Stutters and framerate spikes since November 202
Posted: 01 Feb 2023, 07:58
Full Specs:
Gigabyte x570 aorus elite wifi
AMD 5800x3d
4090 FE
Adata sx8200 pro 1TB nvme SSD (OS)
Samsung Evo 870 1TB SSD (games)
Seagate Barracuda 2TB HDD
NZXT Kraken x63 AIO
Corsair Vengeance 32gb 3600mhz cl16
EVGA supernova G6 1000W PSU
OS: Windows 10 64 bit
Monitor: LG 27GR95QE and MSI MAG274QRX (both 240hz 1440p 27")
Mouse: G pro X superlight
Keyboard: Durgod K320
I started experiencing video stutters in-game, for the first time since building this PC in 2019, on the first week of November, 2022. The only change I made to the PC was upgrading the CPU to 5800x3d from 3700x two weeks before the stutters first occurred. I didn't make any software related changes or done any windows updates after upgrading the CPU. However, on the same day the stutters first occurred I opened the side of the PC to reseat a fan as it was making noises. Although I'd thought I may've damaged the motherboard by causing static discharge I doubted it as I took precautions by touching the metal part of the case prior to reseating the fan. Also I avoided making contact with any metal components of the case in the process.
This is the full list of troubleshooting I've done up until today in chronological order:
-deleted all Nvidia drivers using DDU and reinstalled the drivers while internet was disconnected, twice
-updated chipset drivers
-disabled resizable bar
-disabled Game Bar
-made sure mouse acceleration was off
-made sure all the connections were secure on the motherboard and PSU
-stress tested GPU for 40 minutes on unigine heaven. GPU was stable with max temp of 67 degrees
-stress tested CPU with cinebench for 30 minutes. CPU was at 77 degrees the whole time and clock speeds were stable throughout the test
-stress tested CPU, GPU, and storage drives on aida64 extreme
-disabled XMP on bios
-fresh install of windows 10 using usb
-replaced PSU from EVGA G+ 750 W to EVGA G6 1000 W
-replaced AIO from NZXT x62 to NZXT x63
-replaced ram from 16gb 3600mhz cl 18 to 32gb 3600mhz cl16
-Added SSD for storing games
-replaced GPU from Gigabyte 2070 S gaming OC to 4090 FE
-replaced monitor from mag274qrx to 27gr95qe
-replaced DP cable for monitor
-replaced mouse
-replaced 5800x3d with a new 5800x3d
-reset bios by removing CMOS battery
-updated bios from AGESA 1.2.0.6 to 1.2.0.7
-turned off fTPM in bios
-Another fresh install of windows 10 using usb. This time formatted every drive
-tested health of ssd drives where windows and games were installed
-tested for stuttering with gsync on, NVCP vsync on, ULL on, fps cap in-game at 234 (fps cap on NVCP at 237) on 27GR95QE while other monitor was unplugged with no changed to stuttering.
-tested for stuttering with gsync on, NVCP vsync on, ULL on, fps cap in-game at 234 (fps cap on NVCP at 237) on mag274qrx while other monitor was unplugged with no changes to stuttering
-disabled MPO
-disabled full screen optimization
-updated bios from f37d to f37. Lagging and stutters on desktop right after booting up for the first time post bios update. However, after unplugging the usb drive with the bios update and restarting the PC it wasn’t lagging anymore)
-tested for stuttering with gsync off, NVCP vsync off, ULL on, all fps limiters disabled on 27GR95QE (single monitor setup) After doing so stutters were gone and tearing was hardly noticeable on the games I tested which were Apex Legends, Fortnite, Halo Infinite, Warzone 2, and Destiny 2.
-Once again tested for stutters with gsync on, NVCP vsync on, ULL on, fps cap in-game at 234 (fps cap on NVCP at 237) on 27GR95QE (single monitor setup) resulted in stutters on all the games I listed above.
-Set monitor to 144hz and tested for stutters with gsync on, NVCP vsync on, ULL on, fps cap in-game 138 (fps cap on NVCP 141) on 27GR95QE (single monitor setup) resulted in harsher stutters compared to when monitor was set to 240hz.
-Once again reset CMOS. Also replaced the battery
-formatted every drive and fresh installed windows 10 on Sata SSD to rule out possibility of faulty NVME drive
-used unigine heaven and superposition to stress test GPU. All temps and clock speeds were good.
-GPU thermals and clock speeds were stable on hwinfo and GPUz while experiencing stutters in-game
So far I had the the best results by disabling gsync, vysnc, and all fps limiters. Stutters were basically gone and tearing was minimal. However, yesterday, even on these settings I experienced stuttering that only lasted for the first 10 minutes of gaming. It eventually went away on it's own and the stutters were gone but it was concerning as I'd experienced something similar a few days prior to updating the bios. I was stuttering in-game a lot harder then usual for the first 30 minutes but gradually it got better over time. Also, today, when I booted up my PC I was lagging and stuttering on desktop but it only lasted for a few minutes. I'm starting to think that either a faulty nvme drive, where windows is installed, or a faulty motherboard is causing this.
Edit (February 5, 23):
It turns out turning gsync, vsync, and fps limiters off didn’t improve the stutters after all.
At this point the cause of the stutters have been narrowed down to it being a faulty motherboard or nvme drive.
I ruled out the possibility of it being a faulty nvme drive by formatting every drive and doing a fresh install of windows 10 on the Sata SSD. Also, for the third time, I monitored GPU thermals and clock speeds with hwinfo, GPUz, and Nvidia advanced GPU monitoring overlay while experiencing stutters in-game and it resulted in everything being stable.
