Check what this cvar is set to on your system (default is 50, it is in units of ms)

engine_no_focus_sleep

This means that when the game is minimized the max frame rate it can run at is 1/.05 which is 20fps and will not need as much cpu!

Try setting the cvar to 0 and see what the cpu usage is while minimized.

Also, make sure mat_queue_mode is set to -1 (This enables multicore)

Tf2 drops to 16-20 fps when mimized, there's a way to change it too (it's some sort of delay cvar, streamers use it so they can maintain a high framerate when minimized; i don't remember what it is). This is likely why it is using so little cpu.

Screenshot the cpu usage over time on the performance tab so you can see some historical data! (Oh and, set it to show once graph for every logical cpu).

With multicore rendering enabled tf2 uses about 25% of my i7 (quad core + hyperthreading).

Why are you hiding the IPs in the steam links? You should post them directly on the page.

I'm pinging 70-80 from Austin TX which is pretty high. I ping 20 to Dallas and 45 to Chicago for typical dedicated servers.

The server is located in Louisville, KY.

Is this running on a home internet connection? What is your speedtest results?

From what I see right now these probably won't be that stable :(

Those are SMT (surface mount) parts, be VERY careful.

I would just flat out RMA the card.

I'm getting:

14 <Failed> "Logs.TF Uploader" (2.0.1) by F2

I have CURL installed but it doesn't seem to be loading:

L 12/24/2013 - 17:25:43: [SM] Unable to load plugin "logstf.smx": Required extension "curl" file("curl.ext") not running

Any tips?

Misc logs:

[SM] Listing 25 plugins:
01 "Admin File Reader" (1.5.3-dev+3954) by AlliedModders LLC
02 "Admin Help" (1.5.3-dev+3954) by AlliedModders LLC
03 "Admin Menu" (1.5.3-dev+3954) by AlliedModders LLC
04 "Anti-Flood" (1.5.3-dev+3954) by AlliedModders LLC
05 "Basic Ban Commands" (1.5.3-dev+3954) by AlliedModders LLC
06 "Basic Chat" (1.5.3-dev+3954) by AlliedModders LLC
07 "Basic Comm Control" (1.5.3-dev+3954) by AlliedModders LLC
08 "Basic Commands" (1.5.3-dev+3954) by AlliedModders LLC
09 "Basic Info Triggers" (1.5.3-dev+3954) by AlliedModders LLC
10 "Basic Votes" (1.5.3-dev+3954) by AlliedModders LLC
11 "Client Preferences" (1.5.3-dev+3954) by AlliedModders LLC
12 "Countdown" (1.0.0) by F2
13 "Fix STV Slot" (1.0.1) by F2
14 <Failed> "Logs.TF Uploader" (2.0.1) by F2
15 "Match Recorder" (0.4) by carbon
16 "Medic Stats" (1.3.0) by F2
17 <Error> "MGEMod" (2.0.9) by Lange & Cprice; based on kAmmomod by Krolus.
18 "Player Commands" (1.5.3-dev+3954) by AlliedModders LLC
19 "Restore Score" (1.1.1) by F2
20 "SOAP TF2 Deathmatch" (3.4) by MikeJS, Lange, & Tondark
21 "SOAP Tournament" (3.4) by Lange
22 "Sound Commands" (1.5.3-dev+3954) by AlliedModders LLC
23 "Supplemental Stats v2" (2.0.0) by F2 (v1 by Jean-Denis Caron)
24 "Updater" (1.1.5) by GoD-Tony
25 "Wait For STV" (1.0.0) by F2
Load Errors:
MGEMod: Map not supported. MGEMod disabled.

Listing 4 plugins:
[01] SourceMod (1.5.3-dev+3954) by AlliedModders LLC
[02] TF2 Tools (1.5.3-dev+3954) by AlliedModders LLC
[03] SDK Hooks (1.5.3-dev+3954) by AlliedModders LLC
[04] SDK Tools (1.5.3-dev+3954) by AlliedModders LLC

You could unplug it.

Anandtech checked this out recently.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/7582/nvidia-gsync-review

I moved to Austin a year and a half ago, it's awesome.

Make sure to check out the job market for what you want to do though, you should probably have something lined up before you go move somewhere!

If you get nervous and jittery in MGE you will get nervous and jittery other places as well. What you need to do is play through it and focus on relaxing if you can. The only real fix for this is experience, over time it will get better and your focus will improve.

If you ever plan on going to a competitive LAN you will feel the same there, so this type of practice can help you stay relaxed. This is one of then biggest reasons why people talk about having "LAN experience" as well, because you can get used to it once you know what to expect.

TLDR; practice through it, do your best, stay positive!

P.S. the point of MGE is to lose; once you find a person who can beat you you should play them as much as possible, struggle to work out why they can beat you and think of ways you can improve so you can beat them.

P.S.S. Don't be a baby, play on your main account under your actual name and don't give a shit who beats you.

This would make the large frame variations in any game much more smooth. Hopefully the implementation is open so that others can follow suit so that this becomes the de-facto way to use video outputs.

Basically, increase your interp by increments of .0152 until the orange spikes in the lowest graph smooth out.

Increase your interp and it will help smooth out packet loss and ping variance.

Also make sure you have a rate set >=30000

Gave me a 0% with my wife!

It actually feels pretty good outside:

http://i.imgur.com/qLmOjCf.png

This just in, Lange better than all of multiplay's stream crew.