Help concerning low frame rate and performance overall - Acer Predator Helios 300

SkillfulBrain
SkillfulBrain Member Posts: 4 New User
edited November 2023 in 2020 Archives
Well, I decided to reach the forum to ask for an incisive help from you guys! Unfortunately, I'm pretty much no expert on PC gaming whatsoever, as I've always been a console player and stuck to that 'til now. I've recently purchased this Acer Predator Helios 300 Notebook model G3-572-75L9, which comes with an GTX1060 of 6GB DDR5, INTEL i7-7700HQ and 16GB of RAM. Based on this ignorance of mine regarding necessary specs for gaming, the recommendation of this laptop was after a discussion with two other friends who are experienced in all this, and, besides, they have similar specs on their PCs (they don't own a gaming notebook, though).

I've constantly been facing hideous performance in games, specially CS:GO, which is the game I'd like to dedicate myself the most. Unfortunately, I couldn't seem to reach a qualitative and sufficient performance whilst in-game with the automatic settings CS assigns as default, based off of your benchmark power (in my case, it's all set on High). Frame rate barely hits 100 FPS when I'm set on Fullscreen mode, and, if I change it to Fullscreen Borderless (to make Alt+Tab easy), if FPS comes around to 80 is indeed a huge step!
As far as I knew, these laptop specs were supposed to handle greater frame rate rather than what I've been experiencing lately, primarily taking into account these performance test-wise videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRCFYME6GSA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jx1SZsfM7pg

I mean, *****, those dudes can hit 180+ FPS quite easily, whereas I've been going through this overwhelming issue. I have updated NVidia's drivers to their latest versions (v.411.70) through their own website; updated everything that applied on Windows Update; switched the option, in NVidia's control panel, to focus on Performance over Quality ("Adjust image settings with preview" tab), as well as swapped Preferred Graphics Processor to High-Performance NVidia Processor ("Manage 3D Settings" tab); disabled Whisper Mode in NVidia Experience software; battery plan is on High performance too; set Overclock Turbo for the GPU using Predator Sense software, amongst many other things I can't even remember now. I've even tried to reset this laptop to factory default state, selecting the "Clean Unit" option, which would be some kinda advanced restoring process on Windows 10, so that I could assure everything would be set to stack 0, yet no success on that either :/

I am extremely disappointed with this whole matter, as I thought at first glance I could reach at least the minimum expected, and not what's been going on now. And notice that I purchased this notebook on Sep 19th, it arrived Sep 25th, that is, it's indeed a very recent acquirement. In fact, what is impressive in all this is, even if changing CS settings to either Medium or Low, frame rate remains EXACTLY the same. There's no bare sign of 1 FPS increase to show somewhat improvement in the game performance. 

I honestly don't know what else I can do, because I pretty much have ran out of options. I tried to check some other threads here in this community forum, but in these one has either fixed this problem with one of the aforementioned attempts, or has fixed it, yet doesn't even tell how one could do such.

Thus, I ask, nice and gentle, you guys to help me regarding this whole matter, since I'm getting worked up for real and I don't have the bare minimum idea of what else I can do to fix this. Seriously, guys, I'd highly appreciate any kind of help! Thanks in advance!
«13

