Just for the record, I do not buy the temps recorded in Windows on the M395X. Not even for a second. I'm going to guess that there's a problem in Windows and the temps are being reported incorrectly, which would explain why the fans are not speeding up. That to me is worrisome.
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Gaming on M395X: I'm satisfied
- Thread starter MandiMac
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Thanks for the compliment, I thought this through (like way too many of us, I bet). The official AMD drivers won't work and honestly I don't want to mess around with my now-functioning Win 10 partition
I didn't provide them because I'm too dumb to actually log them with Everest - I only get snapshots when I want a log file. Do you have any other app which can log temps?
I don't have L4D2, I'm sorry - but I can give you some useful info. Look at post #8: I stated that I maxed everything in Diablo III at 1440p and got around 140 FPS and more, whereas barefeats states that all they get is a 72 FPS.
Here's the kicker: They tested under OS X, I test under Win 10. What a difference DirectX still makes, huh?
140fps? In the middle of greater rifts. I'd love to see a video of that. I have the 2014 5K iMac (i7/M295X), and I don't even maintain 60fps at 1440p, shadows on low, when things get crazy, in either OS X or Windows.
Haha, it seems like it's a combination of 1 and 2
To add something: I've officially given up on Diablo III as a stresstest for this M395X. I started out with around 50 degrees and tried different stress, like 5K with ultra settings or running around at 1440p with 140-200 FPS. I **** you not: 50 minutes full of gameplay and bounties, and the temps were at max 63 degrees Celsius for the CPU and 58 for the GPU. The load of the GPU was always at 100 % (909 MHz, 1365 MHz memory clock), whereas the CPU had between 30 and 40 % load at around 3,5 GHz. So there's a lot of headroom, be it the additional 400 MHz or the 60 % CPU cycles.
For the record, the fan swirled around 1800 rpm at max, a silent swoosh, nothing more. And this after 50 minutes of 100 % GPU load.
It didn't matter what I did, the temps didn't rise with Diablo III. I gotta try something else, something what kicks the CPU as well. Maybe a small round of BOINC number crunching, let's see...
@Astelith: Gotta try that one out asap!
This really makes zero sense to me. I just find it basically impossible to believe that at 1440p you're getting 140-200fps at ultra settings 1440p, with the GPU at 58C. There's basically no chance. ZERO. I'm not trying to be rude, but something is getting mis-reported.
(Apologies for the multiple posts)
Hey WilliamG, no apologies needed
I'm curious too, that's another reason why I started this thread so we can discuss this here.I have a link for you all: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/9mcxcaktzm5o0pg/AACLdFmur6O7K7GlKK3zj2Wla?dl=0
These are records - the 2 that start with BOINC are from Everest, GPU-Z and a HardwareMonitoring from Afterburner.
I let BOINC work at a 100 % CPU load overnight as you can see and these are the recorded temps.
What's interesting is that Everest and Afterburner figures DO differ. I'll start playing another round of Diablo III immediately just for you guys!
I don't think so. You'd have to know why you'd need the 256 additional shaders - it's like with 32 GB of RAM, you'll know it when you need them.
As for the pixels to push: Look at the integrated graphics chugging along in other Retina Displays without much upheaval
Hey there, I have a goodie for you
Look at the dropbox link above, I upload a video of me playing really bad with one hand in the campaign. The upload is still in progress, though (373 MB, only 2 minutes!), so that might take more time than I thought. And as long as I can't switch over to Windows, I can't test anything else...sigh. As a spoiler: The FPS never went below 80 in the time I played under OS X, and that's a big jump for me where I struggled with my 2012 iMac (GT 650M) to have a constant 30 with some settings turned on.
I tried - after shooting this video - a Greater Rift at level 15 (I'm not better :'D) and VSync on, and the FPS never bogged under 60. I even managed to get the screen full of exotic monsters with spheres and blockers, no problem for this machine.
But you were right: Everest under Windows takes another temperature than iStat. iStat goes straight for the GPU Diode where the work is done, whereas Everest takes the GPU Ambient/GPU Proximity sensor, thus the big difference.
I included a screenshot here that is quite telling: Without VSync, the temps on the GPU die rose in a matter of 15-20 minutes up to 99 degrees Celsius, and with VSync on, you see the temps hovering around 85 to 87 degrees. So in order to have a reason for worrying about your dear GPU, you'd have to pull out all stops. You can even see where I stopped playing without VSync because the temps fall quickly to a level and stay there.
But as for so many people here wondering if the iMac is right for their "light to medium gaming needs", hell yeah, of course it is right. The power behind this gorgeous screen is tremendous, and if you're like me and love VSync, you won't do your GPU any harm.
And for all, I'm sorry I did cause some confusion here with the wrong temps, seems like Everest has got some work to do when it comes to sensor reading. I'll follow suit with a DIII test under Windows 10 and Afterburner, but first the video has to be uploaded...
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I could test all day and night long I guess
Unfortunately, the mystery has been solved - Everest simply took the wrong sensor (GPU Proximity instead of GPU Die everyone wants to see). I try it immediately.
EDIT: And here we are: On Ultra settings with VSync on we have between 30 and 60 FPS while the GPU runs at 90 degrees Celsius. VSync seems to be mandatory for the temps. Then again, I never understood why one wants more than 60 FPS.
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I'm not a hard gamer: I still play on ps3 instead of using my father pc so fps and resolution is the last thing i'm worried.
My only concern is temp and the one you are reporting are really good and a lot lower than the one other people reported with same config as you but with i7.
