PC Processors

[SweetPhilosophy]

Hello,

I experience random stutters. That's basically it. Most of the time I observe them during gaming session because the fps counter also drops for a fraction of a second. There are other instances where I experience them, mostly when I open a program or a game, just after I double click it the stutter will occur (I randomly move my mouse waiting and that's how I noticed). Games where I mostly observe these stutters are League of Legends (which should run flawlessly on such a build), Apex Legends, Warzone/ColdWar, probably because being competitive and being fully focused I immediately spot them.

Also tried with different refresh rates, from 60 to 165hz and it still occurs, granted - it's less noticeable on lower refresh rates.

Computer Type: Desktop

GPU: GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3080 GAMING OC 10GB GDDR6X 320-bit

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 5800X 3.8GHz box, 8 cores, 16 threads

Motherboard: ASUS TUF GAMING B550-PLUS

BIOS Version: Version 1804 2021/02/09

RAM: Corsair Vengeance LPX Black 32GB DDR4 3600MHz CL18 Dual Channel Kit (CMK32GX4M2D3600C18)

PSU: Corsair RM850 2019, 80+ Gold, 850W, Full Modular

Operating System & Version: Windows 10 Pro 19042.844

GPU Drivers: Nvidia Game Ready 461.72

Extra build info:

Storage: 1x 240GB SSD for OS, 1x 1TB M2 SSD only for games, 2x 2TB HDD for random storage

CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D14

Peripherals:

Monitors: ASUS TUF LED VA curved, 1440p, 27", 165hz, Free-Sync, VG27WQ1B, connected via DisplayPort (Primary); ASUS LED, 1080p, 24", 144hz, VG248QE, connected via DisplayPort (Secondary, Portrait Flipped)

Keyboard: Logitech G PRO

Mouse: Logitech G502 LIGHTSPEED WIRELESS GAMING MOUSE

Headphones: HyperX Cloud Flight, stereo, USB, Wireless

Gamepads: Wireless MICROSOFT Xbox One x2, connected through xbox wireless adapter dongle - not connected all the time, only when playing some singleplayer games.

Troubleshooting:

1. Enabling and disabling DOCP profile

2. Using different RAM frequencies

3. Installing AMD chipset drivers (with and without on fresh windows install)

4. Reinstalling graphics driver. Using Nvidia clean install, using DDU (safe mode, not connected to the internet), installed them using NVSlimmer. Also installed it without Nvidia HD Audio

5. Reinstalling Windows

6. Windows' Balanced (recommended)/High Performance power plans

7. Trying to uninstall AMD SATA AHCI Controller (I didn't have it and still don't have it but I looked for it)

8. Changing Communications Port (COM1)'s Flow control to hardware and disabling using FIFO buffers

9. Disabling Paging file, manually setting it, letting it on automatically

10. Disabling superfetch/sysmon service

11. Disabled HPET in Windows both in Device Manager and using cmd commands

12. Installed monitors drivers

13. Changed mouse polling rate from 1000 to 500

14. Disabling and enabling xbox bar, dvr, game mode, gpu scheduling, .exe's compatibility mode/run as admin/full screen optimizations/high DPI settings

15. Checked for driver conflicts

16. Checked for GPU IRQ/MSI settings

17. Using only 1 monitor, each of them once (I had the 144hz one on my old build and everything was good, all peripherals too)

18. Plugging monitors in different DP slots

19. Disabling and enabling DDC/CI option of the monitor

20. Disabling and enabling AURA

21. Enabling and disabling RESIZE BAR

22. Disabling and enabling C-states

23. Setting Gear Down Mode to different values (2T fixed for some people)

24. Setting Power Supply Idle Control from Auto to Low Current Idle and Typical Current Idle

25. Undervolting CPU

26. Disabling and enabling PBO

27. Changing PCIe from Auto to Gen3 and Gen4

28. Resetting CMOS

29. Ran LatencyMon which showed a high DPC execution time on nvlddmkm.sys, thing that made me contact Nvidia support:

Nvidia specific troubleshooting - I spend yesterday the entire day with customer support trying to fix, in the end they told me they would escalate to Level2 support, but before that I want to make sure this isn't related to something else:

1. Enabling and disabling FreeSync

2. Enabling and disabling V-Sync

3. Power Management Mode - Prefer Maximum Performance

4. Low latency mode off/on/ultra

5. Nvidia Debug mode

6. Threaded optimization on/off

7. Hard capping fps to below refresh rate

8. Disabling all non Microsoft services

9. PhysX settings Auto-Select (recommended)/GPU/CPU

10. Confirmed that GPU is connected via 2 separate cables to PSU

11. Changing GPU slot (which caused really poor performance because the other slot was PCIe 3) and moving it back

None of the above seem to work. Indeed some make it better (the best scenario was using everything at default with DOCP enabled) and some make it worse, but the issue is always there.

I honestly don't remember more, but I definitely did some other things as well. I will update as I remember or as suggestions already tried come.

Temperatures are ok on both GPU and CPU. When I applied the thermal paste I used the dot.

