Question [Help] Microstutters in Games and Desktop usage – Tried Almost Everything – Need Advice

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preekzy

preekzy

May 26, 2025
8
2
15
Hey everyone,

I've been struggling with persistent microstutters in games like FFXIV and Tarkov, and I'm seriously at a loss. I've gone through many troubleshooting both in BIOS and in Windows, and even replaced major components, but the issue still persists. I'm hoping someone here might catch something I've missed.
I've made a reddit post to this: https://www.reddit.com/r/techsupport/comments/1kvzm4b/help_microstutters_in_games_and_desktop_usage/

My PC Specs:​

  • CPU: Ryzen 7 9800X3D (had same issue with previous 9800X3D chip)
  • GPU: RTX 5080 (upgraded from 4070 Ti, same stutters on both)
  • Motherboard: ASUS B650E-E (replaced from MSI X870 Gaming – same issue on both boards)
  • Cooler: NZXT Kraken 2024 (stock, not using USB/CAM features)
  • PSU: Corsair RX1000M
  • RAM: G.Skill Trident Z Neo 64GB (30-40-40 EXPO) (Tried with Corsair Dominator 64GB as well)
  • Keyboard: Wooting 80HE
  • Mouse: Hitscan Hyperlight 1kHz
  • Monitor: AORUS FO27Q3 360Hz OLED (DP 2.1 Cable)
  • Audio: GoXLR
  • Storage: Samsung 990 Pro 2TB (Tried another 990Pro 2TB)
  • Fan Controller: NZXT Controller

What I’ve Tried – BIOS Settings:​

  • Global C-State: Disabled and Enable
  • PSS Support: Disabled and Enable
  • Power Supply Idle Control: Typical and Auto
  • SMEE: Disabled And Auto
  • Latency Under Load: Disabled and Enable
  • SVM: Disabled
  • SVM Lock: Enabled
  • DF Cstates: Disabled and Auto
  • iGPU: Enabled and Disabled
  • CPPC: Dynamic Preferred Cores set to Frequency
  • PCIe + M.2: All set to Gen4
  • PBO: Advanced
    • Limits: Motherboard
    • Boost Override: +100 and 0
    • Curve Optimizer: -10 and 0
  • All Hyper-V features: Disabled
  • EXPO: Tried both Enabled and Disabled
  • Heavy DRAM timing adjustments
  • Resize BAR: Enabled

What I’ve Tried – Windows & General:​

  • Uninstalled: MSI Afterburner, NZXT CAM
  • Disabled all monitoring tools
  • MSI Util set to High Priority + MSI Mode enabled
  • HPET: Tried both enabled and disabled
  • Swapped CPU (same model) – issue persists
  • Disabled LAN, WLAN individually
  • Multiple clean GPU driver installs with DDU (including testing many 5080 drivers)
  • Installed Samsung Magician
  • Tried separate PCIe LAN card
  • Unplugged NZXT controller, fans routed directly to motherboard
  • Power plans: Balanced, High Performance
  • CPU min/max state: 100%
  • Demote/Promote thresholds: 100%
  • PCIe Link State Power Mgmt: Off
  • HAGs: On and Off
  • Game Bar: On and Off
  • Game Mode: On and Off
  • Latest AMD chipset & LAN drivers
  • Benchmarks: Cinebench, OCCT, Heaven – no signs of instability
  • Unplugged GoXLR, webcam, and all other peripherals
  • Win11 Freshinstall 3x

LatencyMon Results:​

  • LatencyMon shows occasional spikes in DPC latency
  • Most common offenders:
    • Wdf01000.sys
    • nvlddmkm.sys
    • EscapeFromTarkov.exe
  • Seen 17,000+ page faults from Tarkov alone
  • Sometimes results are good (low spikes), but often there are orange flags and audio crackles during spikes

Still Getting Microstutters​

Games run, FPS is good overall, but frequent tiny stutters kill the smoothness. I'm not seeing major spikes in temps or usage either.

Im already losing my mind. Please help..

Clip of my Stutter:
https://streamable.com/6p6m26 (look at the end when im scoping)
 
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Ralston18 said:
Appears that problems of some sort began on the 13th.

Click technical details for each error, warning, and informational event.

Look in Windows Update history for any failed or problem updates.

Also run "dism" and "sfc /scannow".

