All games are lagging. Is there a hardware issue?
All games are lagging. Is there a hardware issue?
Hello everyone.
A few months ago I shared on the forum about my PC experiencing lag and significant drops in FPS. I was told to upgrade my CPU and RAM, which I did, but it didn’t help much. My games still struggle, often staying below 60 FPS and constantly dropping. They’ve been from older titles to the newest ones.
I’ve handled all software updates—changed drivers, reinstalled Windows (including versions 7 and 8), updated BIOS, adjusted storage settings. Yet, no real improvement. After upgrading my components, the lag persists. The only changes I made were to the CPU and RAM.
Now, even with those upgrades, my games continue to lag and stutter. I’m left wondering if there’s a hardware problem. Besides game performance, my PC also has difficulty booting. I often have to press and hold a button repeatedly for it to start. It usually produces a single beep and then restarts at least once when it boots. However, once the system loads and runs, it works properly—except during gameplay. I’m uncertain if this is due to my PSU undervolting or something else.
At one point, the PC completely refused to boot, emitting three beeps before shutting off (though this seems unusual).
I’m quite puzzled about the issue and which part might be causing it. I’d really appreciate any advice.
Details of my setup:
- GTX 970
- Intel i7 3770
- 16GB DDR3 RAM
- 550W Corsair PSU
- 120GB SSD
- 500GB HDD
- Intel DQ77CP Motherboard
Well, despite the system's poor condition, it shouldn't struggle too much with 10-year-old games. Most of today's lag comes from drivers. Drivers communicate with hardware, and a poorly written driver can cause the whole system to freeze, while other important drivers (such as GPU or sound card) just sit idle, creating unnecessary delays. They should ideally operate with almost zero system latency. It can also happen when mixing the latest Windows updates with outdated drivers that weren't designed for your current operating system. Misconfigured BIOS can also lead to lagged performance. Run latencymon in the background while playing games; if you notice lag, stop recording and share your results here. Scroll down to system...
Yes, there are some hardware issues. The CPU seems to be faulty, the GPU is outdated, and it might be running the game from your hard drive which can lead to stuttering. The motherboard appears to be in poor condition. Honestly, your power supply unit is the best component in the system.
Well, despite the system's poor condition, it shouldn't face such significant issues with 10-year-old games. Most of the lag today stems from drivers. Drivers interact with hardware; a poorly written driver can disrupt the whole system by causing unnecessary stalls, while other critical drivers (such as GPU or sound card) remain idle and contribute to lag. Ideally, these should operate with minimal system delays. It can also result from mixing the latest operating system with outdated drivers that aren't compatible with your current Windows version. Misconfigured BIOS might also lead to performance problems. Run latencymon in the background while playing games—if you notice lag, stop recording and share your findings here. Scroll down to system monitoring tools: https://resplendence.com/downloads
Hi, what specifications does your monitor have? I’ve had the same issue before. The stuttering started after I got a new gaming monitor. Old games from 2000 to 2013 were the worst performers. I searched online but didn’t find any solution. Then I considered adjusting the refresh rate on my monitor. That helped. Changing it from 144Hz to 60Hz resolved the problem. It turns out my old GeForce GTX660 couldn’t handle higher refresh rates on modern monitors, or older games simply don’t match well with today’s displays. Try lowering the Hz and see if it improves things. Good luck!
I've already mentioned my GPU is poor. It's also limiting my monitor, which is too much for it. I was referring to older games, not the current ones.
I was trying to clarify that a graphics card and a monitor need to be compatible. If they're not, it leads to stuttering and tearing, which is why VSync, FreeSync, and G-Sync were created.