970extreme3, FX-8320, Stuttering

[shenaynay]

Hello to all who take the time to read this! Thank you in advance

I have been encountering stuttering/screen tearing for some time. I have attempted countless fixes for it both before switching to windows 10 and after. Reformatting and wiping my system clean did not fix the issue during the transition. Its incredibly rhythmic, Every 5ish seconds my screen tears and I rubber band. I could issue a command, See/hear it and not have actually used the ability, Such as ana's grenade trying to self heal in over watch. Blink with tracer and then be pulled back at the end of it to my "actual in game location". It used to present itself in the form of Audio Crackles and sound pops when it lagged. Now with some diligent DPC tweaking it seems to mainly be the visual ques.

I've attempted
1. Replacing pretty much every driver in device manager. Making sure to uninstall them prior using manual methods and DDU Cleaner.
2.Changing power settings to High performance
3.Changing bio's power settings I.E Cool and quiet, c6, C1e, Amp.
4.Flashing bios and unseating CMos, then reinstalling again.
5. Disabling audio/network devices after uninstalling/reinstalling the drivers for them.
6. Installing a new Asus 4X4 ac3100 network card
7. Running CCleaner, Antivirus/malware scans (both 3rd party and only windows after uninstalling them)
8. Disabling pretty much every USB Root Hub.
9. Dusting out the inside
10. Re seating every piece of hardware and re applying thermal paste to my CPU.
11. Observing temps to see if anythings too hot (doesn't appear to be but I am kinda new to it)
12. Beating my head against my desk repetitively.
13. Searching the internet extensively.
14. Removing all bu 1 ram stick and switching them around.
15. Defragmenting my HDD
16. running Mem Diag
17 Troubleshooting with Latency mon (got my levels down significantly)


I fear that my motherboard may be bad at this point. Especially given that they removed the comparability listing with my 8 core processor a year after the mobo's release. https://hardforum.com/threads/asrock-removes-supported-cpus-years-after-release.1800623/

My system.

Windows 10 Home
Amd FM-8320, 3.5MHz, 8 core
Asrock 970 extreme3 Mobo
Nvidia 1060 Gigabyte Geforce GTX, 1060, 6gb, PSU
32 gigs 4X8 DDR3-2400 Gskill ripjaws
Asus 4X4 Ac3100 Wireless PCi-E
OSZ trion100, 256GB, SSD
WDC 1TB black HDD
675W ToughpowerXT Power supply.

I've been trying to resolve these issues focusing on DPC Latency as of late for entirely too long and am desperate for some help. I seem to have gotten my levels there down significantly but my consistent stuttering is BLATANTLY apparent. I have OBS videos of me in the Overwatch training grounds/in game, I am not sure what method is best to share them if you think it will help. Thank you in advance!

 

[Barty1884]

I don't think it's a case of your board being "bad at this point", but that it was never really fit for purpose to begin with.

The 4+1 power phase boards (from any manufacturer) were performance/temp nightmares with the 8core chips.

 

[shenaynay]

I don't think it's a case of your board being "bad at this point", but that it was never really fit for purpose to begin with.

The 4+1 power phase boards (from any manufacturer) were performance/temp nightmares with the 8core chips.

Thank you for responding first and foremost! So my understanding is you would suggest replacing my MOBO and keeping all existing components otherwise with this build? I've been looking at the MSI-970 for the budget option but am willing to go for something in the 990 chipset range if you feel its well worth the jump. I am so scared to make the wrong choice given how many other hardware pices I purchased attempting to fix this over the years

 

[Barty1884]

It's a tough one, as the FX8320 isn't exactly a great performing chip to begin with (depending on your needs, of course).

Your specific problems are near 99% caused by the poor power-phase design utilized on that board.......
Changing your motherboard to something with a better design, and 'true' support for the 8core, 125W chips (as in, no recorded problems) would be the 'budget' option - as that should be no more than a ~$80 investment in the used market.

From a performance standpoint, newer/more efficient chips (ie Intel Haswell or greater or AMD Ryzen) would be better performers, but that's a much more sizeable investment.

 

[shenaynay]

It's a tough one, as the FX8320 isn't exactly a great performing chip to begin with (depending on your needs, of course).

Your specific problems are near 99% caused by the poor power-phase design utilized on that board.......
Changing your motherboard to something with a better design, and 'true' support for the 8core, 125W chips (as in, no recorded problems) would be the 'budget' option - as that should be no more than a ~$80 investment in the used market.

From a performance standpoint, newer/more efficient chips (ie Intel Haswell or greater or AMD Ryzen) would be better performers, but that's a much more sizeable investment.

