[SOLVED] Stuttering PC / Need advice

[Waylax]

Hello, all.
I've been experiencing stuttering issues in all of my games, and i'm fairly confident it is the CPU causing this.
I bought my Prebuilt Lenovo K450 in 2014, and slowly started upgrading the parts.
So far I have added in a power supply, a graphics card, 16gb of RAM, and an SSD.
Initially, it worked great, but after a while I noticed my games were beginning to stutter.
It got worse over time it seems, sometimes to the point where a game is unplayable.
My specs are as follows:

Intel i5 4440
Nvidia GTX 970
16gb RAM
Lenovo 10120 motherboard
Samsung 860 EVO SSD 1TB
Western Digital 1TB HDD

This issue was not always present, even with my current specs.
My main worry is the compatibility factor, as I would have no idea which CPUs my motherboard could take.
I also want to get the most for my money, if possible.
If anyone can help, i'd greatly appreciate it.

My main goal is to either:

1. Find a CPU that is compatible with my current setup
2. Find a motherboard and CPU to replace mine
3. Buy a new PC and swap parts if needed

 

[Rasporilac]

My advice buy asrock b360 + i5 9400f both cheap and ram memory you can get corsair vengeance 16 2x8 cl 15 for like $80. So you can keep ssd,hdd and gpu. Btw scan that HDD maybe you got some bad sectors on him.

 

[cherry blossoms]

If you wish to try salvaging you current hardware:

You have kept up with drive defragmenting I hope.

Check drive health using any number of free available drive health tools. Check the S.M.A.R.T. data. A failing drive can start to have slow access.

Check any and all programs being autostarted. The more you have running in the background, the more your resources being used. Overlays from 3rd party programs, etc You didn't specify your OS btw. ( Windows 10 has a large number of system telemetry items that can be removed/disabled. That is lengthy and a separate post if you want to try that route.)
You can do a clean boot of windows to check this.
Microsoft's sysinternals autoruns utility is also helpful in this regard to see what is being autostarted.

Trying an older driver that is more focused on the GTX 970, before the 20xx series became the focus

Much cruft accumulates in the file table and in the registry over time, which will slow access
Clearing the drive partition data and a reformat and reinstall will help ensure clear file tables
Backup any important files to off-system storage.
Wipe the drives
Reinstall your OS

 

[Waylax]

I purchased a new PC and am encountering the same exact issue.

 

[ConanLock]

Ok, well on the new PC:
• Did you do a clean install of Windows, or just move the storage into the new PC? You should do a new install.
• Following up on storage - is Windows and your game/s installed on the SSD or HDD? They should be on the SSD.
• Don't pirate anything. They will have modified executables, DLLs, and other hidden nasty things. If you have pirated Windows, wipe the drive then install the official Windows 10, using the install media provided by Microsoft. You don't have to activate it.
• If you are using unofficial driver downloaders, speed boosters and system optimisers, the best thing to do would be to reset Windows. Don't use these sorts of program. When you need drivers, get them from the original manufacturer's website.

 

[Waylax]

Ok, well on the new PC:
• Did you do a clean install of Windows, or just move the storage into the new PC? You should do a new install.
• Following up on storage - is Windows and your game/s installed on the SSD or HDD? They should be on the SSD.
• Don't pirate anything. They will have modified executables, DLLs, and other hidden nasty things. If you have pirated Windows, wipe the drive then install the official Windows 10, using the install media provided by Microsoft. You don't have to activate it.
• If you are using unofficial driver downloaders, speed boosters and system optimisers, the best thing to do would be to reset Windows. Don't use these sorts of program. When you need drivers, get them from the original manufacturer's website.

All that I transferred from my old PC to the new one was my SSD with games on it.
An official version of Windows 10 was installed on a separate SSD that came with the new PC.
I have tried playing games on both SSDs but they all stutter the same.
I am not using driver downloaders or anything of that kind.

 

[ConanLock]

Ok, that all sounds good. What are the specs of the new PC, and also, what PSU does it have (manufacturer, model and wattage)?

 

[Waylax]

Ok, that all sounds good. What are the specs of the new PC, and also, what PSU does it have (manufacturer, model and wattage)?

Intel i5 9400F
MSI RTX 2060 Super 8gb
8x1 A-Data DDR4 3000
Asus Prime B360M-A
1TB Samsung 860 EVO SSD
500gb NVME Intel SSD
Thermaltake Smart Series 600 Watt

 

[ConanLock]

If Windows isn't installed on the Intel NVMe SSD, then I'd recommend installing it to that drive. The Windows installer will let you format the other drive should you want to (if it also has Windows installed to), in order to wipe it.

Another thing to do is make sure XMP is enabled in the BIOS. This is done by firstly opening the BIOS, and then looking for the overclocking menu. In here, an option called XMP should be able to be turned on. By setting it to enabled, it allows the RAM to run at the full 3000MHz. (It might also be called D.O.C.P, and I think might be under the AI Tweaker menu in the BIOS. Enable DOCP then choose the correct frequency).

Lastly, by only having one stick of RAM, it is probable that single channel data transfer is slowing the games down. I'd suggest looking for another matching 8GB stick of RAM (ADATA 1×8GB DDR4-3000). You will also have to match the RAM model number. Then, put the sticks in slot 2 and 4 (so that it goes empty, RAM, empty, RAM). This will automatically run the memory in dual channel mode and effectively doubles the bandwidth of data to the CPU.
- It might be better to sell the stick of RAM and buy 2×8GB in a kit, for both the fact that you won't need to make sure it is the exact same model, and to guarantee it works. If you let me know your country, I'd be happy to look for the cheapest available kit for you.

 

[Waylax]

If Windows isn't installed on the Intel NVMe SSD, then I'd recommend installing it to that drive. The Windows installer will let you format the other drive should you want to (if it also has Windows installed to), in order to wipe it.

Another thing to do is make sure XMP is enabled in the BIOS. This is done by firstly opening the BIOS, and then looking for the overclocking menu. In here, an option called XMP should be able to be turned on. By setting it to enabled, it allows the RAM to run at the full 3000MHz. (It might also be called D.O.C.P, and I think might be under the AI Tweaker menu in the BIOS. Enable DOCP then choose the correct frequency).

Lastly, by only having one stick of RAM, it is probable that single channel data transfer is slowing the games down. I'd suggest looking for another matching 8GB stick of RAM (ADATA 1×8GB DDR4-3000). You will also have to match the RAM model number. Then, put the sticks in slot 2 and 4 (so that it goes empty, RAM, empty, RAM). This will automatically run the memory in dual channel mode and effectively doubles the bandwidth of data to the CPU.
- It might be better to sell the stick of RAM and buy 2×8GB in a kit, for both the fact that you won't need to make sure it is the exact same model, and to guarantee it works. If you let me know your country, I'd be happy to look for the cheapest available kit for you.

Windows came installed on the NVMe SSD, so that's all good.
XMP is enabled.
Also, I was thinking of selling the single stick of RAM as well.
I live in the United States. If you could find a cheap kit, i'd appreciate it.
As long as the new kit has the same specifications then that's what i'm looking for.
I'm not sure what else could be causing the stuttering in my games, really.
Adding more RAM certainly wouldn't hurt any.

 

[ConanLock]

https://pcpartpicker.com/product/64...gb-2-x-8-gb-ddr4-3000-memory-bls2k8g4d30besbk
This would be a good choice. It's the cheapest available at the moment. If/when you get it, make sure they go into slot 2 and 4 on the motherboard, and also re-enable XMP. You might have to reset the BIOS beforehand by taking the CMOS battery out.