Low performance metrics observed: 1% and 0.1% reductions in frame rates across various games.
Low performance metrics observed: 1% and 0.1% reductions in frame rates across various games.
Hello! I recently enhanced my gaming environment and began experiencing frequent 0.1% drops across all titles. I’m uncertain if these interruptions existed before or if they emerged after upgrading my graphics card. I recently acquired a high refresh rate display (possibly before, when I played at 60Hz without VRR, I didn’t notice). My typical frame rate hovers between 150-160, yet I frequently see drops to just 20fps. These interruptions happen instantly, and the FPS quickly recovers. I play on a 3440x1440 ultrawide monitor at 175Hz, usually with RT enabled, but the issue persists even without it. I limit my FPS using RivaTuner. I’ll compile a list of all games, configurations, FPS limits, and any interruptions after running memtest86. The interruptions tend to appear most often in menus, so I suspect this is typical for modern gaming. However, many titles drop to 1-10fps when entering or exiting menus. Once inside a game, I restart the FPS logs to verify performance during play. One observation is that I’m experiencing 1fps drops in Cyberpunk 2077 during autosave (not sure if this is normal). Perhaps these 0.1% are within expected ranges? I was previously on a 60Hz monitor without VRR and didn’t notice anything. Here are my system details:
• Motherboard: ASUS X670E TUF GAMING WIFI PLUS (latest BIOS)
• RAM: G.Skill Flare X5, DDR5, 32GB, 6000MHz, CL32 (F5-6000J3238F16GX2-FX5) – EXPO enabled
• GPU: PNY RTX 4080 Verto (upgraded from Radeon RX 6800 XT) – drivers fresh
• CPU: Ryzen 7 9800X3D (10°C underclocked) – just upgraded from Ryzen 5 7600
• Cooling: Endorfy AIO 240mm
• PSU: Corsair RM1000e 1000W 80 Plus Gold
• SSDs: Kingston KC3000 1TB, Lexar NM620 2TB
• OS: Windows 11 24H2
I consistently record very low FPS values:
• Diablo IV (Steam) – max settings, DLSS quality | cap 150 FPS | 49 FPS - 0.1%
• Cyberpunk 2077 (Steam) – max settings, RT reflections only | cap 80 FPS | 70 FPS - 1%, 44 FPS - 0.1%
• Resident Evil 4 (Steam) – max settings with RT | cap 120 FPS | 33 - 0.1%
• Elden Ring (Steam) | max 2560x1440 with RT | cap 60 FPS | 56 FPS - 1%, 3 FPS - 0.1%
• Call of Duty BO6 (Game Pass) – Ultra preset, DLSS quality | cap 120 fps | 18 - 0.1%
What steps did I take to investigate?
• Ran Cinebench R24 – monitored temperatures and CPU speeds. The 9800X3D reached a peak of 85°C after undervolting; the 7600 stayed under 75°C.
• Used FurMark and checked power consumption and heat. Temperatures were normal, clocks remained high, but a hotspot hit 100°C.
• Performed memtest86 – 4 passes, no errors.
• Disabled HDR in Windows.
• Tested both SSDs via CrystalDiskInfo; no performance differences detected.
• Ran Display Driver Uninstaller after installing the new GPU, but it was installed post-installation.
I’m considering a full Windows reinstall to see if that resolves the issue.
I tried more of RE4 and keep facing issues. Frequently I get bad stutters—1-4 FPS. 0.1% lows are common. Is RE4 running that way? It’s strange how it suddenly locks at 120 FPS, high GPU load, moderate CPU use, then freezes briefly. Sometimes just one frame, other times a half-second freeze.
BIOS is current today, drivers for GPU are installed after DDU, VBS is active. I’m going to test it out. I wonder if this is typical. I’m used to gaming on consoles where frame rates and higher settings work well, but if every game here stutters like this, it makes no sense.
VBS should be turned off – it shouldn’t cause too much impact but who’s to say? Your stuttering isn’t typical, there might be an issue affecting FPS in certain situations. For instance, Furmark maintains steady performance. Your GPU is running at a high temperature, around 80°C or 100°C hotspot; it’s not at max but still elevated. Increasing fan speed could help. Also, what are your CPU temperatures during games?
Temperatures hover around 70-80°C, though the hotspot stays near 90-95°C. The card gets very loud when I crank up the RPM. Heat isn’t significantly lower. I can drop speed from 40% to 80% and lose 4-6°C without much impact, but it still sounds like a jet. I wouldn’t suggest the cheapest PNY card. My cooling setup is solid: Fractal North with three intake fans, two exhausts (CPU AIO), one pure exhaust. I haven’t had problems with the 6800 XT Sapphire nitro before—its cooler was much smaller. Did I get a subpar card? Turning off VBS and Game Bar helped temporarily. After about 30 minutes of gaming, I noticed only minor drops to 40-60°C, and stuttering stopped. Are there any other Windows tweaks I should try? I’m keeping an eye on performance now.
Conditions are fine, but I was still shocked that a 4080 model could run hotter than my 7900XTX. Even with fans spinning around 2200rpm it gets pretty loud, and I reached 70°C to 95°C—those hotspots are really bad on those cards. Maybe check your background programs; some could be hogging too much CPU (like antivirus or media players).