Game performance is smooth with minimal GPU and CPU load, but frame rates drop noticeably on high-end machines.
Game performance is smooth with minimal GPU and CPU load, but frame rates drop noticeably on high-end machines.
The system features a Gigabyte B660M D3SH AX, paired with a GTX 3060. It includes an Intel i7-12700k processor equipped with the Lian Li Galahad cooler. There are 16GB of Corsair RAM arranged in channel A, with 8GB in channel B. The system is powered by a Thermaltake Toughpower 850W cooler. There are two monitors set up at 165Hz and 60Hz, though the latter tends to stay idle during gameplay. The PC was freshly assembled in August 2022 using components from a Memory Express catalog.
I'm not particularly tech-savvy, but I'm not an expert in Windows or hardware. I'm facing persistent performance issues and occasional FPS drops, which have been bothering me despite not being overly concerned about the matter. I've been playing games recently and noticed some visual artifacts—like sandpaper-like distortion on the screen. My gaming experience varies: TF2 and Payday 2 deliver solid performance, especially at medium settings, while Finals with high graphics and ray tracing averages 140-160 FPS. This is puzzling, as I can barely manage smooth gameplay on a much older rig (GTX1060, i5-5600). I've tried various fixes over the past couple of weeks, including memory testing, driver updates, BIOS changes, and system optimizations. Task Manager shows both CPU and GPU usage hovering around 20-25%, which aligns with the bottleneck calculator suggesting a minor CPU limitation. However, it doesn't explain why GPU and CPU throttle so much during intense rendering tasks.
RAM usage remains stable, unaffected by the throttling. The CPU and GPU still spike during demanding tasks like video editing or AI applications, but not when gaming. I suspect the issue lies in how the system handles resource allocation for different workloads.
Some steps I've taken to address this include:
- Running memory tests with Memtest86
- Updating GPU drivers via DDU and NVcleanstall
- Reinstalling the BIOS
- Adjusting graphics settings in BIOS and control panel
- Switching to a lightweight OS version (Tiny11)
- Enabling Windows Ultimate Performance Plan or BitSum High Performance Plan with high game process states
- Using an SSD for faster storage
I'm still unsure what's causing the problem and don't want to risk further damage. I can handle a few frames loss, but not enough for comfortable viewing. I'm hoping this helps and would appreciate any additional insights. This is my first post here, so please let me know if more details are needed. Thank you.
Welcome to the forums, newcomer!
Updated bios information:
What BIOS version are you using?
16gb Corsair RAM in channel A with 8gb MSI in channel B.
Would you like me to share links to the memory?
If I were you, I’d choose a Z690 chipset motherboard, which would let you use the K suffix processor in your setup.
Find RAM that aligns with the single-channel setup, as this configuration impacts performance. Optimal choices are typically around $50 or less for that system.
Hey Lutfij, I'm using the F27 version of my motherboard's BIOS (non-beta) that came out this October. I wanted to correct the earlier info about the RAM, which said 16GB Corsair Vengeance, but actually it's 8GB HyperX Fury RAM on the other side. Both are listed below.
For the M.2 model, I just entered everything into the PC part picker and found no major compatibility problems—so I went ahead and bought the parts.
Why would using the Z690 M.2 support Intel 'K' mode be better? I thought the 'K' just meant overclocking. Is there a way to use that instead of replacing the motherboard?
Hey Kira, thank you for your response. Let me clarify if I'm misunderstanding. Since I'm not a hardware expert, I'm confused about how single-channel works. The sticks are in their slots, both DDR4, and they've been thoroughly tested with Memtest. I don't think my motherboard chipset has any compatibility problems when running different brands of RAM. I have more RAM available to test in the system, but that doesn't explain why my CPU and GPU aren't being used in games. Could you provide more insight? I might just be missing something obvious, but from what I can see, the RAM seems to be working properly.
Mismatched RAM forces the system to operate in a single channel, halving the memory bandwidth to the CPU and often leading to severe performance drops. This is why a matched set is crucial. Single-channel RAM, typically referring to just one stick, is frequently found in prebuilt units and causes frustration among users.
If they matched in size and speed, they could function in dual channel mode. However, because they don't match, the board reverts to single channel. This behavior is unexpected but follows the system's design.
For Intel and overclocking, you need a K series processor paired with a P/X/Z series ("enthusiast") motherboard. Lower tier chipsets such as the B series cannot support overclocking even with a K series CPU.
Hey Order, thanks for your prompt response. I've always wondered if having two sticks at 2100mhz and two at 3200mhz means it's using the lower memory clocks, even though I never imagined the motherboard would treat it as a single channel. Do you think this RAM setup is limiting the CPU and GPU performance? Would there be a way to improve utilization without replacing the sticks? I'm on a tighter budget and would rather fix what I have, but if I need to upgrade, I'm open to it. With the odd RAM mix, should I try disconnecting the old sticks and letting the 16GB 3200mhz stick handle everything? I'm curious to see how it works and whether it would resolve the issue. Thanks for your help!
A single stick might run faster than two mismatched sticks, but it will still be single channel. No way to run dual channel without buying a new kit.
Hey Kira, thank you for your prompt response.
I haven’t really been interested in overclocking before—I mainly use the system for work and gaming occasionally, but it’s good to know the hardware can’t handle it.
Another point I’m considering is that when idle on the desktop with just the task manager and background processes running, it’s showing I’m using 40–50% of the RAM. Is that even typical? That seems unusually high for me. I’m mainly concerned with how fast the system runs, so if running a single channel at 3200MHz feels better, I’ll give it a try.
All my RAM modules passed memtest, but could there be an issue with the sticks that the test didn’t detect? Or is it just how the system is configured? I’m wondering if there’s anything I might have overlooked with memtest.
Out of all the parts in a PC, I think I understand how RAM works the least, so I really appreciate your help with troubleshooting.