How To Fix Your GPU Not Working At Full Potential

There are many reasons why your GPU isn’t working at full potential. It could be because of a defective GPU, a software issue, or your PC settings. 

To fix your GPU not working at full potential, you need to identify the root cause of the issue.Check your PC settings and software, and then check if any of your hardware components are defective. 

If your graphics card isn’t working at full potential, read on to see how you can remedy the problem.  

If you're not getting the performance you're paying for with your GPU, read this guide to fixing low performance.

How To Fix Your GPU Not Working At Full Potential

Check your PC settings and software

If your GPU isn’t working at full potential, it could be because of a software issue or your PC settings. First you need to check if the problem is with your settings. 

The second thing you should do is make sure all drivers are updated and check if there is any background programs running that may have caused the problem.

It's also a good idea to take a screenshot of your graphics card stats from within the game so that you can compare them later. 

If you still suspect that it's an issue with your hardware, please continue reading below.

Check your GPU

If you're not getting the performance you're paying for with your GPU, the graphics card may be defective. 

You need to check if your graphics card is working properly before continuing to troubleshoot any other potential problems. 

To do this, open up your PC and remove all of the components until you get to your graphics card. 

Remove all of the screws holding it in place and then take it out of your PC.  

The first thing you should do is open your graphics card’s case and check for dust or damaged parts. If there is dust or damaged parts, try cleaning them off. 

Cleaning off excess dust on the outside of the graphic card's fan can help increase airflow and cooling which will improve performance. 

Next, try reseating all of your graphics cards' memory modules and make sure they are securely screwed in place. 

If reseating doesn't work, then try replacing them with new ones. Lastly, if these steps don't work then it might be time to buy a new GPU altogether.

Is your GPU defective?

If you notice any issues with your PC, you should check if your GPU is defective. The first step is to make sure that your graphics card drivers are updated and up-to-date. 

If they are, read on to see what else could be causing your graphics card not to function at full potential. 

You can also use a tool such as GPU-Z or HWMonitor to diagnose whether or not your GPU is defective. 

It will tell you if any of the components on the board are defective. If it doesn’t appear that there is anything wrong with your graphics card, try updating the power settings on your computer to improve performance. 

Right click on the battery icon in the taskbar and select Power Options > High Performance > Change plan setting > Change advanced power settings > Processor power management > Maximum processor state = 100% . 

Then, go back into your BIOS settings by restarting your computer, but this time when you get to the login screen press “Delete” (or “F2”) for BIOS setup and find settings related to power management and set them accordingly.  

For example, if you want maximum performance from your graphics card and don't mind sacrificing battery life then turn off "Automatic Graphics Switching" and "Dynamic Video Memory Technology."

Is your PSU defective?

If your GPU is not working at full potential, the most likely culprit is your power supply unit (PSU). 

If your power supply is defective and can't provide enough energy for your system, it will show in the form of low framerates, freezes, or even system crashes. 

It's important to check if this is the cause before you invest any money in a new graphics card.  

The best way to test if your PSU is defective is by measuring its output with a multimeter. You'll need a bit of electrical knowledge to do this yourself. 

If you want to avoid the hassle of testing everything manually on your own, we recommend hiring an expert PC technician to take care of it for you.  

You may also want to consider upgrading to an affordable high-quality PSU such as EVGA SuperNOVA 1050W G3 Power Supply Unit.

Is your motherboard defective?

If you're not getting the performance you're paying for with your GPU, it could be because of a defective motherboard. 

If you have an old motherboard that's not compatible with a modern GPU, the fault will be with the motherboard. 

In this case, you'll need to replace your old motherboard with a new one that supports your GPU.

Check for defective components

If your graphics card (GPU) isn’t working at full potential, there are a few things you can do to help it get back up and running. 

The first thing to check is whether any of the components are defective. 

You can do this by removing each of the graphics card’s individual components and seeing whether the issue persists. 

You can also remove and replace the GPU to see whether the issue persists.

Watch this video to learn How To Fix low GPU usage and low FPS

Conclusion

This can be done by updating the GPU drivers and updating the BIOS to the latest version. 

You can either download the driver from NVIDIA or AMD, or you can do it manually by using the NVIDIA or AMD website.