Question My PC is under performing when i'm gaming and I don't know the reason.

[NaamDrew]

The games I want to play is Fortnite and CS:GO. When I play CS my FPS is always dropping and it never goes over 50. On Fortnite my FPS reaches a max 200 but it consistantly dips below 30 . My specs are:
i5 4590 @ 3.3ghz
GTX 960 2GB
8GB DDR3
Windows 10

This is a PC that i bought second hand and the only thing lacking is the gaming. I updated all of the drivers and I don't know what to do anymore.

 

[Ralston18]

Compare the PC's to the recommended hardware specs for the games you play.

Most games provide some spec's listing along the lines of minimal, recommended, and best.

You do not want minimal and you do want as much best as you can afford.

Also Use Task Manager and Resource Monitor to determine what all is running in the background. There may be some other apps being launched at startup. You may not need those apps to be running if you even need the app at all.

Determine if there is some bottleneck. RAM for example - 8GB is that one module or perhaps 2 x 4GB modules. Verify that the configuration is correct for the PC/motherboard.

As for drivers: good that they are updated but take another look. Ensure that the drivers are updated via the manufacturer's website and that they are truly matched to their respective device and the system (e.g., 32 bit or 64 bit).

What make and model monitor are you using? How is the monitor configured?

 

[Frag Maniac]

Your spec easily passes recommended requirements for both those games.

This is CSGO with same spec at similar FPS but twice the minimum. Compare settings to his and note he has both vsync and AA off.

This is Fortnite with similar spec but twice the RAM and VRAM. His VRAM pretty much stays at 2GB and RAM around 6GB though, so that shouldn't matter as long as your settings are no higher than his.

If after a settings check and/or adjustment the problem persists, check for dust buildup in the CPU and GPU heatsinks. If they need cleaning, do it carefully. With 2nd hand PCs, this kind of thing should be checked. Also check +12v voltages coming out of your PSU. It should stay at a steady 12 - 12.5 when under load and never drop below 11.5. It would be helpful if you listed the brand and model of PSU.

Monitor your temps while gaming with a tool like MSI Afterburner. On the monitoring tab to set desired sensors like GPU and CPU temps, you need to highlight them then check show on screen. Ideally games like this should not exceed 65c for CPU and 75c for GPU.

A lot of processors throttle down when they reach mid 80s though, which can cause severe frame drops, so if need be, add a fan or two to your case. You can also reapply the thermal paste to the CPU and GPU, but if you're new at that kind of thing, you'll need to watch some guides on it.