New pc, videos stutter/skip frames, games don't

[Weeper]

Hi all. As the title says videos/streams seem to be dropping/skipping frames, but games run smoothly. The best way I can describe it in depth is PresentMon shows lets say VLC presenting frames at 16.7 MS, but with clusters of 33.3 MS holds, and those clusters line up with the stutter/fps drops I see.

The issue seems to not effect H.264 codec nearly as bad as it has no clusters, but that doesn't fix the problem universally for me as it still happens in streams, local playback, and even on reddit/twitter. VP9 is the easiest to reproduce it on as it happens in every browser and local player. The system is stable otherwise.

I'm on Windows 11 25H2 OS Build 26200.9457, but I also dual booted EndevourOS as well as Bazzite and while I don't have PresentMon there, I can visually confirm the issue exists on both distros ontop of Windows.

Using GPUView, PresentMon, and Windows Performance Recorder/Analyzer, I can't find anything besides the 33ms holds. GPUView showed intervals of 16MS>33MS with no DWM flip at the expected refresh. Nothing looks like CPU/GPU spikes or scheduling issues.

I've tried using LLMs to help look at it for me because I have no idea how to diagnose with these tools, but they come back with same thing, the 33MS hold is there, but it doesn't seem connected to something.

120hz makes the problem less noticeable, but it doesn't fix it. Audio remains perfectly fine during all of this. I have a lot of CSVs and GPUViews and can make more if needed.


My build:

• Windows 11 25H2 OS Build 26200.9457
• F11 BIOS ver.
• AGESA 1.3.0.1
• Gigabyte B850 Aorus Elite Wifi7
• 9800X3D
• Corsair Vengeance 2 x 16gb DDR5-6000 CL30
• Samsung 990 Pro 2tb
• Western Digital SN850x 1tb
• Samsung 850 EVO 1tb x2
• Asus Tuf Gaming 5070ti
• Corsair RM1000x


Everything I've tested so far:

Chrome, Vivaldi, Helium, Edge
Firefox, Waterfox, Floorp
VLC/MPV/dragging files onto the browsers to playback
Win11, Bazzite/ EndeavourOS - multiple local players + browsers - Win11 was a fresh install not Win10 upgrade
Hardware/Software video decoding - on Win11 and both Linux installs
9800x3d iGPU - problem seemed worse on it
iGPU disabled via the bios
57x, 58x, 59x, 61x driver branches from Nvidia
FreeSync enabled/disabled
Windowed/fullscreen
MPO on/off
HAGS on/off
Optimization for Windowed games on/off
Every combo possible of the above 3
HDMI/DP/completely different monitor
Every USB disconnected but mouse/KB, different mouse/KB
PCIe lane set to Auto/Gen5/Gen4/Gen3
ASPM disabled
Windows PCIe Link State Power Management disabled
Global C-states disabled
Power Supply Idle Control Auto/Typical Current Idle
Global Prefer Maximum Performance
Optimized Default Settings in bios
Safe Mode - everything including explorer felt jank in it
EXPO off, RAM ran at JEDEC
No GPU/CPU undervolt
All overlays turned off
Both monitors at 60hz and 120hz
VBS/Memory Integrity turned off in Windows Defender/Security
Reseating my GPU

The one and single thing that has changed anything was running MPV with --video-sync=display-desync, which made playback of my test videos appear flawless and according to PresentMon have 2-3 total 33.3 ms holds vs 50+ 33.3 ms holds

A similar display-sync test had 3 visible stutters, but it was a different command to launch MPV with.

I tried running LatencyMon with a video going, and it came back with saying my system was unsuitable etc and to check my bios power settings.

And while I can't say 100% its the same thing, Wallpaper Engine has the same symptoms but worse that show up in PresentMon/GPUView. I also only have another Nvidia card for swapping things out, however the 5070ti in this new PC I actually had in my old AM4 system for 6 months and had no issues with playback or Wallpaper Engine.

So, am I missing something blatantly obvious? I'm at the point of trying a reinstall of Windows and then starting to swap parts out, leaning towards the mobo just because I feel like the GPU doesn't have a physical fault.

btw, I apologize if this should have been posted else where. I'm legitimately not sure if this counts as latency with frames or not, especially since the UFO test comes back clean with 5 minutes of watching it for a stutter error.

​

[kyube]

--snip--

A couple of bits I'm interested in:
- Have you tried W10 21H2 LTSC, W10 22H2, W11 23H2?
- Could you detail the peripherals you're using (audio, monitors, USB devices,...)
- Did you try different UEFI versions?
- Changing too many settings in UEFI may result in negative behavior. Reset to defaults and re-test.
- Have you tried inserting only one storage device and testing it?
- Have you tried using a dTPM? Your motherboard supports the GC-TPM2.0 SPI V2 module.