Answers

  • Try using Nvidia Driver version 388.31 (notebook) 64bit
    - Hotel Hero
  • sri369
    sri369 ACE Posts: 2,623 Pathfinder
    Karma...
    LIKE - if helpful
    ACCEPT - if helped resolve
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    Nitro 7 - AN715-51 - user benchmark: https://www.userbenchmark.com/UserRun/37631045
  • Red-Sand
    Red-Sand ACE Posts: 1,892 Pathfinder
    Silly question, are you running it on battery while testing?
    - Hotel Hero
  • SkillfulBrain
    SkillfulBrain Member Posts: 4 New User
    Red-Sand disse:
    Silly question, are you running it on battery while testing?
    Surely, I am not hahaha. When playing games, I'm always with the AC adapter plugged in. Actually, even in cases I'm not playing, I tend to keep that adapter connected.
    Btw, I've tried reversing NVidia's driver to version 388.31 (which is the one that comes with the laptop as factory default setting) as you suggested me earlier in the comments, but still I didn't manage to succeed on increasing the notebook's overall performance.
    Wouldn't you know something more straightforward that could be done to this gaming notebook so that I could improve its gaming performance? I've gotta be honest with you, this whole matter is driving me nuts, 'cause it seems I've spent my money in some piece of garbage, just because I can't manage to achieve what its technical specifications were supposed to do for me as regards getting consistent frame rate whilst in-game.
    I honestly am almost giving up all this, since I guess I've ran out of pretty much any option/solution on my end.
    The craziest thing on all this, and that's desconcerting to me is that it is (or was supposed to be, actually) a mid to high end performance notebook, yet I can't even manage to make use of such performance in an old game like CS:GO. That is indeed disappointing.
  • OliverM3
    OliverM3 Member Posts: 50 Devotee WiFi Icon
    edited October 2018
    First time I've heard someone complain about 100fps :) Have you monitored your temps with predator sense? If you're hitting the temp limit on the cpu or gpu you'll throttle down and lose performance. Never tried CS go but I can install the free version tonight on my Laptop and see what kind of frame rates I hit with my 1080 Max-Q. I recently upgraded from a laptop that had a 1060 because I would have to turn off settings to hit frame rates that I liked (+60fps). A big impact is just to turn off shadows and AA without much visual loss.
  • Red-Sand
    Red-Sand ACE Posts: 1,892 Pathfinder
    edited October 2018
    Red-Sand disse:
    Silly question, are you running it on battery while testing?
    Surely, I am not hahaha. When playing games, I'm always with the AC adapter plugged in. Actually, even in cases I'm not playing, I tend to keep that adapter connected.
    Btw, I've tried reversing NVidia's driver to version 388.31 (which is the one that comes with the laptop as factory default setting) as you suggested me earlier in the comments, but still I didn't manage to succeed on increasing the notebook's overall performance.
    Wouldn't you know something more straightforward that could be done to this gaming notebook so that I could improve its gaming performance? I've gotta be honest with you, this whole matter is driving me nuts, 'cause it seems I've spent my money in some piece of garbage, just because I can't manage to achieve what its technical specifications were supposed to do for me as regards getting consistent frame rate whilst in-game.
    I honestly am almost giving up all this, since I guess I've ran out of pretty much any option/solution on my end.
    The craziest thing on all this, and that's desconcerting to me is that it is (or was supposed to be, actually) a mid to high end performance notebook, yet I can't even manage to make use of such performance in an old game like CS:GO. That is indeed disappointing.

    I wish I did have a one size fits all answer but for me the performance has been just fine.

    I suggest checking out my Facebook group for the Helios 300. We have about 4200+ active Helios owners and I have yet to see an issue go unresolved. Many CSGO players as well.

    As a matter of fact, we even have the YouTuber from the video you showed as a member.

    https://www.facebook.com/groups/1969145569968592/

    I create videos on optimizing performance especially for the 300 you may find useful as well.

    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNJwGUHxSJ8FKqAhnOqQuAw

    If you apply to the Facebook group, mention me on this forum in the questionnaire. (We don't add randoms)
    - Hotel Hero
  • Red-Sand
    Red-Sand ACE Posts: 1,892 Pathfinder
    FYI: The Helios is the most powerful laptop for it's price on the market hands down. You didn't buy garbage. 😉
    - Hotel Hero
  • bizen92
    bizen92 Member Posts: 14

    Tinkerer

    edited November 2018
    i have the same problem, i'm getting below average performance in all games (cs go 100-40,fortnite 100-144,dota 2 60-80 fps) regardless of the settings level. however i realized that the gpu usage was not at 99% as in the benchmark videos i watched. i've tried everything but still no solution... i have the 2018 model (gtx 1060 i7 8750h )
  • Red-Sand
    Red-Sand ACE Posts: 1,892 Pathfinder
    In Nvidia control panel try setting power management to "Prefer Maximum Performance".
    - Hotel Hero
  • JohnnyBravoooo
    JohnnyBravoooo Member Posts: 20 Troubleshooter
    nah hes right, he aint the only one with this problem, have my laptop a year now, 2017 model i think,GTX1060 6gb same as his, pretty much same as the guys above, eg i see some peoples fortnite, 200+ fps constantly lowest settings 1080p, and highest 1080p above 60fps constantly, mine cant even go above 60 fps on lowest settings 1080p i have to  play stretched or lower res to play, ive tried everything to overlcocking which i didnt see a big improvment, cou undervolting, cleaning the laptop from windows useless BS it puts on, every little thing aswell as fan cooling, my laptop went into repair cause my CPU fan went out a month ago, and they reset it, did full diagnostics and it was *fine* the fan wasnt, but the laptop was in good condition anyhow
    what im trying to say is i thaught i got a really good laptop, but i cant even get a constant 60 fps on minecraft with a couple simple mods, the new subnautica is at constant 30_45 fps on 1600x900, like wow, i see this  amazing laptop everybodys talking about, what i see is a load of junk where i could have gotten a pc for cheaper, better gpu and VR capabality cause let me tell you, VR does not god ***** work on this, VR ready my *****, 40-60 fps you get sick, i play PSVR all the time no sweat, a god ***** ps4 day one release is more VR powerful, pretty sad, honestly, if somebody is getting a laptop, id just point them to a pc because a laptop is just stressfull, id rather a prebuilt, the laptop isnt *horrible* but certainly wasnt worth 2000 euro, extremely disapionted
  • JohnnyBravoooo
    JohnnyBravoooo Member Posts: 20 Troubleshooter
    and im sorry for cursing if thats allowed or not, im just really ***** for an entire year i cant do simple things its supposed to do
  • JohnnyBravoooo
    JohnnyBravoooo Member Posts: 20 Troubleshooter
    just done a userbenchmark test and well, isnt pleasent 

