Question Dell AlienWare R9 (Late 2019) running slow ?

Dec 13, 2021
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I've been digging for answers for the past 3 days and staying up till 4am watching debugging screens, decided its time for a thread.
Specs:
Windows 10 (64bit)
Intel Core i5-9400 (6 CPU's)
NVidia GTX 1650
8192MB RAM (HYPERX) (1 stick)
1TB HDD
265GB SSD

I used to run fairly graphic intense games at about max settings @ 60-100fps. I've factory reset once because I was losing frames. Here I am again losing frames down to about 5-60fps with no recognizable pattern . CPU runs fairly hot @ 75C when running Apex so I did a deep clean inside the computer clearing minor dust and a small blockage with no change. I've noticed opening and closing programs can sometimes cause my CPU to spike to 100% which I figure is fairly normal. Came to the thread because I thought I had it fixed but it crashed a few times on a game that a 2010's laptop should run at 1000fps with no issue.

Drivers are all updated. Drives are defragged. Windows Defender is put to minimum usage. CPU Diagnostics came back clean. RAM Diagnostics showed no corruption. Drivers have been scanned and repaired via windows command prompt using FSC and DISM. Ran BIOS Diagnostics came back clean. Ran a few different leading antivirus software; windows, avast, malwarebytes. All came back clear. Searched for suspicious looking software manually. Nothing. My three running theories would be; malicious software, re-up thermal paste, or get a new PSU.
 
Dec 13, 2021
2
0
10
redo the thermal paste

what the brand and model of the psu?
how full is the ssd
I'm not sure what brand the PSU is, it came with the Alienware I think they manufacture them in house I would assume just by how its installed into the case. SSD is 2/3rd full HDD is 1/2 full. Thermal paste might be the solution here. I will order some and keep this thread posted on the performance I get after applying.