Question Laptop stuttering/lagging every 10ish seconds

[mrknthnytn]

Why does my laptop keeps on stuttering/lagging every (around) 10 seconds while playing video games like PUBG & APEX (already at low settings) even though my laptop has high specs (I think)?
My laptop's specifications:
CPU: Intel Core i7-8750H @2.20GHz
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 GDDR5 @ 6.0 GB (192-bit)
RAM: 16 GB

PS: I've watched someone with the same specs as mine at youtube playing the same game at high settings and his game is smooth.

 

[Prostar Computer]

What kind of hard drive and internet service are you rocking? Have you already tried updating your video drivers, maybe even disable GeForce Experience?

 

[mrknthnytn]

What kind of hard drive and internet service are you rocking? Have you already tried updating your video drivers, maybe even disable GeForce Experience?

I have a PCIE2 1TB HDD + 128GB SSD. My internet is pretty stable. I'm currently updating my drivers right now and I will update you if my problem has been fixed. Thank you for your fast response.

 

[mrknthnytn]

Hey @Prostar Computer . I've installed the latest video drivers and I tried running APEX Legends and it still stutters ((
Any idea on what else could be causing this stuttering?

 

[Prostar Computer]

I can recall only one other instance of the same issue (micro stutters in Bioshock Infinite every 10-ish seconds), and at that time it turned out to be the SSD. The drive seemed like it was in good health otherwise, but the stutters disappeared once we replaced it.

Before you go doing that, though, make sure to disable (or uninstall) GeForce Experience, update the Intel Graphics driver (if you didn't already), and monitor your temperatures when gaming to make sure it's not an intermittent throttle that's causing the stutter.

 

[Solandri]

I have a PCIE2 1TB HDD + 128GB SSD. My internet is pretty stable. I'm currently updating my drivers right now and I will update you if my problem has been fixed. Thank you for your fast response.

I assume the SSD is the system drive? Be sure you don't put a pagefile on the HDD. People with small SSDs sometimes do that, and it's just terrible. Windows treats the pagefile like memory, so any pagefile access that has to wait for the HDD will cause the system to freeze while it waits. Even the mouse pointer will freeze.

If the games are on the HDD, try the script I suggest in this thread. A lot of these laptop HDDs are 5400 RPM WD drives, which have a head parking issue that causes stutters about every 10-15 seconds. The script prevents the heads from parking.

https://forums.tomshardware.com/threads/hdd-is-giving-me-problems-in-games.2909499/#post-18371706

If the script fixes it, you can just run it any time you play games. A semi-permanent fix is to disable the drive APM (power management) as I suggested in that post. The only permanent fix is to replace the WD with a non-WD drive or a 2.5" WD Black drive if they still make those.

 

[mrknthnytn]

I assume the SSD is the system drive? Be sure you don't put a pagefile on the HDD. People with small SSDs sometimes do that, and it's just terrible. Windows treats the pagefile like memory, so any pagefile access that has to wait for the HDD will cause the system to freeze while it waits. Even the mouse pointer will freeze.

If the games are on the HDD, try the script I suggest in this thread. A lot of these laptop HDDs are 5400 RPM WD drives, which have a head parking issue that causes stutters about every 10-15 seconds. The script prevents the heads from parking.

https://forums.tomshardware.com/threads/hdd-is-giving-me-problems-in-games.2909499/#post-18371706

If the script fixes it, you can just run it any time you play games. A semi-permanent fix is to disable the drive APM (power management) as I suggested in that post. The only permanent fix is to replace the WD with a non-WD drive or a 2.5" WD Black drive if they still make those.

Alright, thank you so much for your help! Will update this post if it has been fixed

 

[mrknthnytn]

I can recall only one other instance of the same issue (micro stutters in Bioshock Infinite every 10-ish seconds), and at that time it turned out to be the SSD. The drive seemed like it was in good health otherwise, but the stutters disappeared once we replaced it.

Before you go doing that, though, make sure to disable (or uninstall) GeForce Experience, update the Intel Graphics driver (if you didn't already), and monitor your temperatures when gaming to make sure it's not an intermittent throttle that's causing the stutter.

Alright, thanks!! Will update this post if my problem has been fixed

 

[mrknthnytn]

Hey guys. I seem to have fixed the problem just by updating the bios. Thanks anyways