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-use-dism-command-line-utility-repair-windows-10-image

https://www.lifewire.com/how-to-use-sfc-scannow-to-repair-windows-system-files-2626161

= = = =

Disk drive(s): make, model, capacity, how full? Connectivity?
Click to expand...
Hey, i've tried that many times already. To be fully accurate, i got that issue exactly when i switched to AMD. So im troubleshooting my problem since Febuary 🙁

I only use a C:\ drive. 990Pro, 2TB, Around 800GB used, in the first m.2_1 slot
 
VizzieTheViz said:
May sound silly but maybe try another mouse and keyboard just to rule out some USB shenanigans going on?
Click to expand...
I had a ViperV3 pro Before and had these stutters as well. I didnt tested it yet with another keyboard. i will take a keyboard from my company tomorrow and test afterwards. Ill keep you updated
 
preekzy said:
I had a ViperV3 pro Before and had these stutters as well. I didnt tested it yet with another keyboard. i will take a keyboard from my company tomorrow and test afterwards. Ill keep you updated
Click to expand...
Does this only occur with just the two specified games, or does this occur with any game? From personal experience, Escape from Tarkov has always had stutter and performance issues. Same with other online MMO games like FFIV.

For the following troubleshooting steps please go into your BIOS and set everything to default settings, and then set your EXPO profile to its rated speeds. Disconnect any extraneous USB devices besides 1 monitor, 1 keyboard, and 1 mouse. Make sure that V-Sync is off in the games you test with. V-sync can cause stutters. I would also try turning off G-sync on the monitor for testing. Make sure that G-Sync/Freesync is turned off in the Nvidia control panel and in the monitor's settings menu.

I would try a clean boot and only start and run tarkov or FF. Make sure to not start any other program. If you no longer experience the stuttering then some software/service conflict is occuring. If the stutters persist and you still suspect software it would have to be either windows and one of its services, the game itself, or a driver.

This may sound counterintuitive, but use DDU to uninstall your sound driver. Do not reinstall the sound driver before trying to see if this fixed the issue by opening up either offending game. If this fixed the issue, then something related to the sound drivers initial install likely went bad.

Another issue that could be going on is that the game files are on the same storage drive as the OS. This can mean that when the OS has to write or read to the storage at the same time as the game, the OS is prioritized and this can cause a stutter because of the delay caused to the game files being read. The only way to try this fix would be to use or buy another good NVMe drive for the games, uninstall and reinstall the games to the new drive.
 
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helper800 said:
Does this only occur with just the two specified games, or does this occur with any game? From personal experience, Escape from Tarkov has always had stutter and performance issues. Same with other online MMO games like FFIV.

For the following troubleshooting steps please go into your BIOS and set everything to default settings, and then set your EXPO profile to its rated speeds. Disconnect any extraneous USB devices besides 1 monitor, 1 keyboard, and 1 mouse. Make sure that V-Sync is off in the games you test with. V-sync can cause stutters. I would also try turning off G-sync on the monitor for testing. Make sure that G-Sync/Freesync is turned off in the Nvidia control panel and in the monitor's settings menu.

I would try a clean boot and only start and run tarkov or FF. Make sure to not start any other program. If you no longer experience the stuttering then some software/service conflict is occuring. If the stutters persist and you still suspect software it would have to be either windows and one of its services, the game itself, or a driver.

This may sound counterintuitive, but use DDU to uninstall your sound driver. Do not reinstall the sound driver before trying to see if this fixed the issue by opening up either offending game. If this fixed the issue, then something related to the sound drivers initial install likely went bad.

Another issue that could be going on is that the game files are on the same storage drive as the OS. This can mean that when the OS has to write or read to the storage at the same time as the game, the OS is prioritized and this can cause a stutter because of the delay caused to the game files being read. The only way to try this fix would be to use or buy another good NVMe drive for the games, uninstall and reinstall the games to the new drive.
Click to expand...
Oh wow, that’s a lot of info. I’ll try out each step you mentioned.


I remember having some annoying stutters in the Oblivion Remaster and FF7 Remake too, but from what I know, those games aren’t exactly well-optimized. I can reinstall them and check again for stuttering.


I also play a lot of OW2, and I rarely notice any stutters there. I super rarely play LoL as well—there I do notice some small hiccups and sound issues.

Talking about stutters, i just had a really annoying stutter in FFXIV, these stutters never happened on my old i7 13700k System.


I’ll give that method a shot: disconnecting USB devices, using just one monitor, turning off all sync options, and doing a clean boot. Before that, I’ll remove all sound drivers using DDU.


Technically, I have a 970 Evo installed as my D:\ drive, but I disabled it so my GPU could run at x16 instead of x8. Do you think that makes a big difference?
 
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