Deep Rock Galactic Not Using GPU

Deep Rock Galactic Not Using GPU: How to FIX

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Deep Rock Galactic Not Using GPU: Deep Rock Galactic, developed by Ghost Ship Games and released by Coffee Stain Publishing in May 2020, is a cooperative first-person shooter designed for 1-4 players.

Available on PC and Xbox One, the game immerses players in a vibrant world filled with space dwarves, fully destructible environments, procedurally generated caves, and relentless waves of alien adversaries.

Since its launch, some users have reported issues with GPU (graphics processing unit) utilization on PC, particularly during startup and gameplay.

This is not an isolated problem; many PC games experience various stability challenges or bugs related to Windows systems and hardware optimization. Such issues can lead to a range of performance problems, including lag, stuttering, graphical artifacts, frame rate drops, and in some cases, inadequate GPU usage.

Interestingly, this GPU utilization problem can affect a wide range of systems, from budget and mid-range gaming PCs to high-end configurations.

Regardless of your hardware specifications, players may encounter difficulties with graphics card performance in Deep Rock Galactic unless they take the time to adjust and optimize their in-game graphics settings.

Fix: Deep Rock Galactic Not Using GPU

There are several possible explanations for why your GPU may not be performing optimally in your PC games, and addressing these issues could lead to significant improvements.

Key factors to investigate include the activation of V-Sync, the presence of motion blur, potential ray tracing complications, graphics driver malfunctions, the possibility of not utilizing the dedicated graphics card, and issues related to corrupted or missing game files.

Additionally, ensure that your game is updated to the latest patch version and check for any resource-intensive tasks running in the background.

By following this troubleshooting guide, you should be able to resolve most of these issues effectively. Let’s dive right in and explore the solutions.

1. Check System Requirements

As per the official specifications for Deep Rock Galactic on PC, the game requires at least an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 with 3GB of memory or an AMD Radeon RX 570 with 4GB to meet the minimum graphics card standards.

For an enhanced and smoother gaming experience, it is recommended to use a NVIDIA GeForce 1080 Ti or an AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT. Therefore, rest assured that your PC setup is well-equipped to handle Deep Rock Galactic without any issues.

2. Use a Dedicated Graphics Card

To optimize your gaming experience in Deep Rock Galactic, it is crucial to ensure that your computer is utilizing the dedicated or external graphics card. This adjustment can significantly minimize issues such as stuttering, lagging, and frame rate drops. If you’re unsure about which settings to modify, follow the guidelines below for your respective graphics card.

**For Nvidia Users:

If you have an Nvidia graphics card, follow these steps:

  • 1. Right-click on an empty area of your desktop and select **NVIDIA Control Panel**.
  • 2. Navigate to **3D Settings** and click on **Manage 3D settings** in the left sidebar.
  • 3. Go to the **Program Settings** tab and locate **Deep Rock Galactic** from the dropdown menu.
  • 4. Choose the option for a **High-performance NVIDIA processor**.
  • 5. Save your changes and restart your computer for the updates to take effect.

**For AMD Users:

If you’re using an AMD graphics card, you can adjust the settings as follows:

  • 1. Right-click on an empty space on your desktop and select **AMD Radeon Settings** from the menu.
  • 2. Click on **System** and then choose **Switchable Graphics**.
  • 3. Ensure that you save your changes, and then restart your computer to implement the adjustments.

By following these steps, you can enhance your gameplay and enjoy a smoother experience in Deep Rock Galactic.

3. Update GPU Drivers

An obsolete or malfunctioning graphics card driver can lead to various issues affecting both game performance and overall system functionality. It’s advisable to verify if your graphics driver is up to date. Here’s how you can do this:

  • 1. Press the Win+X keys together to access the Quick Link Menu.
  • 2. Select Device Manager from the options presented, then expand the Display adapters section by double-clicking it.
  • 3. Locate your currently active graphics card, right-click on it, and choose the option to Update driver.
  • 4. Opt for the Search automatically for drivers option. If a newer version is available, it will be downloaded and installed automatically.
  • 5. After the installation is complete, restart your computer to ensure the changes take effect.

Alternatively, you can manually obtain the latest graphics driver from the manufacturer’s official website. Ensure you download the driver that corresponds to your specific graphics card model.

For users with Nvidia graphics cards, updates can be managed through the GeForce Experience application available on Nvidia’s official site. Similarly, AMD graphics card owners can visit the AMD website for driver updates.

4. Update Deep Rock Galactic

An outdated game patch can lead to a variety of issues on your gaming device, including crashes, lag, stuttering, and problems related to the CPU or GPU. To minimize these risks, it is advisable to regularly check for game updates and install the latest versions as they become available. Here’s how to do that for both Steam and Epic Games Launcher:

**For Steam Users:

  • 1. Launch the Steam client and navigate to your Library.
  • 2. Select “Deep Rock Galactic” from your list of installed games on the left side.
  • 3. The client will automatically check for any available updates.
  • 4. If an update is present, you will see an option to update—click on it.
  • 5. Allow a few minutes for the update process to complete, depending on your internet speed and storage capacity.
  • 6. Once the update is finished, restart your computer.

