Issues with PC performance and lag spikes.
Issues with PC performance and lag spikes.
My PC has been functioning well until roughly three weeks ago. It was built for me in 2016 and includes the following specifications:
CAS:
NZXT H440 Designed by Razer Mid-Tower Gaming Case w/ USB 3.0, Side-Panel Window (Black Color)
CPU:
Intel:registered: Core:tm: i7-6700K 4.00GHZ 8MB Intel Smart Cache LGA1151 (Skylake) [+74]
FAN:
Asetek 550LC 120mm Liquid Cooling CPU Cooler - Extreme Cooling Performance (Single Standard 120MM Fan)
HDD:
1TB SATA-III 6.0Gb/s 32MB Cache 7200RPM HDD (256GB Sandisk SSD + Single Drive)
MEMORY:
8GB (4GBx2) DDR4/2400MHz Dual Channel Memory (Corsair Vengeance)
MOTHERBOARD:
GIGABYTE G1.Sniper Z170 SLI ATX w/ USB 3.1, 3 PCIe x16, 2 PCIe x1, 3 SATA Express, 6 SATA3, 1 Ultra M.2
VIDEO:
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 4GB GDDR5 PCIe 3.0 x16 (Maxwell) (Single Card)
I’m facing uncertainty about whether the problem lies with the internet connection or the PC itself... I suspect it’s the latter since other devices have operated smoothly (streaming, PS5, iPad, etc.).
I mainly play a game called "Old School Runescape" that runs independently. When playing alone, occasional lag occurs, with noticeable spikes every 10-15 seconds. Using additional apps like Discord or Spotify worsens the performance issues. This wasn’t an issue a few weeks back. Recently, I’ve only cleaned the fans, but nothing has changed.
I’ve run basic diagnostics using Speedtest to check internet speed, but results are inconclusive. Could anyone suggest further tests to help identify the cause? While I’m open to upgrading, it seems unnecessary given the recent stability.
Apologies if this was posted in the incorrect section. I wasn’t sure where to submit it (new here).
PSU: check make, model, wattage, age (6 years?), condition (original, new, refurbished, used)?
Use Task Manager and Resource Monitor to track system performance. Employ both tools sequentially, using only one at a time.
Monitor any shifts in performance when lag occurs.