I don't like the idea of my mac melting since i do a lot of video encoding.
Now there could be different conclusions:
- having 60fps with VSync solves temp problem
- i7 generate a lot more heat
- you have the best assembled iMac in the world
Congratulation with your purchase!!
Your iMac won't "melt" no matter what you do to it. Seriously, people need to stop getting so scared over posts about temperature on the internet. If your iMac TRULY overheats, it will shut itself down to prevent any damage.
Good quipAround 50°
But guys, the GPUs are not made of water, they don't evaporate over 100°
I think xmichaelp meant the MHz, not the temps, though.
What about the fan noise in Diablo or overall impression. One of the reasons returning my first Gen retina iMac / full specs was that the fans started in the menu screen of Diablo back then.
Also I see some people talking about some tack tack tacking noise in the i7 configuration in the back of the fan's area.
My new i7 is on my way and I would hate to return it again.
Thanks,
Mike
Also I see some people talking about some tack tack tacking noise in the i7 configuration in the back of the fan's area.
My new i7 is on my way and I would hate to return it again.
Thanks,
Mike
Ops, my bad.Good quip
I think xmichaelp meant the MHz, not the temps, though.
The M295X hasn't really an idle frequency, everything is driven by power absorbed, let's say raging between 774 and 850MHz, more GPU load, less the clock, this in order to control the power drawn and respect the thermal goal (different than throttling, it is very rare to happen)
The M395X is the same, with an higher boost clock
Get GPU-Z for that - the M395X idles at 318 MHz for instance.
I played now two Diablo III Greater Rifts (level 16) with Ultra settings at 1440p with VSync on, and I have logged everything. Link is the same: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/9mcxcaktzm5o0pg/AACLdFmur6O7K7GlKK3zj2Wla?dl=0
Funny: VRAM never is above 900 MB, temps are around 87 degrees at max. So this is what we should look at.
Under Windows 10, there's no fan noise. 1200 rpm idling around, and the temps are well under 90 degrees, see above. Just enable VSync and you're fine!
318 is the low state of the GPU, I meant the higher one, I did months of testing last year, I know this GPU like the palm of my hand
Here you can find some video of my test sessions :
Metro Last Light with 100% fan (forced) and then in Auto
Don't trust GPU-Z sensor for the fan, Im my test the numbers displayed was wrong:
So, that's a last update for today, I'll be on my iMac tomorrow around afternoon, so that's a pause of around 24 hours I played the following games:
Child of Light: 5K at 60 fps
Forced: 5K at 60 fps
Max Payne 3: 1440p at 60 fps (High settings)
Watch Dogs: 1440p at 30 fps (Ultra settings)
Final Fantasy XIII: 5K at 25-30 fps, 1440p at 30 fps (seems to be capped at 30)
Skyrim: 1440p at 60fps, 5K at 30 fps
Everything runs smoothly and I couldn't be happier. @Astelith: I didn't talk about the fan, but about the MHz clock. You get a screenshot.
I repeat myself: For light to medium gaming needs, this iMac is nothing short of awesome.
I played the following games:Child of Light: 5K at 60 fps
Forced: 5K at 60 fps
Max Payne 3: 1440p at 60 fps (High settings)
Watch Dogs: 1440p at 30 fps (Ultra settings)
Final Fantasy XIII: 5K at 25-30 fps, 1440p at 30 fps (seems to be capped at 30)
Skyrim: 1440p at 60fps, 5K at 30 fps
Everything runs smoothly and I couldn't be happier. @Astelith: I didn't talk about the fan, but about the MHz clock. You get a screenshot.
I repeat myself: For light to medium gaming needs, this iMac is nothing short of awesome.
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318 is the low state of the GPU, I meant the higher one, I did months of testing last year, I know this GPU like the palm of my hand
Here you can find some video of my test sessions :
Metro Last Light with 100% fan (forced) and then in Auto
Stress test GPU
Don't trust GPU-Z sensor for the fan, Im my test the numbers displayed was wrong:
Nice info there!! Specially those Vram results
Im trying to figure how much the 5K consumes to make a decision on the 395 or 395x By any chance do you have Premier Pro that you could load a 1080p file and a 4k file load it to the time line and see how much vram is being consumed in the process. (that will be a good indicator for FCPX)Working in a triple display here (3x1080) and i get about 800-900mb of Vram usage in Premiere Pro. Would be nice to see how much it draws on the 5K screen and see if its worth going from the 395 to the 395x upgrade.
Thanks
I just installed windows 10 to try out Heroes of the Storm to see how big a difference there is in performance compared to OS X. And it is really night and day. In OS X on 1440p with ultra settings I can manage a FPS in the 35-50 region. In windows 10 with 1440p extreme settings I can manage a FPS which never goes under 60. And the screen is just awesome to game on.So, that's a last update for today, I'll be on my iMac tomorrow around afternoon, so that's a pause of around 24 hours
Child of Light: 5K at 60 fps
Forced: 5K at 60 fps
Max Payne 3: 1440p at 60 fps (High settings)
Watch Dogs: 1440p at 30 fps (Ultra settings)
Final Fantasy XIII: 5K at 25-30 fps, 1440p at 30 fps (seems to be capped at 30)
Skyrim: 1440p at 60fps, 5K at 30 fps
Everything runs smoothly and I couldn't be happier. @Astelith: I didn't talk about the fan, but about the MHz clock. You get a screenshot.
I repeat myself: For light to medium gaming needs, this iMac is nothing short of awesome.
