Fortnite is experiencing frequent stutters. Could this be linked to the single channel?
Fortnite is experiencing frequent stutters. Could this be linked to the single channel?
Hi, I’ve been facing this issue for quite some time in Fortnite. Initially, I thought it might be related to my hard drive, so after upgrading to an SSD and installing Windows 10, the problem persisted. I’ve tried numerous solutions: multiple clean installs of Windows 10, adjusted settings by closing the game bar and other minor tweaks, performed stress tests on my CPU and GPU, reinstalled graphics drivers using DDU, replaced the power supply, and even changed the PSU. Despite these efforts, the in-game CPU usage remains around 60% and GPU usage between 75-85%. Many people would suggest lowering the graphics settings, but with a $2000 PC it’s still frustrating to play at Medium-Low, even if it stutters occasionally. I suspect there might be an issue with my RAM—possibly a single-channel configuration. I’m considering buying a new 2x8 GB kit this Christmas and wondering whether it’s worth it. Here are my specs:
- RTX 2070 OC (also tried disabling OC)
- i7 7700k (non-OC)
- Gigabyte Gaming B8 motherboard
- 16 GB RAM Ballistix Single Channel (2666 MHz, but my motherboard only supports 2400 MHz, running at 2400 MHz)
- XMP enabled
- PSU: 750 watts Plus Gold
- SSD: 240 GB XPG Sx6000 Pro
- HDD: 3 TB
If you need more details, please let me know. I really appreciate any help you can provide. And no, this doesn’t occur in other games—except in No Man’s Sky.
There is no such thing as "single channel RAM". There is ONLY ...............RAM. Whether it is IN a single or dual channel configuration depends entirely on how many DIMMs are installed and what slots they are installed in.
Your motherboard model is wrong or incomplete. There is no such model that I'm aware of. What is the ACTUAL, FULL model including the chipset type, so, like H270, B460, obviously it's not a Z board since you said it only supports up to 2400mhz.
How many memory modules do you actually have installed and EXACTLY which DIMM slots are they installed in?
What is the EXACT model of your power supply. "PSU 750 watts Plus Gold" is pretty vague. That could be any of literally thousands of different PSU models.
No mans sky has had a lot of problems with buggy behavior. The first thing I'd do is make sure that you have any and ALL patches installed so that the game is completely up to date.
Then, I'd check all of these.
If there are any steps listed here that you have not already done, it would be advisable to do so if for no other reason than to be able to say you've already done it and eliminate that possibility.
First,
Make sure your motherboard has the MOST recent BIOS version installed. If it does not, then update. This solves a high number of issues even in cases where the release that is newer than yours makes no mention of improving graphics card or other hardware compatibility. They do not list every change they have made when they post a new BIOS release.
Second,
Go to the product page for your motherboard on the manufacturer website. Download and install the latest driver versions for the chipset, storage controllers, audio and network adapters. Do not skip installing a newer driver just because you think it is not relevant to the problem you are having. The drivers for one device can often affect ALL other devices and a questionable driver release can cause instability in the OS itself. They don't release new drivers just for fun. If there is a new driver release for a component, there is a good reason for it. The same goes for BIOS updates. When it comes to the chipset drivers, if your motherboard manufacturer lists a chipset driver that is newer than what the chipset developer (Intel or AMD, for our purposes) lists, then use that one. If Intel (Or AMD) shows a chipset driver version that is newer than what is available from the motherboard product page, then use that one. Always use the newest chipset driver that you can get and always use ONLY the chipset drivers available from either the motherboard manufacturer, AMD or Intel.
IF you have other hardware installed or attached to the system that are not a part of the systems covered by the motherboard drivers, then go to the support page for THAT component and check to see if there are newer drivers available for that as well. If there are, install them.
Third,
Make sure your memory is running at the correct advertised speed in the BIOS. This may require that you set the memory to run at the XMP profile settings. Also, make sure you have the memory installed in the correct slots and that they are running in dual channel which you can check by installing CPU-Z and checking the Memory and SPD tabs. For all modern motherboards that are dual channel memory architectures, from the last ten years at least, if you have two sticks installed they should be in the A2 (Called DDR4_1 on some boards) or B2 (Called DDR4_2 on some boards) which are ALWAYS the SECOND and FOURTH slots over from the CPU socket, counting TOWARDS the edge of the motherboard EXCEPT on boards that only have two memory slots total. In that case, if you have two modules it's not rocket science, but if you have only one, then install it in the A1 or DDR4_1 slot.