A test I'd like to see you do is this one: https://github.com/gamer043/bits-amd-smi-latency
Might be interesting to troubleshoot.

[Weeper]

Hi, thanks for the response.

- No, I've only tested the version of Windows I posted. I felt like trying 2 Linux distros on a different drive only to have the same problem was at least roughly as useful as testing a different version of Windows.

- BenQ MOBIUZ EX2510 24.5" 1920 x 1080 144 Hz Monitor x2
FiiO K5 Pro Headphone Amps Portable Desktop DAC and Amplifier
Logitech G502 X
Sennheiser HD 280 PRO Headphones
Corsair K70 RGB MK.2 Low Profile Rapidfire - I have tried with everything but the mouse and keyboard unplugged, only 1 monitor on dp/hdmi, and an old monitor with hdmi and vga to dp.

- If you mean bios, I did update mine. Unfortunately I only have 2 beta versions to pick from, maybe a stable release will change more.
- I only have 2 settings changed, I reset everything after I test. I did try optimized defaults though to be safe, and it still happened.
- I haven't tried only having a single drive in yet, no. If that ended up being the problem, is there a fix besides only use 1 drive forever?
- I had to look that up so I can pretty much guarantee no I haven't tried.

I'll try to get that test done today. I had heard about SMI latency but I had no idea how to test it.

[kyube]

- No, I've only tested the version of Windows I posted. I felt like trying 2 Linux distros on a different drive only to have the same problem was at least roughly as useful as testing a different version of Windows.

Linux ISOs & any kind of graphics is extreme levels of beta testing & releases post-24H2 (such as your 25H2) may have unintended behavior such as the one you're experiencing.
I still think that it might be wise to try a few older releases.

BenQ MOBIUZ EX2510 24.5" 1920 x 1080 144 Hz Monitor x2
FiiO K5 Pro Headphone Amps Portable Desktop DAC and Amplifier
Logitech G502 X
Sennheiser HD 280 PRO Headphones
Corsair K70 RGB MK.2 Low Profile Rapidfire - I have tried with everything but the mouse and keyboard unplugged, only 1 monitor on dp/hdmi, and an old monitor with hdmi and vga to dp.

Dual monitor might be a small contributor, but I cannot claim for certain.

- If you mean bios, I did update mine. Unfortunately I only have 2 beta versions to pick from, maybe a stable release will change more.
- I only have 2 settings changed, I reset everything after I test. I did try optimized defaults though to be safe, and it still happened.

You should be able to revert back to older BIOS (common misnomer for the proper term, UEFI) versions which aren't beta-releases.

- I haven't tried only having a single drive in yet, no. If that ended up being the problem, is there a fix besides only use 1 drive forever?

Well... let's hope it isn't this one!
I've only given it as a possibility.

- I had to look that up so I can pretty much guarantee no I haven't tried.
I'll try to get that test done today. I had heard about SMI latency but I had no idea how to test it.

SMI Latency is likely not your culprit, I've only given it as a potential troubleshooting step just to see how your motherboard compares to other ones that have been tested.
You're supposed to make a bootable ISO file on a USB and run the SMI Latency test found within the environment.
The github details all steps necessary.

The most likely culprit, IMO, is that it's Windows version related.
Another thing I've just remembered, are perhaps daisy chaining your power connectors to your GPU?


I also suggest that you use the optical input of your DAC/AMP instead of USB, as USB generally leads to worse DPC/ISR latency results (thus increased CPU time) & worse total audio latency.

[Weeper]

- Well, I'd have to likely reinstall Windows if I got a new mobo, so I may as well give it a shot before that. Is there any version of Windows I should try before others or just not my current version?

- I did try only doing 1 monitor with every combo of cables I have, with 3 monitors. The same issue showed up, both visually and in Presentmon captures.

- I will try the single drive sometime when I have a chance to.

- I'll be sure to get the SMI test done tonight just to rule it out if nothing else.

- I have 3 separate pcie cables going into the adapter that came with the GPU. I have put this card back into my old machine for a general sanity check and put it back in, so I've reseated it and double checked the pcie cables and adapter were in properly.

- I don't think my DAC/AMP came with anything but a USB, so I can look into getting a cable I suppose just to see.

Edit: I cannot get the SMI tool to load for me. I used Rufus to flash it onto a USB, formatted it, tried as ISO and DD, and with both of them I just get to my bios flash screen saying Welcome to Grub in the top left and nothing happens. I also have secure boot off too already.