My Battle With Floaty Aim | Weird Temporary Fixes

[Roxtar]

Hello everyone (newbie here),

I've been experiencing the well-known "floaty aim" issue for a while now. My aim feels inconsistent, as if there's some kind of delay or smoothing applied, even though all settings should be correct. However, I've found some temporary solutions that work for a short time but stop working after a day or so. I even bought a new PC, but the problem persists.

What I’ve Tried & Temporary Fixes:
1. Switching Monitors Temporarily Fixes It

• I have two monitors: ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDMG (Main) and MSI Optix G24C4 (Secondary).

• If I switch my DisplayPort cable from the ASUS to the MSI and play on the MSI, the issue disappears.

• However, after a few days, the problem comes back.

• Switching back to the ASUS does NOT fix it anymore, so this trick only worked once.

2. Using ISLC (Intelligent Standby List Cleaner) and Setting Timer to 0.5ms

• While this didn't make the aim feel as crisp or responsive as the first trick did, it made it less bad.

• Now, setting ISLC to 0.5ms doesn’t fix it anymore.

Old PC:

• CPU: Intel i7 8700

• GPU: GTX 1060

• RAM: 16GB DDR4 (2x8GB)

• Motherboard: MSI MPG Z390 Gaming Edge AC

• Monitor: ZOWIE XL2411K

• Mouse: Logitech G305

• Keyboard: Logitech G915 TKL Lightspeed

My Current Setup:

• CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 7600X (4.7 GHz)

• GPU: RTX 4070 Super

• RAM: 32GB DDR5 6000MHz CL30 (2x16GB)

• Motherboard: Gigabyte B850 AORUS ELITE WIFI7 ICE

• Mouse: Razer Viper V3 Pro

• Keyboard: Razer BlackWidow X Chroma

Monitors:

• Primary: ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDMG (26.5" QHD 240Hz)

• Secondary: MSI Optix G24C4 (23.6" FullHD 144Hz)

What Could Be Causing This?
Could this be related to DisplayPort signal processing on different monitors?

Could Windows be randomly applying input lag over time?

Could something be interfering with USB polling rates or input latency?

I have reinstalled Windows multiple times, including debloated versions like Windows X-Lite. I have also tried every tweak possible, but nothing compares to the feeling I had when I did the first trick for the first time.

Has anyone else experienced something similar? Any ideas on how to fix it permanently?

[RealNC]

Physically disconnect all monitors and only connect one. Reboot. See if that fixes it.

[kyube]

Here's a few suggestions for troubleshooting:

1.) You haven't mentioned the specific RAM timings you've used on both of your DDR4 & DDR5 rigs.
This can severely impact overall latency performance of a system and this is the most likely culprit of your issue.
I'd say this is the most common culprit of a majority of this subforum's visitors issue.
Running stress test utilities, such as RamTestPro for +16h should reveal if you have major instabilities
https://pcstonks.ru/ram-test-pro/en

2.) You haven't mentioned whether your SSD or PSU changed between your 2 rigs

3.) Avoid using custom “debloated” OS ISOs, they break more things than they fix
Avoid using ISLC, DPC Latency Checker & similar utilities, they haven't worked since W7 era. Even then, their benefits were questionable at best.
Look into these guides:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1c2- ... it?tab=t.0 (Calypto's guide)
https://github.com/valleyofdoom/PC-Tuning (easiest to setup Windows installation, requires running a simple .reg file after clean installation and you're done for the most part)
https://github.com/BoringBoredom/PC-Optimization-Hub
https://github.com/djdallmann/GamingPCSetup
Choose a good version of Windows, depending on game compatibility:
W7
W10 1709, 1803, 1809, 1909
W11 22H2, W11 23H2. Skip 24H2 for now

4.) The difference between your 2 rigs is in the USB & Network Controller (Intel to AMD, Intel to Realtek), consider troubleshooting that with xperf (found in Pc-Tuning repository) or xtw
https://github.com/valleyofdoom/xtw

5.) Dual monitors usually does add overhead, but how perceivable it is to you and whether it is the main culprit of your issues is unknown. I personally believe there are more important culprits to find

6.) Polling rate does affect over input latency.

7.) You also haven't mentioned whether your GPU driver version you tried or whether you've used the same driver versions.

8.) If you'd like to try a consistent feeling mouse experience, you could consider grabbing a ASM1x4x USB PCIe add-in card.
Their DPC/ISR performance is usually drastically better than stock Microsoft USB drivers.

Hope this helps.

[Roxtar]

Physically disconnect all monitors and only connect one. Reboot. See if that fixes it.

I already tried and no improvement

[Roxtar]

1.) I've run RamTest for one full cycle, and it didn't show any errors (I'll let it run for 16+ hours). I don't remember the exact RAM timings on my first rig, but on my current one:

• CAS Latency (CL): 30

• RAS to CAS Delay (tRCD): 36

• RAS Precharge (tRP): 36

• Cycle Time (tRAS): 76

• Bank Cycle Time (tRC): 112

2.) My PSU and SSD are still the same:

• Crucial P2 CT1000P2SSD8 1TB (for Windows and general files)

• Crucial P3 Plus CT1000P3PSSD8 1TB (for games)

• Corsair RM750 750W 80 Plus Gold Modular

A new PSU is coming soon: Corsair RM1000x SHIFT White Series 1000W 80 Plus Gold Modular

3.) I've tried every tweak, optimization, and Windows version out there, but nothing has worked.