**For Epic Games Launcher Users:

  • 1. Open the Epic Games Launcher and go to the Library section.
  • 2. Locate “Deep Rock Galactic” and click on the three-dot icon next to it.
  • 3. Ensure that the Auto Update feature is enabled to receive updates automatically.

By keeping your game updated, you can enhance performance and reduce the likelihood of technical issues.

5. Verify and Repair Game Files

Issues with game launching or performance can often stem from corrupted or missing game files. To address the problem of Deep Rock Galactic not utilizing the GPU effectively, it’s essential to verify and repair the game files using the Steam or Epic Games Launcher. Here’s how to do it:

**For Steam Users:

  • 1. Launch the Steam client on your computer and sign in to your account.
  • 2. Navigate to your Library section.
  • 3. Locate Deep Rock Galactic in the list on the left side and right-click on it.
  • 4. Select ‘Properties‘ from the context menu, then go to the ‘Local Files’ tab.
  • 5. Click on ‘Verify Integrity of Game Files…‘ and allow the process to finish.
  • 6. Once verification is complete, close the Steam client and restart your computer to apply any changes.

**For Epic Games Launcher Users:

  • 1. Open the Epic Games Launcher and access your Library.
  • 2. Find Deep Rock Galactic and click on the three dots icon located next to it.
  • 3. Select ‘Verify‘ from the dropdown menu and wait for the repair process to complete.
  • 4. After verification, restart your PC to ensure all changes take effect.

Following these steps should help resolve any GPU utilization issues you may be experiencing with Deep Rock Galactic.

6. Try Disabling Overlay Apps

In certain cases, applications may include an additional overlay feature designed to assist streamers and gamers. However, these overlay tools can sometimes interfere with game files, leading to performance issues such as frame rate drops, black screens, lag, and glitches. To determine if these overlays are causing game crashes, it’s advisable to manually disable them before restarting the game. Here’s how to do it for various applications:

**Disabling Discord Overlay:

  • 1. Open the Discord application.
  • 2. Click on the gear icon located at the bottom of the screen to access settings.
  • 3. Navigate to the “Overlay” section under App Settings.
  • 4. Ensure that the “Enable in-game overlay” option is turned on.
  • 5. Go to the “Games” tab and find “Deep Rock Galactic.”
  • 6. Switch off the toggle for “Enable in-game overlay.”
  • 7. Restart your computer to apply the changes.

**Disabling Xbox Game Bar:

  • 1. Press the Windows key + I to open Windows Settings.
  • 2. Select the “Gaming” option.
  • 3. Click on “Game Bar” and disable the “Record game clips, screenshots, and broadcast using the Game bar” feature.

**Disabling Nvidia GeForce Experience Overlay:

  • 1. Launch the Nvidia GeForce Experience application.
  • 2. Go to the “Settings” section.
  • 3. Under the “General” tab, turn off the “In-Game Overlay” option.
  • 4. Restart your PC and relaunch the game.

Additionally, other overlay applications like MSI Afterburner, Rivatuner, and RGB software may also lead to performance issues. It is recommended to disable these as well to ensure a smoother gaming experience.

7. Close Background Running Tasks

Background processes or applications that are not essential can significantly consume system resources, such as CPU and memory. This excessive usage can lead to a noticeable decline in system performance, often resulting in issues like crashes, lag, and loading failures. To enhance your system’s efficiency, it’s advisable to terminate any unnecessary background tasks. Here’s how to do it:

  • 1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to access the Task Manager.
  • 2. Navigate to the Processes tab, where you’ll find a list of currently running tasks.
  • 3. Identify and select any tasks that are not needed and are consuming a substantial amount of resources.
  • 4. Click on “End Task” for each of these processes individually to close them.

5. After completing these steps, restart your computer to improve overall performance.

8. Turn Off V-Sync

In Deep Rock Galactic, V-Sync or FreeSync is often enabled by default, which can lead to conflicts between the game’s refresh rate and your monitor’s refresh rate. To enhance your gaming experience, it’s advisable to disable these features. Here’s how you can do this on both Nvidia and AMD systems:

### For Nvidia Users:

  • 1. Launch Steam or the Epic Games Launcher.
  • 2. Start Deep Rock Galactic and navigate to the in-game Settings menu.
  • 3. Within the Display Options, ensure that V-Sync is turned off.
  • 4. Next, open the NVIDIA Control Panel by right-clicking on your desktop and selecting it.
  • 5. In the left panel, click on “Manage 3D Settings.”
  • 6. Scroll down to the Vertical Sync option under Global Settings and disable it.
  • 7. Click “Apply” and then restart your PC to ensure the changes take effect.

### For AMD Users:

  • 1. Start Deep Rock Galactic and go to the in-game Settings menu.
  • 2. Ensure that V-Sync is disabled in the Display Options.
  • 3. Open the AMD Radeon software and navigate to the Global Settings section.
  • 4. In the Global Graphics tab, locate the “Wait for Vertical Refresh” option.
  • 5. Click on the down arrow next to it, and select “Always Off” to disable V-Sync or Enhanced Sync.
  • 6. Finally, turn off the “Wait for Vertical Refresh” option and restart your PC.

By following these steps, you should find an improvement in your gameplay experience. We hope this guide has been useful! If you have any further questions, feel free to leave a comment below.

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