GPU performance is inconsistent. Occasional slowdowns when not in use.
GPU performance is inconsistent. Occasional slowdowns when not in use.
I recently assembled a new computer and am concerned about the GPU performance. It arrived a few months ago with parts in a staggered order, so I’m unsure if I’ve made any mistakes. When I start up, the system often stutters. The mouse feels sluggish, and tasks frequently freeze or pause unexpectedly. Sometimes it’s almost smooth, but other times it’s very problematic. In Task Manager, GPU usage fluctuates wildly—ranging from 3% to 64% and then dropping to just 20%. Even when it dips lower, the stuttering remains consistent.
I checked the hardware manually, and the GPU isn’t overheating. It stays cool during operation. However, if the system stutters severely, it sometimes shuts down abruptly, which feels like a sign of overheating. Using a scientific approach, I placed my hand near the GPU, and it didn’t get warm at all during those moments.
I’ve tried updating drivers, performing a clean install, swapping cables, ensuring proper installation, and even reseating components. Still, nothing seems to resolve the issue. The only solution that works is restarting the computer until it runs smoothly—this can take hours.
Details: XFX speedster, Merc13 AMD Ryzen 9 7900X, Radeon 6700X, Gigabyte Aorus B650 PRO AX, AMD Ryzen 9 7900X, Corsair RMx/RM850, 850W Corsair NVMe SSD, 32GB NVMe, Samsung 980 Pro, Windows 11 64-bit.
Interesting. If left alone for some time, will it still run smoothly when you come back? Can you check Task Manager to see if anything is consuming system resources? Also, is the installation clean? Still a fresh setup? How does it boot in Safe Mode—same or improved? Consider creating a memtest USB and test for memory problems. Run at least one or two passes if possible.
It does this while idle, and in fact often gets worse or eventually just shuts down. Its not overheating I’m extremely paranoid about heat. In task manager it is just randomly bouncing on system and a few other processes from windows. It is a new install, although I downloaded a game and discord to test performance and communicate with friends for help. I have not tried safe mode yet, I will in the morning. I just have been busy trying to see if anything would fix it before trying that, since I don't know what I would do assuming it works in safe mode. And im sorry, a memtest? I don’t know exactly what that is, but my ram seems to be working great. Sorry for not knowing
Use MemTest to check your memory health. Follow the manual steps to reset CMOS/RTC, then restart and let the system run memory tests. Afterward, open CMD as admin and execute chkdsk c: /f /r. If issues persist, run sfc /scannow and reboot. If DISM reports improvements, restart again.
1. Turn off the Ultra Low Power State. It's better to use MSI Afterburner instead of the regedit approach.
2. Verify you've installed the most recent chipset drivers from AMD.
3. Ensure the newest BIOS and GPU drivers are up to date.
I attempted a memory test but got no results. Tried the provided command-line options, still no success. Disabling UPs didn’t help either. Changed power connections to the GPU without any improvement. Performance has been deteriorating since the last boot; it’s now severely affected and I can’t even access BIOS settings. In the limited time I checked the BIOS, there was no safe mode option, which is unusual for me. I’ve confirmed everything is up to date. Please let me know if you have any further suggestions—I’m really worried the GPU might be faulty.
Following additional trials with a friend's system, onboard graphics, and another older card, it appears the card may be defective. It seems to indicate the card is broken. The best course is to contact the manufacturer for an RMA. A useful takeaway is to test components as they arrive if you're not bulk ordering them to prevent this issue. Thanks to everyone who assisted.