Low GPU usage but poor FPS is one of the most frustrating gaming problems — your GPU isn't broken, it's just not being used properly. The causes are almost always software or configuration issues, not hardware failure. This guide covers every verified fix in order of effectiveness.
You open MSI Afterburner or the Xbox Game Bar, and you see it: your GPU is only at 40% or 50% utilization, but your FPS is terrible. Your first instinct might be that your GPU is failing. In reality, this is almost always a configuration problem that's solvable in minutes. The most common culprits are a CPU bottleneck, an incorrect Windows power plan, outdated GPU drivers, or a BIOS feature like Resizable BAR being disabled.
Diagnosis FirstHow to Diagnose GPU Underperformance
Before applying fixes, spend 5 minutes confirming what's actually happening. Installing MSI Afterburner + RivaTuner Statistics Server (both free) gives you a real-time overlay showing GPU usage %, GPU clock speed, GPU temperature, and FPS simultaneously while in-game. This is the single most valuable diagnostic tool for gaming PC issues.
Set Up MSI Afterburner In-Game Overlay
Essential diagnostic tool — takes 3 minutes to set up| What You See | Likely Cause | Go To Fix |
|---|---|---|
| GPU at 40–70%, CPU at 90–100% | CPU Bottleneck | Fix #1 |
| GPU at 40–60%, CPU at 40–60% | Power Plan or BIOS issue | Fix #2 & #3 |
| GPU clocks below rated speed | Thermal throttling or power limit | Fix #4 |
| GPU at 95%+, FPS still low | GPU is working correctly (GPU-bound) | Fix #5 (settings) |
| GPU at 30–50%, game in windowed mode | Display mode issue | Fix #6 |
Fix CPU Bottleneck
A CPU bottleneck occurs when your CPU cannot process game logic, physics, and AI fast enough to keep your GPU fed with work. The GPU sits idle waiting for the CPU to produce the next frame's data. This is especially common with older Intel Core i5/i7 processors (6th–9th gen) paired with modern NVIDIA RTX 40-series or AMD RX 7000-series GPUs.
You cannot "fix" a fundamental hardware mismatch without upgrading the CPU, but there are software steps that significantly reduce CPU overhead:
Reduce CPU Overhead to Free Up GPU
Software steps to mitigate CPU bottleneckSet the Correct Windows Power Plan
The default Windows "Balanced" power plan throttles both CPU and GPU clock speeds when under light load. Even under gaming load, the Balanced plan's dynamic scaling can cause millisecond clock dips that translate directly into FPS drops and micro-stuttering. High Performance or Ultimate Performance keeps clocks stable.
Enable Ultimate Performance Power Plan
Single highest-impact Windows setting for gamingpowercfg -duplicatescheme e9a42b02-d5df-448d-aa00-03f14749eb61
Enable Resizable BAR / Smart Access Memory
Resizable BAR (ReBAR) allows the CPU full access to the GPU's VRAM rather than the default 256MB window. On modern GPU + motherboard combinations, this is a free performance gain. It requires both BIOS support and a compatible GPU (NVIDIA RTX 30/40 series, AMD RX 5000 and newer).
Enable Resizable BAR in BIOS
Free performance — typically 3–12% FPS gain in GPU-bound scenariosUpdate or Clean-Install GPU Drivers
Outdated or corrupted GPU drivers are a frequent cause of GPU underperformance, stuttering, and low GPU clock speeds. The safest way to update is a clean driver installation using DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller) to fully remove old drivers before installing the latest version.
Clean GPU Driver Install Using DDU
The proper way to eliminate driver corruptionForce Exclusive Fullscreen Mode
Running games in Windowed or Borderless Windowed mode bypasses the GPU's exclusive fullscreen optimization and routes rendering through Windows Desktop Window Manager (DWM). This adds latency and can reduce GPU usage. Exclusive Fullscreen gives the GPU direct control of the display and is always the best choice for competitive or performance-focused gaming.
In most games: Settings → Display/Video → Window Mode → Fullscreen (not "Borderless Window"). If you need alt-tab convenience, Borderless Window with NVIDIA's Fast Sync or AMD's Enhanced Sync enabled is a reasonable compromise, but full Exclusive Fullscreen provides the highest GPU utilization and lowest latency.
Fix #6Undervolting to Improve Stable Clock Speeds
This is a more advanced technique but highly effective for GPUs that are thermally throttling. Undervolting reduces the voltage your GPU uses to reach its boost clock, which lowers temperature and allows the GPU to sustain higher clock speeds for longer without hitting thermal limits. Contrary to what the name suggests, undervolting typically improves performance by eliminating thermal throttle.
Remote GPU Optimization Service
If you've tried these steps and your GPU still isn't performing to its rated capability, the issue may require a deeper diagnostic — checking PCIe slot configuration, BIOS settings, driver conflicts, or Windows component interactions that aren't obvious from the surface. Navatek Gaming's remote GPU optimization service covers a full diagnostic and implements all applicable fixes in a single session.