Helldivers 2 is a third-person shooter game developed by Arrowhead Game Studios and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It is the sequel to Helldivers, a top-down shooter game released in 2015. Helldivers 2 was released on February 8th, 2024, for PlayStation 5 and Windows. However, some players have reported low GPU usage issues while playing the game on their PC.
When launching and playing Helldivers 2 on a Windows computer, you may experience low GPU (graphics processing unit) usage. This common problem can occur with many PC games due to stability issues, bugs, and hardware optimization. These issues can lead to lags, stutters, graphical glitches, frame drops, 100% CPU usage, and low GPU usage.
Even low-budget and mid-budget gaming PCs and some high-end gaming rigs can have difficulties using graphics card resources on the Windows system. Therefore, optimizing in-game graphics settings is crucial to avoid any issues while playing Helldivers 2, regardless of your computer specifications.
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Fix: Helldivers 2 Not Using GPU
There are several potential reasons why your PC games may not be utilizing the GPU properly, and it’s important to consider each one and troubleshoot accordingly. Common culprits include V-Sync being turned on, motion blur being enabled, issues with raytracing, problems with your graphic driver, failure to use the dedicated graphics card, corrupted or missing game files, outdated game patches, and background tasks running in the background. Following a comprehensive troubleshooting guide should help resolve this issue. Let’s dive right in and get started.
1. Check System Requirements
Minimum System Requirements:
- Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
- OS: Windows 10
- Processor: Intel Core i7-4790K or AMD Ryzen 5 1500X
- Memory: 8 GB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti or AMD Radeon RX 470
- Storage: 100 GB available space
Recommended System Requirements:
- Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
- OS: Windows 10
- Processor: Intel Core i7-9700K or AMD Ryzen 7 3700X
- Memory: 16 GB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 or AMD Radeon RX 6600XT
- Storage: 100 GB available space
- Additional Notes: SSD Recommended
2. Use a Dedicated Graphics Card
Ensure your computer system uses the dedicated or external graphics card to run the Helldivers 2 game. It’ll eventually reduce game stutters, lags, and frame drops without any doubt. If you don’t know which settings to adjust, follow the steps below.
For Nvidia:
You can do the following if you’re using the Nvidia graphics card.
- Right-click on the desktop blank screen > Click on NVIDIA Control Panel.
- Click on 3D settings > Select Manage 3D settings in the left pane.
- Select the Program Settings tab > Choose Helldivers 2 from the drop-down list.
- Now, select a High-performance NVIDIA processor.
- Save changes and reboot the PC to apply changes.
For AMD:
AMD graphics card users can do the following.
- Right-click on the desktop blank screen > Select AMD Radeon Settings from the context menu.
- Now, click on System > Select Switchable Graphics.
- Make sure to save changes and reboot the PC to apply changes.
3. Update GPU Drivers
An outdated or corrupted graphics card driver can trigger multiple game or system performance issues. It’s highly recommended to check the graphics driver update. To do so:
- Press the Win+X keys to open the Quick Link Menu.
- Click on Device Manager from the list > Double-click on Display adapters.
- Right-click on the dedicated graphics card that you’re currently using.
- Click on Update driver > Choose Search automatically for drivers.
- If the latest update is available, it’ll automatically download & install the latest version.
- Once done, restart the computer to apply changes immediately.
Alternatively, you can manually download the latest graphics driver version and install it on the PC via the official website. Download the graphics driver file respective to your graphics card model and manufacturer. Nvidia graphics card users can update the GeForce Experience app via the Nvidia official site, and AMD graphics card users can visit the AMD website for the same.
4. Update Helldivers 2
It’s important to keep your game patch updated to avoid problems such as crashes, lags, stutters, and CPU/GPU-related issues. Make sure to check for updates regularly and install the latest version when it’s available. Follow the steps below to update your game patch.
- Open the Steam client > Go to Library.
- Click on Helldivers 2 from the list of installed games on the left pane.
- Now, the client will automatically search for the available update.
- You’ll see the Update option > click on it if an update is available.
- Wait for a couple of minutes or so until the game update completes. [Depends on the storage space and internet connectivity]
- Once done, reboot the PC.
