Question Stuttering in games

[yuri2606]

Hello!

My PC configuration:
MoBo: Asrock Z390 Phantom Gaming 6
CPU: Intel Core i7 9700k (Stock)
GPU: Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming OC
PSU: Corsair RM 850x - 850W
RAM: Ballistix Sport LT [BLS2C16G4D240FSB] 32GB DDR4 2400MHz (Stock 16-16-16-39)
SSD: Samsung 850 EVO

All games are running in pretty high fps, there is no huge FPS drops, but some stuttering here and there. For example, Far Cry 5.
Video demonstration:

View: https://www.youtube.com/embed/aVe0WdmbXqA


It seems to appear on the same places of the benchmark. Happens on any settings.

NVidia driver: 418.91

I tried:

1. reinstall windows
2. reinstall drivers with DDU
3. Update BIOS and reset it to defaults

 

[atomicWAR]

Have you run vsync/gsync and still had stuttering? Common issue when not enabled. Not seeing any stand out issues in your systems specs.

 

[atomicWAR]

Also what is your per- thread CPU usage? Far Cry 5 frame rates can get crippled by the DRM in the game. It maxes out one thread and can make the game stutter. I have issues with it myself when running the spectre and meltdown patches...I actually have to disable them to play some games like FC5 or in that particular game they chop my frame rate in half (at least post october update, they were less impactful prior). That said your CPU is new enough that should not be much of an issue but may be worth checking out if you don't find any other fixes.

https://www.grc.com/inspectre.htm

 

[yuri2606]

Also what is your per- thread CPU usage? Far Cry 5 frame rates can get crippled by the DRM in the game. It maxes out one thread and can make the game stutter. I have issues with it myself when running the spectre and meltdown patches...I actually have to disable them to play some games like FC5 or in that particular game they chop my frame rate in half (at least post october update, they were less impactful prior). That said your CPU is new enough that should not be much of an issue but may be worth checking out if you don't find any other fixes.

https://www.grc.com/inspectre.htm

It doesn't seem to be related with CPU usage. When I look on the frame time chart spikes, they can be at any load, 60%-90% per core.
I also see same issue in Metro:Exodus. Stutters, while CPU usage is pretty low.
While some other games don't stutter at all, like Overwatch, R6:Siege, Quake Champions, all maxed out and having consistent high framerate.

Have you run vsync/gsync and still had stuttering? Common issue when not enabled. Not seeing any stand out issues in your systems specs.

Yes, I run it with G-sync on a 144hz monitor.

Can my RAM slow down the system and cause stutter? I don't have any idea what can cause that problem...

 

[atomicWAR]

Hiting 90% or more on on single thread can stuff up a frame rate and cause stutters. You try limiting your frames? Say set it to 90fps and see if u still stutter in FC5.

 

[yuri2606]

Hiting 90% or more on on single thread can stuff up a frame rate and cause stutters. You try limiting your frames? Say set it to 90fps and see if u still stutter in FC5.

I have less frame time spikes at 90fps, but still a lot. And in Metro I have less than 90 fps, but it stutters.

 

[yuri2606]

It seems like, I'm not the only one who has this nasty stutter:

View: https://youtu.be/ZHgotGS9qGs?t=46


Can anyone test this game on their machines?

 

[atomicWAR]

I am running it at 4K60HZ with HDR and as long as I disable spectre/meltdown patches I can run FC5 smooth...though in co-op I can get very brief stutters when gathering looting. So yeah the game is known to have issues. All you can do is try to minimize the ones you face. As for Metro I have't made the jump yet on the latest title.

 

[yuri2606]

I am running it at 4K60HZ with HDR and as long as I disable spectre/meltdown patches I can run FC5 smooth...though in co-op I can get very brief stutters when gathering looting. So yeah the game is known to have issues. All you can do is try to minimize the ones you face. As for Metro I have't made the jump yet on the latest title.

I suspect it can be i7 9700k problem. You have 12 threads, while I have only 8 and it seems Far Cry relies on it. I should have bought 8700k...

 

[Roger Har Dang]

well try disabling your OC , specially on your OC gpu , it's for mining not for gaming .

 

[yuri2606]

well try disabling your OC , specially on your OC gpu , it's for mining not for gaming .

It's not overclocked.

 

[nicholas70]

9

I suspect it can be i7 9700k problem. You have 12 threads, while I have only 8 and it seems Far Cry relies on it. I should have bought 8700k...

9700k usually benches slightly ahead of the 8700k, and actual CPU cores are batter then virtual cores. If your cpu isn't being limited due to power or thermal issues it shouldn't be causing any problems. I would like to point out that according to Intels spec sheet for the 9700k it suggests using 2666 speed RAM. You might want to try overclocking your RAM a bit and see if that helps. https://ark.intel.com/products/186604/Intel-Core-i7-9700K-Processor-12M-Cache-up-to-4-90-GHz-

 

[yuri2606]

9


9700k usually benches slightly ahead of the 8700k, and actual CPU cores are batter then virtual cores. If your cpu isn't being limited due to power or thermal issues it shouldn't be causing any problems. I would like to point out that according to Intels spec sheet for the 9700k it suggests using 2666 speed RAM. You might want to try overclocking your RAM a bit and see if that helps. https://ark.intel.com/products/186604/Intel-Core-i7-9700K-Processor-12M-Cache-up-to-4-90-GHz-

I set ram to 2800 (15-15-15-39 1.35v). It didn't change anything (though it is stable).

Most reviewers show and care only about average/min fps, but the main factor of "smoothness" is frametime. So yeah, 9700k has better FPS, but it spikes more as well.

 

[nicholas70]

9

I suspect it can be i7 9700k problem. You have 12 threads, while I have only 8 and it seems Far Cry relies on it. I should have bought 8700k...

