Question input lag, stuttering, odd online behavior, USB malfunction
Question input lag, stuttering, odd online behavior, USB malfunction
Hello, I want to express my sincere apologies. I’ve been dealing with quite a few issues on my PC for over three to four years now. These problems seem interconnected, which is making me worry that all the difficulties I’m facing might be linked together. I’ve tried organizing everything in this thread, starting with the most pressing concerns, so it should be easier to follow.
When I first assembled my system, I still remember that gently closing the side panel would cause my computer to freeze completely. I don’t recall why I left it open initially, but this issue kept recurring. Eventually, I forgot about it. I thought sharing it here might help. (About three to four years ago I discovered this problem.)
My internet connection is another concern. During speed tests, my connection sometimes works perfectly, while other times it feels very slow. Usually, the solution is to disconnect the Ethernet cable and reconnect it. Sometimes it resolves on its own, but other times I have to move the cable until the speed matches what I pay for.
The main issue began with gaming. I’d play games and suddenly experience a sudden drop in performance—movement and controls felt delayed. It would briefly return to normal, making the game feel smooth. At first, I thought it was my internet connection, but after thorough checks, it wasn’t related to packet loss or speed drops. During games like World of Warcraft, I’d see good frame rates one moment and then experience random stutters. It was brief but bothersome.
I also checked my monitor and GPU settings, thinking they might be causing input lag. I’ve removed the GPU driver several times in Safe Mode using the DDU uninstaller. The problem still occurs even when using gsync and vsync together or separately.
I’ve monitored temperatures and CPU usage during games, especially when using browsers or streaming. My CPU would often reach 70-90% usage via Task Manager, whether I was using Chrome, Firefox, or any other browser. The temperatures were normal and didn’t raise my concerns.
Recently, I cleaned my PC by unplugging all cables at the back of the tower. The next day, I encountered an error saying “USB controller resources exceeded.” This made me suspect a possible motherboard issue.
TL;DR:
- Games often feel laggy or slow but sometimes resolve on their own
- Internet connection fluctuates unpredictably, sometimes improving after removing the Ethernet cable
- Opening the side panel while using the PC caused freezing (though I haven’t done it in years)
- Cleaning my PC led to an error message about USB controller resources
When I saw this error today, I looked it up and found mentions of motherboard bandwidth problems. Could this be related to all the issues I’m experiencing?
Ryzen 5800x
MSI Tomahawk x570
32 GB RAM
3070 FE
Gsync 165hz monitor
I’m really sorry for the long list of details. I’ve been dealing with these in-game lags for years and am now feeling quite anxious because I can’t find a solution.
What is your PSU (brand and wattage)?
Which USB ports are connected? Do you have a USB hub with several ports? These can lead to issues if too many devices are connected and overload the single port.
Always avoid doing anything inside your case when the computer is on. I’m confused about why repeated actions seem to cause problems without clear explanation. What actually happens multiple times?
Diagnosing these intermittent issues can be tricky since they often resolve on their own. Consider using HWMonitor to monitor voltages, power usage, CPU clock, and RAM while gaming to spot anomalies.
Are there any offline games you can play to determine if the problem occurs only online?
A Malwarebyte scan is also recommended just in case.
But if anything was done inside the case while the computer was powered on, it likely damaged your hardware.
rm 750x psu
i don’t have any hubs. everything else is plugged in—mouse, keyboard, amp, microphone, and the ethernet cable.
i recall building the pc once and faced an issue with another psu that was making noise. i opened the side panel while it was running to locate the source of the sound. it turned out to be a bad psu, which i replaced. that experience helped me identify the problem. i didn’t close the panel forcefully, but when i pushed it shut and let the magnets seal, the pc froze completely. after getting the new rm 750x, i never touched the side panel again.
unfortunately, i don’t play any offline games. i also run malwarebytes regularly, and everything is fine.
sometimes i notice my monitor flickers. it’s a Dell S2721DGF. at first i thought it was my eyes, but it happens so fast and rarely it’s noticeable. i’m not affected by it.
A malfunctioning PSU might harm your equipment, particularly the motherboard. Even after swapping out the bad component, it's possible some damage occurred. Your issues might not stem from a faulty board (except possibly the USB error). Have you ever installed the AMD chipset driver on this machine? You could use AMD’s auto-update feature to ensure you’re current:
https://www.amd.com/en/support/download/drivers.html
Additionally, since your gaming sessions are mostly online, consider network problems. You might experience normal speeds but high latency events that disrupt gameplay. This happened to me previously—my games would stutter severely and sometimes ended my session. I discovered intermittent high ping periods linked to my internet service, which they resolved after a prolonged dispute. You could run this command in a Windows PowerShell terminal:
ping.exe -t google.com|Foreach{"{0} - {1}" -f (Get-Date),$_}
And continue playing your game while the command runs in the background. When the issue arises, record the timestamp and check the "time=" value afterward. If it significantly exceeds the average at that moment, it likely points to an internet connection problem.
Regarding screen flickering, it may occur only during gaming if you experience large FPS changes with G-Sync. However, if it happens while using the desktop, it could indicate a monitor or GPU issue.
When I mentioned the first PSU was faulty, it was actually coil whine. I had videos of it before but had to delete them. The PSU was extremely loud, so I replaced it.
I’m not sure about the chipset driver. Was it supposed to be installed after building my PC? It’s my first PC, and I find it difficult to figure out what I need and what I don’t. Can you point me in the right direction?
Regarding the internet issue, it happened again today. For instance, during a speed test, my connection was limited. To fix it, I had to remove the cable or bend it slightly to restore speeds.