HOWEVER, one thing I noticed when Nvidia support asked me to record the issue was: I've installed OBS and hit recording, played several games of league of legends and the problem didn't happen anymore. Wasn't happening even after I closed OBS and usually I experience it several times during a league game. Closed the PC for the day and today when I tried again, the issue still occurred and it occurred even after opening OBS and recording (sadly it is not noticeable on the recording, even though you can see the frames drop - probably because I'm running at 165fps and the recording is at 60fps and the recording doesn't catch the exact moment, didn't try out more recordings).

If any other thing comes through your minds please let me know, I'm at my wit's end. The problem is not game changing, as I mentioned it occurs only for a fraction of a second, but it's really annoying knowing that I have a high end PC and there is even a small problem.

Thanks!

[Shadowy89]

I have also noticed mirco stutters in GTA Online with same processor but with Asus x570 Strix E. Steam fps counter show few drops in frames. I have locked game to 100FPS and it drops to 90-98 fps area but in truth 1% lows goes way lower. You shouldnt see that mirco stutter with 144hz panel if it was only few frames what steam fps counter shows.

Also running Nvidia 2080 super, so no hic-ups in there. Also playing with graphical settings didn't do anything.

[SweetPhilosophy]

Sorry to hear that! Care to share what RAM do you have?

The most obvious is when I'm playing league just because of their fps counter which is an average. It would freeze for a fraction of a second and then go on as nothing happened, but the fps counter would show me a drop from 165 fps to around 150fps - granted, on lower refresh rate I'm seeing smaller dips, like you said around 3-10 at 100fps and around 1-2 at 60fps. In Apex and Warzone the counter updates SO FAST that it's almost impossible to notice it by looking at the counter itself, but when playing you can feel it.

I have recorded a game of league with RTSS - the fps drops are related the higher frametimes (the last 2 graphs) which in turn seems to be on the same lines as some gpu and cpu spikes, which is strange because nothing else ran https://imgur.com/a/ySiFaH0

[SweetPhilosophy]

Bump! Thank you

[SweetPhilosophy]

Bump...

[rglenpayne]

I have this issue as well, screen will occasionally "smear" for me as if we hit a hitch in the action or as if time stopped just for a brief moment. 5800X on an X570 Unify with an EVGA RTX 3070 XC3 Ultra Gaming.

[SweetPhilosophy · Accepted solution]

Hello everybody!!

I have managed to found the culprit and fix the issue.

I have removed everything that wasn't necessary booting up the pc - case usb cables, fan controller, extra hdds and the m2 ssd. To my surprised, this fixed the issue! At this point I was suspecting either the m2 ssd or the fan controller.

I started adding them back one by one and my bigger surprise was that the stutter is gone after adding ALL OF THEM back. However, I'm still suspecting the m2 ssd because I had stutters when opening games (but strangely enough not while I am in them). 

I will send the m2 ssd to warranty and hope for the best

Thanks community and hopefully this post will help someone else in the future

[rglenpayne]

Thanks so much, great info and lots of work I'm sure! Just to be super clear, are you saying that the "simple" act of removing and then reinstalling all your hw devices and connections made the stutter go away?

[Boom68]

My experience - new build Ryzen 7 5800X with MOB ASUS ROG STRIX B-550-F GAMING WI-FI.  Running Windows 10, all appeared to be working unitil I tried to watch YouTube and the video started stuttering.  Returned to Micro Center (MC) and 49 days later it was determined there was an unkown conflict between the 5800X and the MOB.  As recomended by MC,  I purchased a Ryzen 9 3900X that solved the stuttering.   UNTIL  I plugged in a 3.5mm audio speaker jack and the stuttering returned even worse.  MC wants me to return computer for further diagnostics, all is well and good except I live over 2 hours away.  

Any suggestions would be welcome, before I return it to MC.

Thank you in advance for any help with this matter?

[maxnala77]

The stuttering is caused by ftpm in AMD motherboards. Its a huge problem and almost everyone has it.

they still didnt do anything to fix it but having you buy a tpm module.

[makam93]

Exactly this! Has there been an official reply from AMD? This is affecting countless people and seems 99% is solved by disabling AMD TPM in the BIOS - however this is needed for windows 11

https://linustechtips.com/topic/1353904-amd-ftpm-causing-random-stuttering/#comments

https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/Gaming-Laptops/Legion-5P-15ARH05H-micro-stutters/m-p/5067079?page=1

https://www.reddit.com/r/Amd/comments/pd9vgh/enabling_ftpm_causes_pc_to_stutter/

[Boom68]

Thank you Maxnala77, my computer is back at Micro Center for repair.  I will keep you posted on what they determine the "fix" is.  Your time and knowledge is appreciated!

[Boom68]

Well Micro Center tried to repair (10 more days) and couldn't, so I asked for and received a complete refund including warranty(s) etc.   At least they stand behind what they sell! 

[icyperea]

Hello,

might be a bit unrelated but do you experience frames dios in Warzone? For me I’ll be playing and getting the usual 180-200fps when all of sudden I see it dropo to 60-70 then 80-100fps then back to normal. It’s weird but happens all the time for me in Warzone. Just curious if I’m the only one...

[xyzno1]

just wanna say thank you , i was upgraded to 5800x3d from 3900x and i started to have stutter issues and i tried so many ways until i found your article so i went disable tpm in bios and uninstall lol and reinstall to another ssd, tadaaaaaaaaaaa, smooth as before and i cant be happier! 

my cpu:5800x3d

mobo: x570 msi unify