[SOLVED] FPS Drops in every game // Almost new PC

maet4

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Jul 5, 2015
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Hi. Yesterday I managed to finally install everything on the new PC and try some games, sadly I am having huge fps drops and stuttering on every game. I did a clean GPU driver install with DDU some minutes ago but the problem persisted. Did that on safe mode and with internet off. Windows is up to date.

Here my specs:
  • i5 9400f (new)
  • asus prime b360m-a (new)
  • 1x8gb ddr4 2666mhz (new)
  • seagate barracuda 1tb (new)
  • OCZ SXS 600W (old)
  • rx 460 2gb sapphire OC (old)

OS: Win10 x64

I tried Albion Online, Fortnite, The Witcher 3 and CS:GO. CS:GO didn't gave me any fps troubles, the other games did being Fortnite the worst. I don't know what else to try or how to troubleshoot this, maybe try cleaning the GPU? and if so how do you recommend doing it
 

PC Tailor

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Have you monitored GPU, CPU and RAM % usage under load (remember individual CPU cores are useful here, you only need one core to bottleneck)
Have you monitored GPU and CPU cores temperatures under load?
Do you have latest drivers installed?
Do you have latest BIOS installed?
How old is the PSU?

The single channel RAM will be a limiting factor. And the RX460 may also be limiting.
 

maet4

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I havent done any monitoring, I would need some advice there, and also haven't tested the temps. Regarding the BIOS I don't know, I haven't installed anything for it. The PSU I can't recall, but is really old. Probably 9 years old, I wouldnt say its malfunctioning looking at the cables, I have maintained it by cleaning it with an air compressor

I can confirm that the GPU drivers are up to date, I did a clean install with DDU. I also installed the latest motherboard drivers (Chipset, SATA, LAN and AUDIO only).

If you don't mind telling me which software if any, or steps to follow to make those tests, I would really appreciate it.
 

PC Tailor

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I havent done any monitoring, I would need some advice there, and also haven't tested the temps.
You can use either HWInfo to capture and log all information of usage and temps, or you can use MSI Afterburner to create an in-game overlay so you can monitor live in game.

The PSU I can't recall, but is really old. Probably 9 years old, I wouldnt say its malfunctioning looking at the cables, I have maintained it by cleaning it with an air compressor
Unfortunately that's not how it works. I would say 90% of PSUs fault without any signs of damage. Especially if they are bad quality. I wouldn't even use some of the top quality PSUs after 7 or so years, they have a shelf life, and poorer quality ones this is even less. You need to open up to case and find out which PSU you have. If it is a poor quality one, you risk instability and potential damage to the rest of the system.

It can be as simple as one of the PSU rails fluctuating outside of 5% tolerance from it's original voltage output. This can cause freezes and crashes as you have described.
 

maet4

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You can use either HWInfo to capture and log all information of usage and temps, or you can use MSI Afterburner to create an in-game overlay so you can monitor live in game.


Unfortunately that's not how it works. I would say 90% of PSUs fault without any signs of damage. Especially if they are bad quality. I wouldn't even use some of the top quality PSUs after 7 or so years, they have a shelf life, and poorer quality ones this is even less. You need to open up to case and find out which PSU you have. If it is a poor quality one, you risk instability and potential damage to the rest of the system.

It can be as simple as one of the PSU rails fluctuating outside of 5% tolerance from it's original voltage output. This can cause freezes and crashes as you have described.

The PSU is an OCZ StealthXStream 600W. Would like your input about it, I've been told it is a good PSU besides not having the 80 certificate. I remember getting interested once about PSUs and did some calcs with the specs and got 83% efficency, but maybe I am wrong.

I ran the MSI Afterburner software and did some monitoring, but honestly cant tell much. I would like to show you something like a log or the graphs since I notice some correlation in events from different graphs. CPU is at temp 30-35, GPU 40-50. Frametimes are not looking good at all. About the other stuff, I can't recall but if you tell me how can I show you I'll run some tests again.

I've played and also streamed CS:GO today with no problems at all, I get constant 250-300 fps, when I said I got fps drops in every game, I was wrong. Some games like that one, work like a charm. In other games like The Witcher 3, I get a little but not so noticeable stutter, but guess its from fps drops from the gpu giving some bottleneck. But, for example, while playing Albion Online/Fortnite the stuttering is constant, and I haven't tried other games which are intensive like that, well Albion is not intensive at all. So, could internet be a factor for the stuttering? I have cable, but I mean the fact that in online games the problem gets way worse
 
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PC Tailor

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The PSU is an OCZ StealthXStream 600W. Would like your input about it, I've been told it is a good PSU besides not having the 80 certificate. I remember getting interested once about PSUs and did some calcs with the specs and got 83% efficency, but maybe I am wrong.

I ran the MSI Afterburner software and did some monitoring, but honestly can tell much. I would like to show you something like a log or the graphs since I notice some correlation in events from different graphs. CPU is at temp 30-35, GPU 40-50. Frametimes are not looking good at all. About the other stuff, I can't recall but if you tell me how can I show you I'll run some tests again.
It certainly WAS good unit from my recollection. How long have you had it?

It's up to you how you want to show it, you can record the MSI afterburner overlay, and post a video. Or you can use something like HWInfo and generate a log, I can't recall if MSI AB has a log function!

Ideally you want temperatures and % usage. RAM usage and Disk Usage included.
 

maet4

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It certainly WAS good unit from my recollection. How long have you had it?

It's up to you how you want to show it, you can record the MSI afterburner overlay, and post a video. Or you can use something like HWInfo and generate a log, I can't recall if MSI AB has a log function!

Ideally you want temperatures and % usage. RAM usage and Disk Usage included.

PSU is probably 9 years old.

I edited the last post with something more while you were replying. I will dig MSI afterburner and find a way later today, too tired now. Something to add, was the GPU % while playing Albion, went from 0 to 100 a lot, don't know if that is normal.
 

PC Tailor

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I edited the last post with something more while you were replying. I will dig MSI afterburner and find a way later today, too tired now. Something to add, was the GPU % while playing Albion, went from 0 to 100 a lot, don't know if that is normal.
As for the previous post, internet limitations can certainly cause FPS issues.
Also if your GPU is hitting 100% this would explain plenty of FPS drops, which I would also expect from an RX460.
 
As I said, for probably 9 years.
PSU components deteriorate with time and usage, its time for a new psu. You are risking your components on a psu that is most likely past its best.

However I think the single stick of RAM is most likely your problem. Trouble is adding another 8gb stick isn't guaranteed to work, RAM should be bought in matched kits to avoid issues.
 
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maet4

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Dark Souls 3

Albion Online

I ran those tests, if something is missing tell me. You can see that in Albion I get a stuttering first (then I turned on the recorder and fps trashed dont know why), that stutter is constant when I am at crowded areas, is a MMORPG. Same goes for fortnite. I can post more data if something is missing or other games..
 
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maet4

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PSU components deteriorate with time and usage, its time for a new psu. You are risking your components on a psu that is most likely past its best.

However I think the single stick of RAM is most likely your problem. Trouble is adding another 8gb stick isn't guaranteed to work, RAM should be bought in matched kits to avoid issues.

It is a risk I can't avoid now, I have no money left atm to upgrade. And you're right I should've bought a PSU and wait some more time to buy the other components.
 

maet4

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Again just to clarify, the RAM can actually be a signficant factor in some cases. Dual channel is always preferable. But if the GPU is reaching 100% often, this could also be the bottlenecking component in that application.

Did you watch the videos I posted? The gpu is going to 100% and 0% constantly, what does that mean