Solved: High GPU usage with new Nvidia graphics card

[Querpmuerp]

Hey guys,
I changed to a new pc (i5 10400, Nvidia Geforce 3060). As soon as I opened OBS, GPU jumped to >20%, without any sources etc. added.
On my older system its around <10% GPU usage in idle mode.
As soon as I disabled the preview window, GPU usage jumped down to 5%.

Solution:
Go into Nvidia control panel and change global settings to maximum energy settings. Works also for Streamlabs OBS.
GPU usage now is around 6-7%!

 

[koala]

Revert that change, you're wasting energy with no gain. GPU usage goes to 20%, because when the PC is idle, the GPU is in powersaving mode. OBS needs a bit of GPU resources even when idle, so it consumes 20% of the small GPU resources that are left in powersaving mode. But as soon as you're starting a game or something that fully uses the GPU, you will see the GPU wakes up and provides full GPU power, and the OBS part of the GPU usage will become very small.

 

[Querpmuerp]

Without maximum energy settings I get around 90% GPU with OBS and Resident Evil 7 on max. settings.
With max. energy settings on I get 40-50% with OBS and RE 7.
I'll keep that setting on.

 

[FerretBomb]

Without maximum energy settings I get around 90% GPU with OBS and Resident Evil 7 on max. settings.
With max. energy settings on I get 40-50% with OBS and RE 7.
I'll keep that setting on.

That's your prerogative, but what koala said is correct. You're just wasting power for absolutely no reason. This is not a "fix". It's someone who doesn't understand why the numbers say what they do.

The card will adaptively throttle itself up or down to meet the current load needs. All you're doing is wastefully pinning it to be running at full power all the time, even when there's almost nothing for it to do. Which may also impact the card's longevity, since it will be generating extra heat AND loading the card's power delivery.
It's like having a powerful engine revved to redline in neutral, and held there. All you're doing is eating gas, making a lot of noise, and putting more wear on all the components. Not actually doing anything useful.

 

[Querpmuerp]

Ah ok. I'll keep that in mind and try both methods.

 

[compumatter]

I have resolved this issue. Plain and simple - NOT an NVIDIA issue. It's an OBS issue. Forget all the videos you see about making changes and tweaks in your NVIDIA settings. Just downgrade your OBS to version 26.** and poof, GPU drops from 50 - 60 down to 10 - 12. Unfortunately, you will probably have to downgrade a few of your plugins too but after 4 hours of trying everything I found I stumbled on this one myself.