Audio, mouse, and keyboard delays occur during high CPU usage.
Audio, mouse, and keyboard delays occur during high CPU usage.
Hey everyone,
I've been struggling to figure out what's going wrong with my PC. So far, I haven't found a clear fix, but this forum looks like it has the most useful answers for the threads with the best guidance. Right now, my computer is pretty much unusable.
The problem began a few months back (not when I first set it up). I started with Windows 11, worked fine, but then downgraded to Windows 10 because of poor GPU performance. After some time, the issue emerged and I became frustrated. A fresh Windows 10 install didn't help either. Eventually, I encountered BSODs, which I suspect were linked to an unknown driver—so I updated every possible driver and even changed my BIOS settings. That still didn’t resolve the problem, so I tried a new Windows 11 installation.
At first, I thought it was related to DPC latency because the audio would stutter with cracks and pops, plus occasional static at max volume. But now that LatencyMon is running when my mouse and keyboard are lagging, and after pressing alt/tab in a game I noticed no latency issues, it seems the problem isn’t just latency.
I also noticed this issue appears when CPU temperatures rise. My HWmonitor showed a max temperature just under 80 degrees, which isn’t extreme. The Task Manager showed CPU usage around 30%, not high at all.
It feels like something might be faulty, and I’m not sure where to start.
Here’s a summary of my system details:
Software: Windows 11 Home, Version 10.0.22631, Build 22631
BIOS version: 2802 (2023/10/06)
Drivers: all up to date
Hardware:
- CPU: Intel i9-12900k (undervolted by 0.025, done after troubleshooting)
- CPU cooler: Corsair H115i RGB PRO XT
- Motherboard: Asus ROG Strix Z690-I Gaming Wifi
- Memory: Corsair Vengeance 2x16GB 4800 CL40 (CMK32GX5M2A4800C40)
- GPU: MSI Gaming Z trio RTX 3080
- Power supply: Corsair SF850
Peripherals:
- Mouse: Logitech G Pro Wireless
- Keyboard: Logitech G915 TKL wireless
- Headset: Logitech G Pro X Wireless
- Speakers: Razer Leviathan Soundbar (v1, wired)
I really appreciate any advice you can offer—I’m hoping to get some direction soon! Thanks a lot!
I should mention the troubleshooting steps I've tried:
- set windows to maximum power mode in control panel
- set GPU to max power in Nvidia control panel
- unplugged and replugged all cables from the PC and swapped the RAM to ensure nothing was loose
Now that I've rested on it, it seems the issue isn't just when the counters warm up, but also when the GPU is active. So gaming on demanding games will trigger this. This makes me suspect the problem might be related to powering the USB ports, so I plan to test that area next.
I don't have a solution for you, but I've encountered the same issue with a comparable rig. The 12900k and Z690 board went back to the shop about a week ago, claiming the CPU was faulty and replaced it. Unfortunately, the problems persist—around three hours into a game, the mouse and audio lag, and the front three RGB fans behave erratically.
I might have missed updating something but I ended up swapping my motherboard and suddenly the problem disappeared. Asus support was really bad and didn't assist at all, so I bought a new one on Amazon and returned the defective one. It's a bit dirty, but I was still covered under warranty, saving them a lot of time and effort. You're correct, the issue likely came from the USB ports not getting enough power.