At this point it’s pretty much guaranteed that the motherboard is the culprit. Will update after replacing it.
Gigabyte x570 aorus elite wifi
AMD 5800x3d
4090 FE
Adata sx8200 pro 1TB nvme SSD (OS)
Samsung Evo 870 1TB SSD (games)
Seagate Barracuda 2TB HDD
NZXT Kraken x63 AIO
Corsair Vengeance 32gb 3600mhz cl16
EVGA supernova G6 1000W PSU
OS: Windows 10 64 bit
Monitor: LG 27GR95QE and MSI MAG274QRX (both 240hz 1440p 27")
Mouse: G pro X superlight
Keyboard: Durgod K320
I started experiencing video stutters in-game, for the first time since building this PC in 2019, on the first week of November, 2022. The only change I made to the PC was upgrading the CPU to 5800x3d from 3700x two weeks before the stutters first occurred. I didn't make any software related changes or done any windows updates after upgrading the CPU. However, on the same day the stutters first occurred I opened the side of the PC to reseat a fan as it was making noises. Although I'd thought I may've damaged the motherboard by causing static discharge I doubted it as I took precautions by touching the metal part of the case prior to reseating the fan. Also I avoided making contact with any metal components of the case in the process.
This is the full list of troubleshooting I've done up until today in chronological order:
-deleted all Nvidia drivers using DDU and reinstalled the drivers while internet was disconnected, twice
-updated chipset drivers
-disabled resizable bar
-disabled Game Bar
-made sure mouse acceleration was off
-made sure all the connections were secure on the motherboard and PSU
-stress tested GPU for 40 minutes on unigine heaven. GPU was stable with max temp of 67 degrees
-stress tested CPU with cinebench for 30 minutes. CPU was at 77 degrees the whole time and clock speeds were stable throughout the test
-stress tested CPU, GPU, and storage drives on aida64 extreme
-disabled XMP on bios
-fresh install of windows 10 using usb
-replaced PSU from EVGA G+ 750 W to EVGA G6 1000 W
-replaced AIO from NZXT x62 to NZXT x63
-replaced ram from 16gb 3600mhz cl 18 to 32gb 3600mhz cl16
-Added SSD for storing games
-replaced GPU from Gigabyte 2070 S gaming OC to 4090 FE
-replaced monitor from mag274qrx to 27gr95qe
-replaced DP cable for monitor
-replaced mouse
-replaced 5800x3d with a new 5800x3d
-reset bios by removing CMOS battery
-updated bios from AGESA 1.2.0.6 to 1.2.0.7
-turned off fTPM in bios
-Another fresh install of windows 10 using usb. This time formatted every drive
-tested health of ssd drives where windows and games were installed
-tested for stuttering with gsync on, NVCP vsync on, ULL on, fps cap in-game at 234 (fps cap on NVCP at 237) on 27GR95QE while other monitor was unplugged with no changed to stuttering.
-tested for stuttering with gsync on, NVCP vsync on, ULL on, fps cap in-game at 234 (fps cap on NVCP at 237) on mag274qrx while other monitor was unplugged with no changes to stuttering
-disabled MPO
-disabled full screen optimization
-updated bios from f37d to f37. Lagging and stutters on desktop right after booting up for the first time post bios update. However, after unplugging the usb drive with the bios update and restarting the PC it wasn’t lagging anymore)
-tested for stuttering with gsync off, NVCP vsync off, ULL on, all fps limiters disabled on 27GR95QE (single monitor setup) After doing so stutters were gone and tearing was hardly noticeable on the games I tested which were Apex Legends, Fortnite, Halo Infinite, Warzone 2, and Destiny 2.
-Once again tested for stutters with gsync on, NVCP vsync on, ULL on, fps cap in-game at 234 (fps cap on NVCP at 237) on 27GR95QE (single monitor setup) resulted in stutters on all the games I listed above.
-Set monitor to 144hz and tested for stutters with gsync on, NVCP vsync on, ULL on, fps cap in-game 138 (fps cap on NVCP 141) on 27GR95QE (single monitor setup) resulted in harsher stutters compared to when monitor was set to 240hz.
-Once again reset CMOS. Also replaced the battery
-formatted every drive and fresh installed windows 10 on Sata SSD to rule out possibility of faulty NVME drive
-used unigine heaven and superposition to stress test GPU. All temps and clock speeds were good.
-GPU thermals and clock speeds were stable on hwinfo and GPUz while experiencing stutters in-game
So far I had the the best results by disabling gsync, vysnc, and all fps limiters. Stutters were basically gone and tearing was minimal. However, yesterday, even on these settings I experienced stuttering that only lasted for the first 10 minutes of gaming. It eventually went away on it's own and the stutters were gone but it was concerning as I'd experienced something similar a few days prior to updating the bios. I was stuttering in-game a lot harder then usual for the first 30 minutes but gradually it got better over time. Also, today, when I booted up my PC I was lagging and stuttering on desktop but it only lasted for a few minutes. I'm starting to think that either a faulty nvme drive, where windows is installed, or a faulty motherboard is causing this.
Edit (February 5, 23):
It turns out turning gsync, vsync, and fps limiters off didn’t improve the stutters after all.
At this point the cause of the stutters have been narrowed down to it being a faulty motherboard or nvme drive.
I ruled out the possibility of it being a faulty nvme drive by formatting every drive and doing a fresh install of windows 10 on the Sata SSD. Also, for the third time, I monitored GPU thermals and clock speeds with hwinfo, GPUz, and Nvidia advanced GPU monitoring overlay while experiencing stutters in-game and it resulted in everything being stable.
At this point it’s pretty much guaranteed that the motherboard is the culprit. Will update after replacing it.