Intense stumbling during specific gameplay sessions
Intense stumbling during specific gameplay sessions
Video showing stuttering when task manager is active: https://imgur.com/a/stuttering-issues-kVG8qVE
Same problem appears in full screen and borderless mode—only windowed view shows the task manager.
I’m experiencing frequent extreme stuttering in most games, especially Lords of the Fallen and Enshrouded.
While playing, my GPU reaches 100% usage and CPU performance is low.
VRAM usage isn’t high according to the task manager.
My PC was recently disassembled and cleaned; temperatures are normal.
I’ve tried several fixes from Google (like reinstalling graphics), but nothing helped.
PC specs: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/qWRHmD
Cinebench scores were generally okay except for the GPU.
Estimated GPU performance was around 11,000.
Let me know if you need more details.
You're operating at a high detail setting of 1080p. Based on the performance, it seems there might be some CPU constraints affecting frame rates. A 9900K is roughly comparable to a 12400, which for 3080 at 1080p often hits CPU limitations. It could be a bottleneck issue—similar to what I see with lower resolutions. I'd suggest increasing the resolution to observe changes. GPU and CPU utilization should align well, so a driver refresh using DDU or Nvidia's clean install might help.
Do you encounter this problem consistently across all games? Are there instances where everything runs smoothly? If this issue appears in many titles, begin by scanning with Malwarebytes, then clean the GPU driver using DDU in Windows Safe Mode, and finally reinstall the latest drivers without booting in Safe Mode. Beyond that, it's hard to pinpoint the cause, but based on your description and PC components (pro tip: avoid paying extra for a Windows license), I suspect an OS or software problem. You might not have reinstalled your operating system after the initial setup. Possible causes range from unnecessary software to malware or driver conflicts. Without seeing your hardware up close, it's difficult to assist further. Consider wiping the OS drive completely (full format), disconnecting all other drives, and reinstalling only the OS and drivers (no third-party tools). Also, refrain from syncing browser data from Chrome or similar apps. Try installing the game alone and test it. You could also use RTSS to limit your monitor's refresh rate to 1–3 frames.
I apologize for the delay in responding. I didn’t receive confirmation that anyone replied. I’ve been collaborating with other forum members on this issue and haven’t found a solution yet. It would take some time to compile all the notes from the previous forum thread, so I’ll include the relevant post here. I’ve tested numerous fixes, but nothing has provided any improvement. At the start of the video, I’m running it with minimal graphics settings. Then I increase them to maximum to demonstrate that performance remains almost the same, regardless of graphics. It seems my CPU isn’t reaching full capacity either, which makes it hard to pinpoint the cause. I also performed a clean driver install using DDU before recording this video and post, but it didn’t help. This problem is limited to only a few games. Lords of the Fallen is the worst, while Enshrouded works at low settings but is playable. Recently, SMITE 2 alpha was choppy even at low settings. I can play World of Warcraft smoothly at medium or high settings unless I’m in crowded areas. I’m using Elden Ring at medium graphics without issues most of the time. There’s another issue with that game where I experience a 1-second freeze a few times each hour. Most other games run perfectly at max settings unless I’m in busy zones. I suspect nuking my C: drive could cause data loss, though I’m not sure if it’s worth trying. I also disconnected everything except the C: drive, installed the game on that drive, and ran it with only that plugged in—still had stuttering. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Consider restarting the game, ensure your BIOS is current, and if that doesn't work, perform a clean Windows installation (data safe).
You’ve reinstalled the game and updated your BIOS. To start fresh with Windows 11, follow these steps: reset your PC, then perform a clean installation by using the latest Windows 11 ISO file. Make sure your hardware meets the requirements before proceeding.