Awful Stuttering In Games Using The Source Engine

[Duase]

For almost two years my computer has had a problem with all source-based games; stuttering. When I first got this computer, while it ran the game just fine, I noticed many more problems with it than I did with my old laptop.

This problem is across the board with TF2, Counter-Strike, Insurgency, and even Dota 2. It only occurred to me today, that instead of browsing forums, searching for a fix, it might be easier to talk about my specific situation.

Here is an example of the stuttering I get in-game:
[video="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxA05z4t1_I&feature=youtu.be"][/video]

Obviously, in the heat of the game, this can be detrimental, and after months of experiencing it, It's transcended annoyingness. I have tried almost every trick I can find in forums (notice the in-game quality is low), but to no avail. I am hoping here that my specific case can be reviewed, and hopefully a solution can be found.

For those who are interested, my relevant specs are:
GTX 680 SOC
20 GB DDR3 (4, 4, 4, 4, 4)
i7 965 3.20 GHz

 

[kwa-e]

Have you tried using V-SYNC?

 

[Duase]

Have you tried using V-SYNC?

I have tried using V-SYNC to no avail. I actually think I was recording that video with V-SYNC on.

 

[kwa-e]

Aw, I'm out of things to suggest.

Did a google search and found this, though:
http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?p=15504839

 

[Duase]

Aw, I'm out of things to suggest.

Did a google search and found this, though:
http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?p=15504839

No luck, unfortunately.

Reading around, though, and as that article says, these stutters are usually driver issues. I noticed a decline in game performance in Source games after installing drivers for GTA 5 a few weeks back, although the stuttering issue has been persistent for a long time prior.

 

[kwa-e]

I'm sorry I couldn't help, I'm really out of ideas,

I'm running TF2 and CS:GO on Linux and near-latest drivers and I'm rarely getting any stutters.

 

[Duase]

Altering graphical settings and other such things do not effect the stutters whatsoever.
Some more insight into this problem from anyone would be of great help.

 

[kwa-e]

Ah damn, I'm really sorry for what you're experiencing,

Could be the RAM, try running MEMTEST for a few hours.
And maybe a dodgy PSU could be the cause of the problem?

I'm all out of ideas :C

 

[Duase]

Power supply on this computer has been replaced four times. I tend to have bad luck with those things, but this problem has been present across different power supplies I've used. As for RAM, it's the same, although I haven't had any fail on me yet. These problems have been around for two years.

 

[kwa-e]

Power supply on this computer has been replaced four times. I tend to have bad luck with those things, but this problem has been present across different power supplies I've used. As for RAM, it's the same, although I haven't had any fail on me yet. These problems have been around for two years.

You might have been using PSU's with terrible voltage regulation, and High ripples within voltage could easily be causing the stutters and instability within the your Processor and CPU. What is the model of the PSU you currently own?

And functional RAM doesn't mean perfectly working RAM, Try running Memtest86 for a few hours to check for inconsistencies in the data being sent in and out. (This could also be the cause of the problem)

I'd also run Prime94 and Furmark for a few hours to test if your system is completely stable.
(Never run any of these 3 tests simultaneously, Your PSU might just explode!)

 

[Duase]

Power supply on this computer has been replaced four times. I tend to have bad luck with those things, but this problem has been present across different power supplies I've used. As for RAM, it's the same, although I haven't had any fail on me yet. These problems have been around for two years.

You might have been using PSU's with terrible voltage regulation, and High ripples within voltage could easily be causing the stutters and instability within the your Processor and CPU. What is the model of the PSU you currently own?

And functional RAM doesn't mean perfectly working RAM, Try running Memtest86 for a few hours to check for inconsistencies in the data being sent in and out. (This could also be the cause of the problem)

I'd also run Prime94 and Furmark for a few hours to test if your system is completely stable.
(Never run any of these 3 tests simultaneously, Your PSU might just explode!)

The model I currently own is admittedly unknown. I bought it in a rush after my Corsair crapped out on me. It's done fine for just about everything on my computer, so as the source of my problems, I don't necessarily understand it.

But if you could provide me with links for these tests and such, that'd be helpful.

 

[kwa-e]

Power supply on this computer has been replaced four times. I tend to have bad luck with those things, but this problem has been present across different power supplies I've used. As for RAM, it's the same, although I haven't had any fail on me yet. These problems have been around for two years.

You might have been using PSU's with terrible voltage regulation, and High ripples within voltage could easily be causing the stutters and instability within the your Processor and CPU. What is the model of the PSU you currently own?

And functional RAM doesn't mean perfectly working RAM, Try running Memtest86 for a few hours to check for inconsistencies in the data being sent in and out. (This could also be the cause of the problem)

I'd also run Prime94 and Furmark for a few hours to test if your system is completely stable.
(Never run any of these 3 tests simultaneously, Your PSU might just explode!)

The model I currently own is admittedly unknown. I bought it in a rush after my Corsair crapped out on me. It's done fine for just about everything on my computer, so as the source of my problems, I don't necessarily understand it.

But if you could provide me with links for these tests and such, that'd be helpful.

High ripple is when the PSU's supplied power deviates from the voltage required by the components, When this ripple deviates far from what is needed this can often cause performance instability in the components within your computer.
http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/Everything-You-Need-to-Know-About-Power-Supplies/181/11

But seeing as you had a Corsair PSU which often is within stable ripple ranges I don't see it as a likely problem.

TESTS:
http://www.memtest.org/
http://www.ozone3d.net/benchmarks/fur/
http://www.mersenne.org/download/

 

[Duase]

I've tried running the tests, and nothing looks wrong.

I think it's just my bad luck. I can tolerate this problem as long as it doesn't get any worse.

 

[kwa-e]

I'm really sorry that I couldn't help, I can imagine how annoying it could be x.x

Now the only reason I can see that's the cause of this is your network, but that really sounds like the case as your laptop runs fine.

 

[Duase]

Found the solution. HDD error. Reading slowly off my drives.
Putting Source games on my SSD gives non-stuttering results.