5. Verify and Repair Game Files
Corrupted or missing game files may trigger issues with the game launching or running smoothly. Verify the game files and repair them via the Steam Games Launcher by following the steps below to fix Helldivers 2 Not Using GPU easily.
- Open the Steam client on the PC and log into the account > Head over to Library.
- Right-click on the Helldivers 2 game from the left pane.
- Click on Properties > Click on the Local Files tab.
- Then click on Verify Integrity of game files…
- Now, wait for the process to complete and close the Steam client.
- Finally, restart the PC to apply changes.
6. Try Disabling Overlay Apps
At times, certain applications may come with an additional overlay app that can be quite useful for streamers or gamers. However, these overlay apps can create conflicts with the game files and lead to issues such as FPS drops, black screen problems, lags, glitches, and so on. If you face any such crashing issue, try disabling the overlay apps manually before launching the game again. This will help you cross-check whether the issue has been resolved or not. Here’s how you can disable the overlay apps:
Disable Discord Overlay:
- Launch the Discord app > Click on the gear icon at the bottom.
- Select Overlay under App Settings > Turn on the Enable in-game overlay.
- Click on the Games tab > Select Helldivers 2.
- Finally, turn off the Enable in-game overlay toggle.
- Make sure to reboot your PC to apply changes.
Disable Xbox Game Bar:
- Press the Win+I keys to open Windows Settings.
- Click on Gaming > Go to Game Bar > Turn off Record game clips, screenshots, and broadcast using the Game bar option.
Disable Nvidia GeForce Experience Overlay:
- Launch the Nvidia GeForce Experience app > Head over to Settings.
- Click on the General tab > Disable the In-Game Overlay option.
- Finally, restart the PC to apply changes and relaunch the game.
Some other overlay apps can cause trouble for you such as MSI Afterburner, Rivatuner, RGB software, etc. You should turn them off as well.
7. Close Background Running Tasks
Unnecessary background running tasks or programs can eat up a lot of system resources like CPU or Memory usage reducing system performance. Hence, the startup crashing, lagging, and not loading issues often appear. Simply close all the unnecessary background running tasks completely. To do this:
- Press the Ctrl+Shift+Esc keys to open Task Manager.
- Now, click on the Processes tab > to select tasks unnecessarily running in the background and consuming enough system resources.
- Click on End Task to close it one by one.
- Once done, restart your system.
8. Turn Off V-Sync
V-Sync or FreeSync mostly comes enabled by default in the Helldivers 2 game. It seems that V-Sync or FreeSync somehow conflicts with the game’s refresh rate and monitor’s refresh rate. So, it’s better to turn off this feature on the PC by following the steps below.
For Nvidia:
- Run Steam Games Launcher.
- Launch Helldivers 2 > Go to the in-game Settings menu.
- Under Display Options, make sure to turn off V-Sync.
- Now, open NVIDIA Control Panel > Select Manage 3D Settings in the left panel.
- Under Global Settings, scroll down to Vertical Sync and turn it off.
- Click on Apply then reboot the PC to apply changes.
For AMD:
- Make sure to launch Helldivers 2 > Open the in-game Settings menu.
- Under Display Options, make sure to turn off V-Sync.
- Now, open the AMD Radeon app and head over to the Global Settings option.
- Under the Global Graphics tab, check to Wait for Vertical Refresh option.
- Then click on the Down arrow icon > From the drop-down list, select Always Off to deactivate VSync or Enhanced Sync.
- Finally, Turn Off the Wait for Vertical Refresh option, and restart the PC.
9. Disable Raytracing
Lastly, I would suggest disabling the Raytracing feature in your game’s settings menu. This will ensure that there are no issues with over-optimization. While Raytracing is a useful feature for high-end gaming rigs that offers stunning visual quality without compromising other aspects, it may not be suitable for older or less powerful PCs. If that’s the case for you, follow the steps below to turn it off.
- Open the Helldivers 2 game via Steam Games.
- Now, go to the in-game Settings menu.
- Under Graphics options, select both the Fidelity and Raytracing feature.
- Make sure to select Performance to disable Raytracing. [You can select Balanced to reduce Raytracing]
- Once done, reboot the PC to apply changes.
By applying the suggested fixes, you can resolve the GPU usage issue in Helldivers 2 and ensure smoother performance for an optimal gaming experience.