How to Fix Low GPU Usage in Once Human and Boost Gaming Performanc

“Once Human” is a captivating post-apocalyptic open-world survival game where players explore a world transformed by the catastrophic event known as Starfall. As a meta-human, you unlock new abilities to face the eerie challenges of this chaotic world. Despite its growing popularity on platforms like Steam and Epic Games, some players have encountered issues with low GPU usage on their PCs, resulting in performance problems such as lags, stutters, frame drops, and other graphical glitches that can severely impact the gaming experience.

Low GPU usage is a common issue in PC gaming, often caused by stability problems, outdated drivers, or suboptimal hardware settings. To help you get the most out of “Once Human,” we’ll walk you through various troubleshooting steps to resolve these issues and enhance your overall gaming performance.

There are multiple reasons why your PC might not be fully utilizing its GPU while playing “Once Human.” These include V-Sync being enabled, motion blur settings, issues with raytracing, outdated graphics drivers, not using the dedicated GPU, corrupted or missing game files, outdated game patches, and background tasks running on your PC. Addressing these issues can significantly improve your gaming experience. Here’s how you can fix low GPU usage in “Once Human”:

1. Check System Requirements

Before diving into advanced troubleshooting, ensure your PC meets the minimum or recommended system requirements for “Once Human.”

Minimum Requirements:

• OS: Windows 10 64-bit
• Processor: Intel Core i5-4460
• Memory: 8 GB RAM
• Graphics: Nvidia GTX 750ti 4G / AMD Radeon RX550
• DirectX: Version 11
• Network: Broadband Internet connection
• Storage: 55 GB available space (SSD recommended)

Recommended Requirements:

• OS: Windows 10 64-bit
• Processor: Intel Core i7-7700
• Memory: 16 GB RAM
• Graphics: Nvidia GTX 1060 6G / AMD Radeon RX 580 2304SP / Intel ARC A380
• DirectX: Version 11
• Network: Broadband Internet connection
• Storage: 55 GB available space (SSD recommended)

Ensuring your system meets these specifications will help prevent low GPU usage and improve performance.

2. Use a Dedicated Graphics Card

Verify that your system is using the dedicated GPU instead of the integrated graphics, as this can greatly affect performance.

For Nvidia Users:

• Right-click on your desktop > Select NVIDIA Control Panel.
• Navigate to Manage 3D Settings > Program Settings tab.
• Select “Once Human” from the drop-down list.
• Set the Preferred graphics processor to High-performance NVIDIA processor.
• Save changes and reboot your PC.

For AMD Users:

• Right-click on your desktop > Select AMD Radeon Settings.
• Go to System > Switchable Graphics.
• Ensure that “Once Human” is set to use the High-performance GPU.
• Save changes and reboot.

3. Update GPU Drivers

An outdated or corrupted graphics driver can severely impact GPU performance. Regular updates ensure compatibility and performance improvements.

How to Update:

• Open Device Manager by right-clicking the Start menu.
• Expand Display adapters > Right-click your dedicated GPU > Select Update driver.
• Choose Search automatically for drivers to let Windows find the latest drivers.

Alternatively, visit the GPU manufacturer’s website for the latest drivers: NVIDIA or AMD.

4. Update Once Human

Keeping the game updated is crucial to avoid performance issues. Developers often release patches that fix bugs and optimize performance.

To Update the Game:

• Open Steam > Go to Library > Right-click on “Once Human” > Select Properties.
• Go to Updates > Ensure Automatic updates is enabled.
• Steam will download and install any available updates automatically.

5. Verify and Repair Game Files

Corrupted or missing game files can cause low GPU usage or other performance problems. Verifying game files can resolve these issues.

How to Verify:

• Open Steam > Go to Library > Right-click on “Once Human” > Select Properties.
• Navigate to the Local Files tab > Click Verify Integrity of Game Files.
• Steam will check and repair any corrupted or missing files.

6. Disable Overlay Apps

Overlay apps like Discord, Nvidia GeForce Experience, and others can cause performance issues by consuming resources in the background.

Disable Discord Overlay:

• Open Discord > Go to User Settings > Select Overlay > Turn off Enable in-game overlay.

Disable Nvidia GeForce Experience Overlay:

• Open Nvidia GeForce Experience > Go to Settings > Turn off In-Game Overlay.

Disabling these overlays can help improve GPU usage and overall game performance.

7. Close Background Running Tasks

Background tasks can consume resources that are better used by your game, leading to low GPU usage.

• Open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) > Go to Processes tab.
• End tasks that are unnecessary and consuming high resources.
• Restart your PC to apply changes.

8. Turn Off V-Sync

V-Sync or FreeSync mostly comes enabled by default in the “Once Human” 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 “Once Human” > 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:

• Launch “Once Human” > Open the in-game Settings menu.
• Under Display Options, make sure to turn off V-Sync.
• 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.
• 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. While Raytracing offers stunning visual quality, it may not be suitable for older or less powerful PCs.

• Open the “Once Human” game via Steam Games.
• 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 following these steps, you should be able to resolve the low GPU usage issue in “Once Human,” improving your overall gaming experience. Ensuring your system is up to date and properly configured is key to maximizing performance. If problems persist, consider reaching out to support forums or the game developers for further assistance.