4.) This problem also happened on my last rig. Fun fact: I didn’t even realize I was experiencing "floaty aim" until one day, I switched my monitor because the colors looked better on the other one. As soon as I did, I instantly felt the difference even on the desktop and realized that’s how it was supposed to feel all this time.
(If I had known this would send me into a downward spiral of mental health struggles, I would’ve rather lived in ignorance...)

5.) I've also tried connecting only one monitor to the GPU, but it didn't change anything.

7.) Right now, I'm on the latest NVIDIA drivers because I’ve already given up on the idea that the issue is driver-related. Previously, I tried 546.29 via NVCleanstall.

8.) Could an ASM1x4x USB PCIe card really help? I mean, why would "floaty aim" disappear just by switching monitors without changing any settings or hardware, only to come back the next day and never go away again—despite trying every possible fix I could find online

[Hyote]

1.) I've run RamTest for one full cycle, and it didn't show any errors (I'll let it run for 16+ hours). I don't remember the exact RAM timings on my first rig, but on my current one:

• CAS Latency (CL): 30

• RAS to CAS Delay (tRCD): 36

• RAS Precharge (tRP): 36

• Cycle Time (tRAS): 76

• Bank Cycle Time (tRC): 112

2.) My PSU and SSD are still the same:

• Crucial P2 CT1000P2SSD8 1TB (for Windows and general files)

• Crucial P3 Plus CT1000P3PSSD8 1TB (for games)

• Corsair RM750 750W 80 Plus Gold Modular

A new PSU is coming soon: Corsair RM1000x SHIFT White Series 1000W 80 Plus Gold Modular

3.) I've tried every tweak, optimization, and Windows version out there, but nothing has worked.

4.) This problem also happened on my last rig. Fun fact: I didn’t even realize I was experiencing "floaty aim" until one day, I switched my monitor because the colors looked better on the other one. As soon as I did, I instantly felt the difference even on the desktop and realized that’s how it was supposed to feel all this time.
(If I had known this would send me into a downward spiral of mental health struggles, I would’ve rather lived in ignorance...)

5.) I've also tried connecting only one monitor to the GPU, but it didn't change anything.

7.) Right now, I'm on the latest NVIDIA drivers because I’ve already given up on the idea that the issue is driver-related. Previously, I tried 546.29 via NVCleanstall.

8.) Could an ASM1x4x USB PCIe card really help? I mean, why would "floaty aim" disappear just by switching monitors without changing any settings or hardware, only to come back the next day and never go away again—despite trying every possible fix I could find online

I don't want to become the Linux guy after being the regedit guy for a while but I really got perfect results on it now. It feels slightly higher latency than what I can achieve on Windows but it's consistent and that's what makes it so great. Seeing that you have an NVIDIA GPU makes it questionable but there really is no other thing I can advise now.

[kyube]

1.) I've run RamTest for one full cycle, and it didn't show any errors (I'll let it run for 16+ hours). I don't remember the exact RAM timings on my first rig, but on my current one:

• CAS Latency (CL): 30

• RAS to CAS Delay (tRCD): 36

• RAS Precharge (tRP): 36

• Cycle Time (tRAS): 76

• Bank Cycle Time (tRC): 112

Could you post a ZenTimings screenshot? Curious on the full settings which you're running.

2.) My PSU and SSD are still the same:

• Crucial P2 CT1000P2SSD8 1TB (for Windows and general files)

• Crucial P3 Plus CT1000P3PSSD8 1TB (for games)

• Corsair RM750 750W 80 Plus Gold Modular

A new PSU is coming soon: Corsair RM1000x SHIFT White Series 1000W 80 Plus Gold Modular

Off-topic from your “Floaty Mouse” issue:
The SSD's you've listed could be a source of stuttering in titles heavy on storage-accesses such as BR titles
A SSD with DRAM can solve this.
Better voltage ripple management can help.

3.) I've tried every tweak, optimization, and Windows version out there, but nothing has worked.

It was a general suggestion, it's difficult to give you any specific recommendations since “tried every optimization” is a vague explanation of your troubleshooting process.
Trying many changes all at once can cloud ones perception as well, hence why I recommended you a easy-to-setup baseline to evaluate whether your feelings persist.
These links I've sent provide a good foundation to understand any potential issues which may arise, you should consider reading them.

7.) Right now, I'm on the latest NVIDIA drivers because I’ve already given up on the idea that the issue is driver-related. Previously, I tried 546.29 via NVCleanstall.