Fourth (And often tied for most important along with an up-to-date motherboard BIOS),
A clean install of the graphics card drivers. Regardless of whether you "already installed the newest drivers" for your graphics card or not, it is OFTEN a good idea to do a CLEAN install of the graphics card drivers. Just installing over the old drivers OR trying to use what Nvidia and AMD consider a clean install is not good enough and does not usually give the same result as using the Display Driver Uninstaller utility. This has a very high success rate and is always worth a shot.
If you have had both Nvidia and AMD cards installed at any point on that operating system then you will want to run the DDU twice. Once for the old card drivers (ie, Nvidia or AMD) and again for the currently installed graphics card drivers (ie, AMD or Nvidia). So if you had an Nvidia card at some point in the past, run it first for Nvidia and then after that is complete, run it again for AMD if you currently have an AMD card installed.
Graphics card driver CLEAN install guide using the Wagnard tools DDU
And last, but not least, if you have never done a CLEAN install of Windows, or have upgraded from an older version to Windows 10, or have been through several spring or fall major Windows updates, it might be a very good idea to consider doing a clean install of Windows if none of these other solutions has helped. IF you are using a Windows installation from a previous system and you didn't do a clean install of Windows after building the new system, then it's 99.99% likely that you NEED to do a CLEAN install before trying any other solutions.
How to do a CLEAN installation of Windows 10, the RIGHT way
I own one stick of 16 GB running clearly on a single channel, it's installed on DDR4-1 (as shown on my motherboard). I'm wondering if buying two sticks of 8 would provide dual channel and help with the stutter?
My motherboard is a B250 Gaming B8.
My PSU is an Aerocool 750GM FULL RANGE MODULAR 80 PLUS GOLD RGB READY (RGB controller not included).
I have no man's sky on the Xbox Game Pass, so everything is current.
I've tried everything you suggested.
It's uncommon for "stutters" to occur without dual channel, though missing it can lead to some performance loss. It's still worth addressing to avoid losing efficiency.
The suggested solutions could be costly, so it depends on your budget. Two possibilities come to mind.
One is to purchase another identical stick, bringing the total to 32GB and enabling dual channel. Alternatively, you might opt for a 2x 8GB kit with matched sticks as previously mentioned. However, if you choose this route, consider upgrading to a higher-speed kit later to benefit from faster memory without needing additional RAM. You can still run your current system at 2400mhz.
Either approach addresses the dual channel problem and likely resolves stuttering or minor issues, though it's not guaranteed to be a complete fix.
It seems more probable that insufficient cores, an older CPU, and game-related problems are the main culprits behind the issue. You might attempt this solution first, and if it doesn't work, we can explore other options. Fixing the memory performance could help, but don't rely solely on that as a definitive solution.
I already placed an order for a 3200 mhz 2x8 gb RAM, thanks for your guidance. Do you think the stutter in Fortnite is due to the CPU, and should we just purchase a new one instead? 😅
I plan to look into the no mans sky post. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR HELP! My brother
Thank you for your feedback. I plan to proceed, though I've already performed a thorough uninstallation of the grhapic card drivers and the issue persists. Appreciate your understanding!
If all other games are functioning perfectly and this one is the only one affected, I’m highly skeptical about CPU issues or poor optimization. A possible solution could be to uninstall the game along with all its updates and patches, then download the latest full installer that includes any necessary fixes and reinstall it. It’s a risky approach, but worth trying if nothing else works.
This memory profile, X.M.P or D.O.C.P, makes the RAM operate at its maximum possible speed (the rate shown when purchasing), unlike the standard MOBO setting which runs at a lower default speed. More recent boards typically use a faster default speed based on their intended purpose.
Unfortunately, this isn't accurate. Partially so. XMP and other fixed profiles don't make the RAM operate at its absolute top speed. When activated, they enable the memory to function at the advertised rate—the speed the maker has set as the fastest it can reliably run—and ensure consistent performance while handling orders for that specific model or part number. It's rarely the true maximum speed and doesn't guarantee stability across all conditions.
It may seem minor, but in PC hardware and especially with memory, small details can lead to bigger issues if ignored.
Additionally, motherboards don't have fixed default speeds. Instead, they can interpret the hard-coded JEDEC profiles found on the memory chip, similar to XMP settings. Typically, there are multiple profiles with varying speed characteristics, allowing compatibility based on CPU and motherboard compatibility (such as locked vs unlocked setups or certain CPU models supporting different memory rates).
For some secondary and most tertiary timings, these are often determined by the motherboard manufacturer's internal tables and algorithms that adjust stability dynamically. Even with the same board, CPU, and memory, these settings can change between boots if the BIOS isn't configured for fast boot performance after finalizing your memory setup. While this difference may not be significant overall, it can impact stability in specific scenarios.