You sir are a gentleman and a scholar. It is precisely as I had feared but quick and to the point which is all I can ask for. I appreciate your assistance. If this is the common consensus then I will mark this solved.

 

[mamasan2000]

Does it only happen in online games? Sounds more like slow net connection.
If you rubberband in singleplayer games, then it's not your Internet connection.
Test that first. Buying hardware should be last resort, when you are 100% sure what component has failed.

 

[jeffredo]

Does it only happen in online games? Sounds more like slow net connection.
If you rubberband in singleplayer games, then it's not your Internet connection.
Test that first. Buying hardware should be last resort, when you are 100% sure what component has failed.

Exactly. If he can test it in an offline, fairly demanding single player game and it works fine its not the hardware. The rubberbanding is a dead giveaway to internet issues. Maybe he can try it with a wired connection somewhere in his home. I don't play Overwatch, but I do play WoW and LotRO with an overclocked FX-8320E on a Gigabyte GA-990FX-UD5 and experience none of those issues. It also has a wireless connection and I also use a PCI-E network card (TP-LINK Archer T8E) with Comcast cable internet.

Another thing he might want to try is to tweak a couple things in Windows 10. Ever since the Creator's Update to Windows 10 a few weeks ago people in WoW have been complaining about their vertical sync being all messed up (causing tearing). The fix was to disable the Game DVR in the XBOX app (its in the settings) and to right click on the game's desktop icon and under the compatibility tab check "Disable Fullscreen Optimizations". Microsoft add this in the update and I've read its causing issues in a lot of games with vertical sync and stuttering.

 

[shenaynay]

Does it only happen in online games? Sounds more like slow net connection.
If you rubberband in singleplayer games, then it's not your Internet connection.
Test that first. Buying hardware should be last resort, when you are 100% sure what component has failed.

I disabled my network card and Tried DOOM and it honestly was much better. Still minor micro stuttering but no full fledged screen tears. I re installed my network drivers again as a result and even over watch is slightly better. But there is still an subtle yet noticeable stutter.

 

[shenaynay]

Does it only happen in online games? Sounds more like slow net connection.
If you rubberband in singleplayer games, then it's not your Internet connection.
Test that first. Buying hardware should be last resort, when you are 100% sure what component has failed.

Exactly. If he can test it in an offline, fairly demanding single player game and it works fine its not the hardware. The rubberbanding is a dead giveaway to internet issues. Maybe he can try it with a wired connection somewhere in his home. I don't play Overwatch, but I do play WoW and LotRO with an overclocked FX-8320E on a Gigabyte GA-990FX-UD5 and experience none of those issues. It also has a wireless connection and I also use a PCI-E network card (TP-LINK Archer T8E) with Comcast cable internet.

Another thing he might want to try is to tweak a couple things in Windows 10. Ever since the Creator's Update to Windows 10 a few weeks ago people in WoW have been complaining about their vertical sync being all messed up (causing tearing). The fix was to disable the Game DVR in the XBOX app (its in the settings) and to right click on the game's desktop icon and under the compatibility tab check "Disable Fullscreen Optimizations". Microsoft add this in the update and I've read its causing issues in a lot of games with vertical sync and stuttering.

Thank you for the input. I will give this a try because it did get faar worse very recently. Perhaps these have contributed to that outcome.

 

[Barty1884]

There may well be a double-issue here. (Apologies, I was focusing more on the stuttering vs the rubberband aspect).

With aspects improving from further network tweaks, you're getting there - but I highly doubt any stutters are going to be fully eradicated while using that board.

Test that first. Buying hardware should be last resort, when you are 100% sure what component has failed.

While that's a fair comment in general, the motherboard in play here was not particularly stable when the 8320 was "supported". It's not a matter of something failing (with the motherboard), but it was hardly fit for purpose to begin with.

 

[shenaynay]

There may well be a double-issue here. (Apologies, I was focusing more on the stuttering vs the rubberband aspect).

With aspects improving from further network tweaks, you're getting there - but I highly doubt any stutters are going to be fully eradicated while using that board.

Test that first. Buying hardware should be last resort, when you are 100% sure what component has failed.

While that's a fair comment in general, the motherboard in play here was not particularly stable when the 8320 was "supported". It's not a matter of something failing (with the motherboard), but it was hardly fit for purpose to begin with.

I must admit I've seen drastic visual improvements because as you said it was a double issue. However you are right in that though the visual aspect of the stuttering is much less abrasive, The rubber banding aspect and the fact that the micro stutters remained there are apparent. It just means that my games are much more tolerable now in the meantime, which gives me solitude to know its not something I MUST get immediately... As I had felt before. You are all great <3