I'm trying to figure out if I'm doing something wrong. I keep my PC running 24/7 mostly so I can remote into it or send game downloads without having to wait when I get home. However, I've noticed that my CPU sits at about 20% usage even when it should be idle. I have several programs running all the time for convenience, like SteelSeries Sonar, VoiceMod, Nvidia Broadcast, L-Connect, Signal RGB, OBS (with Replay Buffer on), Virtual Desktop (minimized), and Discord.
Here are my PC specs:
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D
- GPU: RTX 5070 Ti
- Mobo: MSI MAG X670E Tomahawk WiFi
One thing to note is that I have a Huion tablet connected directly to the motherboard's integrated graphics, but it's only running Discord and my OBS isn't capturing anything from it. I've made some changes to my BIOS settings like enabling Global C-state Control and EXPO, but I'm concerned about what this 20% continuous load means.
My questions are:
1. Is this level of usage normal for my setup with all these background programs?
2. Could having a monitor running on the iGPU contribute to higher CPU usage?
3. Should I consider turning my PC off at night instead? My internet is faster now, and I have my applications set to launch at startup anyway.
2 Answers
It could be that your CPU is running at a lower clock speed, making the 20% usage appear more significant. If it's at full speed and still showing that, then there's something to consider. You can check your current clock speeds using monitoring software like MSI Afterburner or similar tools.
Honestly, I'd say don't worry too much about it. As long as everything is functioning properly, it might just be the cost of running all those programs. CPUs can show higher usage when multiple processes are engaged, even if they're not visibly consuming resources.
That makes sense! I'm just a bit paranoid about the longevity of my system with all these apps running. I want to make sure I'm not sacrificing anything.
Thanks for the tip! I’ll look into those monitoring programs to get a better understanding of what’s going on.