Microstuttering during gaming on MSI GS65 Stealth 8RF laptop
Microstuttering during gaming on MSI GS65 Stealth 8RF laptop
Correct, the skips become less common when I lower the graphics. It's funny that I can't even play BF3, an older game, at 144fps ultra settings without skips. I have to stick to 60Hz for high settings. Except for Mafia 2 (an old game). It seems tough to compare or narrow things down when I only have a few games.
And yes, the GPU usage is higher than the CPU, so I assume the games are all using the 1070. I think it’s been the CPU all along, but I’m not very tech-savvy and definitely not knowledgeable enough. Youtube has been my friend during these times lol
The laptop is no longer in the high-end range, which seems to be the main concern here. In my view, if you still want to keep it, upgrading the cooling for the CPU would be the best approach—it’s the only way to enable higher performance. Reaching 70°C+ will cause throttling and stop any turbo boost. Additionally, power saving must be disabled to let the CPU run at full speed; otherwise, you’ll get low clock speeds even at 90°C. Have you cleaned the laptop thoroughly? Make sure all fans and internal components are free of dust, as overheating could also be the issue.
My suggestion is that you should try overclocking the CPU as much as possible, but keep in mind you’re a beginner and your temperatures are already high.
Personally, aside from what I’ve said, it might be time for an upgrade.
I’m really surprised the “tech” support didn’t cover all this information.
As long as my laptop isn’t restricted and it’s working perfectly, I’m ready to play at 60 fps. I’m just trying to check all possibilities to eliminate the “skips” completely. Even if skips are normal on high-end machines, knowing that will help me feel more confident. I’d prefer not to switch to something else if it turns out my fix is actually quite simple.
I don’t believe he even accessed my system since the factory seal remains on my laptop, and he also added his company sticker over it.
It's always beneficial to clean if heat becomes a concern. Just proceed with caution. You're capable. Based on the video I provided, the FPS appears to match my expectations. If your performance isn't improving, make sure to restore the settings.
Regarding the laptop's performance, it seems to be functioning normally. Limiting games to 60fps can provide the CPU with more flexibility during intense scenes, which helps minimize skips. Try a game like CS:GO—it's free. Download it, play a few rounds, monitor your FPS and any stutters. Older titles typically run smoother, suggesting your laptop may not be powerful enough for demanding games. Titles like BF3 are still quite CPU-heavy, which explains the issues you're experiencing. Heavier "big world" games will put more strain on the CPU, while shooters such as Doom, COD (especially older versions), or CS:GO offer better performance.
Remember, laptops often reach their temperature limits around 90°C. The real problem is that no CPU handles high temperatures very well.
I really value the assistance you provided, as I gained more insights from our conversation than from the IT tech representative or YouTube replies I received!
I also considered resetting my laptop factory, since I only have games and launchers installed. Just to check if it’s a settings or driver issue, or if an update would help. I wouldn’t mind doing that, but I’d prefer to keep it as a last option.
I plan to try CSGO first and then benchmark my games. But are skips common? For example, seeing a few skips occasionally versus constant skipping? It’s hard to tell if there’s an ultra-smooth PC with no skips at all. Watching others play makes it difficult to judge.
No pc is perfect lol. Code gets lost in the sauce sometimes and skips or fps drops or anything of the sort can happen from time to time.
Moreso less in higher end pcs, but it still happens. Im almost positive your laptop is running normally, your just trying to play heavy games, on a outdated system and from what you have described, sounds exactly like what a underperforming CPU would do to a game, especially at 90c.
No problem man, glad to help! You can choose to mark the thread as solved by choosing a best answer for others searching for this same issue, or leave it open for others to put their input
Although, if you choose to mark the thread as solved, others can still comment to put their input
Good luck!
Absolutely, I plan to keep it open until I run bench tests and then share the final result confidently. I also spotted some black flickering borders when adjusting the window size, especially when moving the resize icon. That seems like a problem? Haha.
Remember, if the skips aren't affecting the game, you can keep playing. It's easy to get caught up in wanting more, but for me, it's never quite enough. I used to play games on a GTX 750 with just 1GB of memory—things ran smoothly and I still had fun. I even made a whole thread about how I missed that old setup. There was always something to improve on. Over time it turned into a new hobby, and it helped me learn a lot about computers today. Now I have a PC that rarely runs into problems, so I try to assist others with their issues from time to time.
I’m doing great with my job, actually. I got really hooked not because of any performance issues, but because whenever something goes wrong, I’m determined to fix it. This little issue has been keeping me busy, and if we can call it a problem soon, we’ll resolve it.
It’s impressive how you’ve learned everything thanks to your old rig, and it looks like you’ve been active in the PC community for a long time. I’d love to keep up and learn more—at least enough to keep things running smoothly on current and future systems.
I also tried CSGO before, but I left the game on default settings. The frame rate was inconsistent, though it was decent. Using RTT helped stabilize it at 60fps, which made a big difference. I didn’t find a way to enable VSync in the game settings either.