    https://www.userbenchmark.com/UserRun/14272838

    theres the link for it, im honestly disapionted and wondering what i can do to fix it
  • sri369
    sri369 ACE Posts: 2,623 Pathfinder
    edited January 2019
    just done a userbenchmark test and well, isnt pleasent 

    https://www.userbenchmark.com/UserRun/14272838

    theres the link for it, im honestly disapionted and wondering what i can do to fix it
    Being brutally honest, i think this is atleast 75% a user issue: look at the background CPU in your benchmark - a surreal 81%.
    You need to optimize your windows - at idle, background CPU is more towards 0-1%, worst case too is still under 5%. For comparison, look at my benchmark in my signature.
    Below are the CPU and GPU utilization, temperature and clock graphs plotted as i am browsing this forum, and replying to you.




    Karma...
    LIKE - if helpful
    ACCEPT - if helped resolve
    ---------
    Nitro 7 - AN715-51 - user benchmark: https://www.userbenchmark.com/UserRun/37631045
  • JohnnyBravoooo
    JohnnyBravoooo Member Posts: 20 Troubleshooter
    sri369 said:
    just done a userbenchmark test and well, isnt pleasent 

    https://www.userbenchmark.com/UserRun/14272838

    theres the link for it, im honestly disapionted and wondering what i can do to fix it
    Being brutally honest, i think this is atleast 75% a user issue: look at the background CPU in your benchmark - a surreal 81%.
    You need to optimize your windows - at idle, background CPU is more towards 0-1%, worst case too is still under 5%. For comparison, look at my benchmark in my signature.
    Below are the CPU and GPU utilization, temperature and clock graphs plotted as i am browsing this forum, and replying to you.




    I’m not a genius in this stuff, but t does kinda make sense to me
    also i forgot to say, while I did the benchmark I was running subnautica below zero as it just came out, and was frustrated at the 30-40 FPS it was giving me at 1600x900 medium settings (I know it’s not  optimised as it’s a new game, but the original subnautica was only a 10fps increase, still not 60 FPS) and I did check my task manage while playing and removed any unecessary applications, but they just came back after I open another game or turn off my laptop, I’ll do another Userbenchmark today when I’m off school, but considering I have an i7, 7700Hq (not sure if it’s amazing, but should be good enough right?)  gtx 1060 6gb ddr5 should be able to run games at 60 FPS medium settings 1600x900, sorry if I did anything wrong, been trying for a year now, 
  • sri369
    sri369 ACE Posts: 2,623 Pathfinder
    Do a benchmark without any thing running in background and show the results.
    Karma...
    LIKE - if helpful
    ACCEPT - if helped resolve
    ---------
    Nitro 7 - AN715-51 - user benchmark: https://www.userbenchmark.com/UserRun/37631045
  • JohnnyBravoooo
    JohnnyBravoooo Member Posts: 20 Troubleshooter
    alright, i have the results {post bekow}
  • JohnnyBravoooo
    JohnnyBravoooo Member Posts: 20 Troubleshooter
    also i think its useing intel integrated graphics rather than my gpu, how do i fix that
  • JohnnyBravoooo
    JohnnyBravoooo Member Posts: 20 Troubleshooter
    https://www.userbenchmark.com/UserRun/14295301
    results nothing in the background
  • JohnnyBravoooo
    JohnnyBravoooo Member Posts: 20 Troubleshooter
    sorry for the long line of comments, if you want the model its a Pradtor PH317-51
  • JohnnyBravoooo
    JohnnyBravoooo Member Posts: 20 Troubleshooter
    https://www.userbenchmark.com/UserRun/14295654 fixed it, still not what i was expecting,