendering for the same project suddenly jumps up to 8x (=twice as fast).*

I ran Geekbench 3 with both settings, and it gave me similar results: setting the multiplier manually doubled my score.

So, wow. I think either something bad happened during the update to Win 8.1 or my pc has been running at half speed for the last year or so since I bought it :/


*as you can probably tell, I am in no way a pc expert, so my terminology may be brutally off

[vanhaze]

Interesting stuff, would like to see more comments from prof. pc wizards about your findings.

[unique]

Is it possible that windows could be down clocking with EIST or c1e even though you have minimum/maximum at 100%?

Google it.

My computer has been doing the same since I re enabled EIST and c1e states in bios. If your not familiar with what i am talking about try googleing those words also.

[k235]

the only thing I can do in my bios is turn some sort of eco mode on (was enabled, disabling it didnt make a difference with regard to the throttling) and a misleadingly labeled turbo mode setting which either turns it on or off. Either way, throttling occurs.

I googled your phrases and read through some articles. Some mentioned that the energy plan you choose in Windows makes a difference. I would have been surprised, but didnt discount it entirely. I have customized my energy settings, but the preset was still "energy saving". Setting it to balanced didnt make a difference, still throttled.

So far the only thing that reliably fixes this is ThrottleStop.

Funny thing is if I check the power saver mode there, the multiplier/cpu speed goes down even further than with Windows' own settings. Which would probably mean more battery life when not doing anything serious. And for the experimental minded music producers: Manually dialing down the multiplier/cpu speed reliably produces audio glitches