9700k usually benches slightly ahead of the 8700k, and actual CPU cores are batter then virtual cores. If your cpu isn't being limited due to power or thermal issues it shouldn't be causing any problems. I would like to point out that according to Intels spec sheet for the 9700k it suggests using 2666 speed RAM. You might want to try overclocking your RAM a bit and see if that helps. https://ark.intel.com/products/186604/Intel-Core-i7-9700K-Processor-12M-Cache-up-to-4-90-GHz-

I set ram to 2800 (15-15-15-39 1.35v). It didn't change anything (though it is stable).

Most reviewers show and care only about average/min fps, but the main factor of "smoothness" is frametime. So yeah, 9700k has better FPS, but it spikes more as well.

I really doubt that the 9700k itself is causing stuttering. I watched a number of youtube videos of people running 9700ks that didn't seem to have a problem with stuttering as best as I could tell. I will say that problems with stuttering are not uncommon in gaming, and there are many possible causes of stuttering. I mean I've heard of people complain of stuttering issues running I9 9900ks and threadrippers, but I don't see how it could be due to lack of cpu power.

 

[yuri2606]

9


9700k usually benches slightly ahead of the 8700k, and actual CPU cores are batter then virtual cores. If your cpu isn't being limited due to power or thermal issues it shouldn't be causing any problems. I would like to point out that according to Intels spec sheet for the 9700k it suggests using 2666 speed RAM. You might want to try overclocking your RAM a bit and see if that helps. https://ark.intel.com/products/186604/Intel-Core-i7-9700K-Processor-12M-Cache-up-to-4-90-GHz-


I really doubt that the 9700k itself is causing stuttering. I watched a number of youtube videos of people running 9700ks that didn't seem to have a problem with stuttering as best as I could tell. I will say that problems with stuttering are not uncommon in gaming, and there are many possible causes of stuttering. I mean I've heard of people complain of stuttering issues running I9 9900ks and threadrippers, but I don't see how it could be due to lack of cpu power.

Yes, may be I am wrong blaming 9700k, I saw 9900k + RTX 2080ti stutters in FC5. And I also saw this benchmark on 7700k running on 100fps without any stuttering. May be it's a bad 2080 driver or game itself. I'm really confused and don't know how to find the root of the problem.

 

[nicholas70]

Well you could try running the Intel Extreme Tuning Utility while playing the game. Have the utility show core utilization and active core count and have it graph a 10 min history. When your running the game your overall cpu utilization and active core count should stay pretty consistent. If you start seeing dips and spikes especially in active core count then you have likely found the cause of your problem.

 

[yuri2606]

unning the Intel Extreme Tuning Utility while playing the game. Have the utility show core utilization and active core count and have it graph a 10 min history. When your running the game your overall cpu utilization and active core count should stay pretty consistent. If you start seeing dips and spikes esp

Active core count is static - all 8 cores are used. CPU utilization is pretty high, but I don't see any correlation, it can run smoothly with stable frame rate on the same core load, but then suddenly drop GPU usage and stutter.

 

[yuri2606]

I tried different RAM, PSU and video card (RX 580) and I still see the stutter. Is it CPU or MoBO?

 

[nicholas70]

I really doubt that a faulty cpu or mobo would cause minor stuttering like what you're seeing without causing any other issue. Have you benchmarked the different hardware components on your system to see if anything isn't operating as well as it should? You could also run daigs on the cpu and run stress tests on it, but I doubt it is going to run into any issues. I did notice a lot of people having this problem had to set pre-rendered frames to 1 in order to correct it. If you have not done that I would give it a try. I'm also wondering what other games you've run that are having this problem if any.

 

[yuri2606]

I really doubt that a faulty cpu or mobo would cause minor stuttering like what you're seeing without causing any other issue. Have you benchmarked the different hardware components on your system to see if anything isn't operating as well as it should? You could also run daigs on the cpu and run stress tests on it, but I doubt it is going to run into any issues. I did notice a lot of people having this problem had to set pre-rendered frames to 1 in order to correct it. If you have not done that I would give it a try. I'm also wondering what other games you've run that are having this problem if any.

I tried Intel Diagnostic Tool, Prime 95 (blend test), memtest86. All are fine.
I tried most of recommended options in Nvidia CP, including pre-rendered frames. Doesn't help.

Other games: Metro: Exodus, Battlefield V, CoD: Black Ops 4. I also have ocasional stutters in Shadow of the Tomb Raider and it seems to be related with loading something (textures? other resources? I don't know).

In the same time Overwatch and R6:Siege doesn't stutter at all.

We tried to switch everything (except MoBo and CPU) with my friend who has RX 580 and i5 6600. And he has from less to no stutters...

May be default config of my motherboard is bad?
I have 8 + 4 pin CPU power suply, but only 8-pin is connected since I don't have another 4 pin connector, I thought 4 isn't necessary for my CPU. Can it be a problem?

 

[yuri2606]

I really doubt that a faulty cpu or mobo would cause minor stuttering like what you're seeing without causing any other issue. Have you benchmarked the different hardware components on your system to see if anything isn't operating as well as it should? You could also run daigs on the cpu and run stress tests on it, but I doubt it is going to run into any issues. I did notice a lot of people having this problem had to set pre-rendered frames to 1 in order to correct it. If you have not done that I would give it a try. I'm also wondering what other games you've run that are having this problem if any.

It becomes much better when select this:

UPD: no, it’s not

 

[yuri2606]

It’s clear that higher the FPS, worse the spikes. But only in certain games, listed above.

 

[nicholas70]

If power profile seems to impact the issue I'd try disabling all the power save features in bios as well. I know I've disabled them on my system because I've heard windows 10 can be sneaky and still try to force you to be green when all you really care about is speed and not your contribution to C02 levels.