ENBoost + VSync... are either necessary?

[ShiranZou]

Hi Gang.

5 days in and I finally found STEP: Core, after looking for guidance from Gopher and GamerPoets.

I've familiarized myself with the tools needed, and am starting to follow STEP: Core.

 

However, I am unhappy with the results of using ENBoost.

I'm unsure if it's actually beneficial to me, having 896 mb VRam and 4Gigs Ram.

With Vsync enabled, I can hit 30 fps drops too easily, with just 5-10 npcs or looking at Riverwood from the bridge.

 

I benchmarked in-game and my GPU uses 100% most of the time indoors. 70% outdoors. CPU almost always 30%.

^ Using Skyrim Performance Monitor, which refuses to run while ENBInjector is active. So, I'm not sure of the actual effect of ENBoost.

This is with every possible setting minimized, at 60+fps. Near rivers I can go over 120 fps and get screen flickers... see link.

https://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2580126

 

I am really hating the notion of using Vsync. Can I use an Fps Limiter instead? If so, which one?

 

Is ENBoost(or VSync) truly required for every1 following STEP: Core? If so, why is it needed exactly?

 

My Spec

https://wiki.step-project.com/User:ShiranZou/SystemSpecs

[z929669]

ENBoost is essential for a highly modded game with lots of demanding textures. You probably won't notice any performance increase, but you should see a reduction in load times and CTDs. It certainly should not hurt performance.

 

I also would not run without vsync enabled (via GPU). Best way to judge for yourself is to run with and without for each of them. You be the judge ... but we recommend them for a reason ;)

 

30+ FPS is pretty reasonable. There is no need ever to want or have > 60 though. You will notice gfx anomalies at those rates (well, anything over your monitor refresh rate). We actually have doc and links on the wiki regarding both of these methods/tools. Have a read.

[hishutup]

ENBoost is essential for a highly modded game with lots of demanding textures. You probably won't notice any performance increase, but you should see a reduction in load times and CTDs. It certainly should not hurt performance.

Way back when, I used ENB but wanted to find the source of my crashes (SSME wasnt around) so I removed ENB and crashed almost immediately in solitude. Little did I know ENBoost was a thing that fixed the 3.1GB crash due to a large amount of texture data, generally speaking it wasnt much, skyrimHD 2k maybe.

 

 

I consider it a fix like the Unofficial Patches and SSME/SKSE mem tweaks

 

 

I think the vsync was because physics objects dont settle correctly and start vibrating.

I can see why people dont use it but my experience with fps limiters has been terrible.

I've been using adaptive vsync which works pretty well for a few games.

[TechAngel85]

ENBoost CAN (sorry for caps...on cellphone with no format options...tapatalk) affect performance! System RAM is slower than VRAM so a user that doesn't have much VRAM will, most likely, be affected with slower performance but it's still better than not running it.

 

By the sounds of it, Shiran, your system isn't meant for games like Skyrim. Especially not modded.

[oqhansoloqo]

ENBoost definitely improved the performance in my setup, for Skyrim.  I have 4 GB VRAM on my video card too, which is a decent amount.  I do go above baseline STEP though and use 2k textures mostly.

[GrantSP]

...

By the sounds of it, Shiran, your system isn't meant for games like Skyrim. Especially not modded.

Ordinarily I would agree with you on that but when I did a check of this card it actually seems to be much better than I'd expected. Whilst <1Gb VRAM seems low, benchmarks for AAA games are fairly reasonable, albeit at low resolutions.

[ShiranZou]

Thank you for the guidance.

 

Ordinarily I would agree with you on that but when I did a check of this card it actually seems to be much better than I'd expected. Whilst <1Gb VRAM seems low, benchmarks for AAA games are fairly reasonable, albeit at low resolutions.

I was as surprised as you, honestly.

• RECOMMENDED:
  • Processor: Quad-core Intel or AMD CPU 
  • Memory: 4GB System RAM 
  • Video Card: DirectX 9.0c compatible NVIDIA or AMD ATI video card with 1GB of RAM (Nvidia GeForce GTX 260 or higher; ATI Radeon 4890 or higher) 

Though, I'm over the idea of running at 60 fps. Those requirements are definitely for 30 fps. Logs at minimum settings.

 

 

 

As far as adding mods, I should be able to get a stable STEP: Core setup going I think.

I'll benchmark as I progress, and likely make another thread in the appropriate subforum.

 

I was wondering though, have you ever gotten reports of ENBoost interfering with Skyrim Performance Monitor?

https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/6491/?

I'll adjust to your benchmarking method either way.

Edited July 3, 2015 by ShiranZou

[TechAngel85]

I'm on my phone (tapatalk) so I'm only going by what I can see in the text of the post. Even still, those numbers are for an unmodded game.

 

As for ENB, yes. The injector version doesn't run side by side with SPM. With the wrapper version, you shouldn't have a problem as long as you run MO from SPM.

[ShiranZou]

When I tried the 272 wrapper version it didn't work. Neither worked for version 262, only 272's injector.

Does the wrapper version just not work for some people?

 

I edited my last post with some benchmark info, though not in the form you're used to.

 

Can I expect to run STEP: Core with the low quality version and not have problems,

since I'd be replacing unoptimized Vanilla textures and tweaking for performance wherever possible?

 

The rest of my specs shouldn't have a problem handling scripts and whatnot, right?

Or does STEP: Core even at the lowest spectrum push towards the 3.1 Gb limit, forcing me to use ENBoost, therein lying the problem?

Edited July 3, 2015 by ShiranZou

[ShiranZou]

^ Bump :

 

 

 

Does STEP: Core even at the low quality version push towards the 3.1 Gb limit, forcing me to use ENBoost, therein giving problems since I have low VRam?

 

Edited July 3, 2015 by ShiranZou

[TechAngel85]

It shouldn't with those options.

[ShiranZou]

Thanks again, my questions have been answered