Issue with low frame rate or stuttering on the second monitor.
Issue with low frame rate or stuttering on the second monitor.
There are some problems occurring with my computer when certain games are open, leading to significant performance problems. For instance, when I watch a game on the main monitor while streaming on the second monitor, the frame rate stays smooth, but the video on the second monitor starts to lag and features like Steam or Uplay Overlay become very slow. Pressing the Windows key restores normal performance, yet when I return to the game window, the same issues reappear. What makes this even more puzzling is that the frame rate remains consistent even when the game isn’t in focus, unlike some games that lower their frame rate to 30 FPS when not in focus. This issue started suddenly without any warning and continues despite multiple graphics driver and Windows updates.
I have tried several solutions so far:
- Turned off hardware acceleration in Firefox
- Disabled hardware acceleration in Discord
- Lowered game resolution
- Reduced lag, though I still need to play in 1080p on a 4K monitor for a Twitch stream
- Connected the second monitor to the motherboard HDMI port
- Matched the refresh rate of the main monitor with the second monitor
(Assumed it might be due to a refresh rate mismatch)
I also tried disabling G-SYNC, though I wasn’t sure it would help.
Any suggestions for resolving this would be greatly appreciated, as it’s becoming increasingly frustrating. I’d appreciate understanding if there’s a logical reason behind these performance drops, especially given my hardware setup.
open the control panel, select system and security, then choose system
if you're using Windows 11, go to start -> system -> about -> advanced system settings
this will take you to the system properties page
https://imgur.com/VBxs4r4
on the advanced tab, click performance and select settings
https://imgur.com/Quwra4s
https://imgur.com/d2joLW6
switch to the advanced tab here
change processor scheduling from programs to background tasks
https://imgur.com/d2joLW6
this should enhance your multitasking during games
Unfortunately, this didn't resolve the issue. I've also verified it isn't related to the monitor or cable. Testing various setups confirmed the problem wasn't tied to the internal hardware or software side of the computer. I tried disconnecting and reconnecting monitors, adjusting resolutions, and even removing the power cord from the wall to rule out external resource drains from a VR headset. Despite these efforts, the issue continued. I'm puzzled as it seems unrelated to my previous troubleshooting steps, especially since my system with a 3090 processor, 12th generation chipset, and 64GB RAM should handle this load without problems. My old rig with a 1070 and an 8700k also ran smoothly at 2K, streaming, and using Steam overlays without any issues. If needed, I can record a video to clearly demonstrate the problem.
then download nvidia profile inspector
run it with admin rights
scroll to section 5 - common
change multi display/mixed GPU option to multi display performance mode
https://imgur.com/PQJnEgn
view: https://imgur.com/PQJnEgn
apply adjustments, app may close
press win + ctrl+shift+b to restart GPU drivers
Unfortunately, still no luck on fixing the issue
Other fixes I tried that I found online with no luck
- Disable/enable hardware acceleration on Discord/browser/Windows
- Disable Game Mode in Windows
- Uninstall GeForce Experience
- Update graphics drivers
I may just have to do a full wipe of my C drive if I'm not able to find a fix for this since that's the only thing I can think of that would almost guarantee the problem getting fixed considering it's not a hardware-related issue. I'd obviously like to avoid that if possible, but my attempts to search for fixes online hasn't been very lucky at all since most of them just say the same things that don't end up helping to fix the issue
UPDATE
I have validated that it has nothing to do with the GPU since I tried plugging the 2nd monitor into the iGPU and the same issue occurred on the 2nd monitor