Before -
https://imgur.com/a/MGpZCMr
View: https://imgur.com/a/MGpZCMr
After -
https://imgur.com/a/cC8bQig
View: https://imgur.com/a/cC8bQig
The stuttering seems to occur mostly in one game versus another. I did find a setting where gsync and vsync were enabled in nvcp, but the stuttering felt less severe, though there was some lag. It’s hard to describe. What settings should I be using? I followed a blog post suggesting gsync and vsync, and then a search suggested turning both off if FPS exceeded refresh rate. I’m really confused. What’s the difference between vsync nvcp and using an in-game FPS limiter?
What settings should I use to get the best performance from my rig?
Is there a way to test my motherboard as well? I searched my symptoms, and the AI suggested a bandwidth issue, which makes me worried.
The chipset drivers enable the operating system to manage your motherboard's chipset, which acts as its core. Without these drivers, Windows relies on generic versions that perform less efficiently compared to those created by AMD or Intel. I shared a link in my earlier message for downloading the AMD auto-update utility. Simply download and run it to locate and install the optimal drivers for your board.
It's important to clarify the issue accurately. Stuttering occurs when games briefly pause, usually because the GPU or CPU needs more time to complete their tasks. This differs from screen tearing, where the display shows partially rendered frames, resulting in a jumbled image. V-sync compels the GPU to wait until the monitor finishes rendering before showing a new frame, effectively limiting your frame rate to match the monitor's refresh rate. This helps reduce screen tearing but can add input lag since the system waits for each frame to fully render before displaying the next one. G-Sync synchronizes the monitor's refresh rate with the GPU's output, ensuring smooth visuals without tearing. However, it only works if your frame rate stays below the monitor's maximum refresh rate. Therefore, using both V-sync and G-sync together is often recommended (unless you're certain your frame rate never exceeds the monitor's limit), as this prevents tearing while minimizing lag.
If you're unsure about your hardware performance, tools like HWMonitor or HVMonitor can help assess voltage levels and power consumption. Make sure your graphics card is placed in the top PCIe slot (16x) rather than the bottom one (8x). Additionally, if you haven't tested your ping using the command provided earlier, it's hard to determine if network or gaming issues are connected.
thank for the reply.
i will test if the stutter is still present on thursday. unfortunately it was noticable during a raid which only happens once a week within my game. if i feel the stutter i will check my cpu usage, i guess that's problably the cause which is kind of weird to me considering my rig is somewhat OK.
when i say stutter it's more like jerkiness, it's hard to explain. it comes briefly then it's ok. but obviously it happens at the worst possible time during gaming and it affects my performance. i have noticed that firefox has big cpu usage but then again i had all program closed last time so i can't see that its the game causing high cpu usage but i will check again with this.
as for tearing i understand what that is but personally i can't notice it. maybe i don't know what i'm looking for (i guess this a good thing) and never been bothered by it. i just want a smooth experience when gaming.
sorry if i missed this in your post but what settings do you recommend? such as having gsyc on or not. it's kind of crazy because i can get over 200 fps in most games and i have 165hz. i just can't figure out what is the optimal setting to use.
i followed this
https://blurbusters.com/gsync/gsync101-i...ttings/14/
but lets say i want to play a first person shooter game competitively capping FPS is usually bad right? google says uncapping for this type of game is best. i really don't want to configure my settings for every game i play, i want to use settings and just forget about it. what do you recommend i should do with my rig?
as for voltages. i'm not sure what i should be looking at. i have MSI Afterburner and ryzen master installed which i use for temps usually.
Did you apply the AMD link I provided to refresh your chipset drivers? This should be your first step. Without it, your CPU won’t perform at its best.
When it comes to V-sync, G-sync and frame cap, it all hinges on what your system can handle and your personal settings. If you manage to exceed 165 fps in a demanding game, pushing higher might slightly reduce input lag, but only advanced users will see real gains. I generally avoid screen tearing and extra input delay, so I cap my frame rate below my monitor’s refresh rate. However, if you’re focused on the quickest response and don’t mind screen tearing, simply remove the frame cap and turn off V-sync (and G-sync too, as it won’t matter at higher fps).
For voltage, power usage, temperature monitoring, etc., I highly suggest using HWInfo. It’s a go-to tool for anyone who wants detailed insights into their hardware—CPU, motherboard, RAM, GPU, storage, network. It shows current readings, averages, max values, and even graphs. If you notice issues during gameplay, you can check the logs in software to spot anomalies like voltage drops or overheating events.
I found the link you sent. I'm starting now.
Thursday is when I perform a raid in my game with MSI Afterburner, recording GPU/CPU stats throughout the session. If stutters occur, hopefully it will reveal something.
Regarding HWInfo, is there a method to run it and capture data while playing so I can review later? Or do I need to monitor in real time during the issue?
Thank you for your responses.
You asked about the installation process and what happens when you run it again. When I tested it on my own machine, it installed certain components, but now it displays different results. It seems the program looked for an AMD graphics card during the first run, yet failed to locate it later. This suggests the developers didn’t account for AMD hardware in their design. Check your Windows settings under Apps to find any AMD-related entries. If you see AMD chipset software with today’s date, it indicates successful installation of the drivers. If not, you may need to download them from the official AMD site. After opening HWInfo, it begins showing data immediately, displaying four columns per variable—Current, Minimum, Maximum, and Average. Once you exit a game, you can view the minimum and maximum values recorded. Right-clicking on any entry reveals an option to generate a graph for that parameter over time. There’s a lot more information available here than in Afterburner.