It can easily be a combination of driver & Windows version related
Since you're on a 4070 Super, your options are from 546.65 to 572.83
You could try drivers such as: 551.23, 561.09, 566.36
I personally haven't tested these drivers in e-sports titles, their general DPC/ISR behavior and other potentially added overhead, how their rendering is done (look into tile-based rendering for more details) but these are generally recommended on Reddit (don't expect much from them). YMMV with them.

4.) This problem also happened on my last rig. Fun fact: I didn’t even realize I was experiencing "floaty aim" until one day, I switched my monitor because the colors looked better on the other one.
As soon as I did, I instantly felt the difference even on the desktop and realized that’s how it was supposed to feel all this time.
(If I had known this would send me into a downward spiral of mental health struggles, I would’ve rather lived in ignorance...)

8.) Could an ASM1x4x USB PCIe card really help? I mean, why would "floaty aim" disappear just by switching monitors without changing any settings or hardware, only to come back the next day and never go away again—despite trying every possible fix I could find online

Both of these comments help the troubleshooting process.
If I understand you correctly, you're saying you've noticed “floaty aim” after a display upgrade? Which display have you noticed this on?
If you've only started experiencing it on OLED displays, it could be that you're not used to the low G2G's that OLED displays provide.
OLED displays allow the user to notice microstuttering or other misbehavior with one's configuration easier due to their fast G2G response times not limiting the refresh rate's motion clarity.

Could you detail when exactly you've started noticing “floaty aim” and in what scenarios it's very apparent to you?

On the topic of USB controllers:
Yes, the PCIe card can help in DPC/ISR. Whether this is your exact issue may or may not apply. It can certainly help.

Your issue could be caused by RAM (most common culprit here), interference from external wireless sources (especially since you're running a wireless mouse), conducted interference from the electric circuitry (less likely, but possible depending on infrastucture)
Unstable RAM can cause degradation of feel over time (corrupting OS) due to frame pacing issues that it brings.
Even something as simple as temperature changes over time can induce it for you.

All of this assumes your issues are specifically electronics related, there could be psychological & physiological aspects to it as well to it.

[Roxtar]

Could you post a ZenTimings screenshot? Curious on the full settings which you're running.

ZenTimings_Screenshot.png (35.71 KiB) Viewed 4493 times

The SSD's you've listed could be a source of stuttering in titles heavy on storage-accesses such as BR titles
A SSD with DRAM can solve this.
Better voltage ripple management can help.

I mostly play competitive shooters

It was a general suggestion, it's difficult to give you any specific recommendations since “tried every optimization” is a vague explanation of your troubleshooting process.
Trying many changes all at once can cloud ones perception as well, hence why I recommended you a easy-to-setup baseline to evaluate whether your feelings persist.
These links I've sent provide a good foundation to understand any potential issues which may arise, you should consider reading them.

Sorry, I would detail you every tweak I tried but I tried so many of them that I don't even remember anymore, msi mode, power plans, hyperthreading off, bcedit...

Could you detail when exactly you've started noticing “floaty aim” and in what scenarios it's very apparent to you?

So to be exact, it's not like I started noticing floating aim, more like I stop feeling it when I switched monitors, it happened as it follows:

I had a zowie as primary and the msi, one day I got bored of the flat colors zowie monitors display so I switched the display port cable from the zowie to the msi and viceversa. As soon as I moved the mouse to close the the windows display settings tab, I felt the mouse moving very crisp and thought to myself 'the mouse is feeling different'. I didn't mind it that much and started a ranked match on valorant, suddenly I was clicking heads instantly without that much effort, but what amaze the most wasn't that, it was the fact that I knew exactly how much I should move the mouse and which direction to place the crosshair where I wanted it to be, I dont' know how to explain it but it was like I was one with the mouse, an extension of my arm. I went from silver to platinum that same night. Next day the feeling was gone and what I suppose is "floaty aim" came back. Then I thought it might be because my monitors are bad so I upgraded for the oled I have now but that wasn't the problem, then I thought something on my old rig was wrong so I bought a new one, and nothing.

Edit: Forgot to mention that before playing valorant, I was Top 500 on overwatch and played it semi pro for 2 years, in case anyone is thinking it's placebo.

[Roxtar]

I don't want to become the Linux guy after being the regedit guy for a while but I really got perfect results on it now. It feels slightly higher latency than what I can achieve on Windows but it's consistent and that's what makes it so great. Seeing that you have an NVIDIA GPU makes it questionable but there really is no other thing I can advise now.

Is there a guide or tutorial on how I could install and game on it?

[themagic]

I don't want to become the Linux guy after being the regedit guy for a while but I really got perfect results on it now. It feels slightly higher latency than what I can achieve on Windows but it's consistent and that's what makes it so great. Seeing that you have an NVIDIA GPU makes it questionable but there really is no other thing I can advise now.

Is there a guide or tutorial on how I could install and game on it?

Don't rly know how CS2 works on Linux...

But i tried CSGO on it when CS2 was still don't released and no tutorial need and just install Steam and Game and ready to play.

https://store.steampowered.com/linux

If you talking about if your GPU will work on Linux...idk but here a guy doing bench.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYRZ7pj ... allyGamin9