Results fall short of expectations.
Results fall short of expectations.
Hello, I’m just an amateur PC builder who’s been working with systems since dual cores became popular. The main focus here is on basic setup and troubleshooting. I can handle hardware assembly and share simple fixes when needed. If problems arise—like a failed DIMM or GPU—I can help diagnose them. However, I’m not a specialist in clock speeds or voltages. Here’s my question: I recently upgraded my rig with a Ryzen 7 5800X, 32GB DDR4 (four DIMMs) at 2400 MHz, paired with an RTX 4090 24GB AIO for the CPU. There are four fans plus a radiator, giving a solid airflow. Temperatures have stayed consistently below 60°C. My storage includes two M.2 NVMe drives for boot and extra SSDs (two 1TB) for extra speed, all running on NVME OS. After swapping to the 4090 GPU, performance gains were minimal compared to my previous 3060Ti. I aimed for around 50 FPS at 1920x1080 and expected smooth tessellation. Now I’m struggling with older games running at max settings while keeping 60+ FPS. What adjustments can I make to improve this setup? I tried A-XMP in BIOS for RAM, but it caused a black screen and no boot. I had to reset the CMOS. Any tips for optimizing what I have? My primary monitor is an LG UltraGear at 144Hz—help?
Begin here with some uncertain decisions. You matched a 4090 to a 1080p screen, setting yourself up for a frustrating CPU limitation. On top of that, the system ran extremely sluggishly, making performance even worse. You’ll need to understand RAM timings and their impact quickly. Right now, RAM is likely the main issue. If you’re fortunate, try using RDC. Adjust PBO as well.
Have you tried DDU before setting up the new card? If not, visit https://www.wagnardsoft.com/display-driv...taller-ddu and follow the instructions. When the program starts, select safe mode if asked. After rebooting to safe mode, DDU will start automatically. In DDU options, pick "prevent windows update from downloading drivers." Return to the clean and shutdown settings for installing new GPU drivers. For RAM, A-XMP might be needed because you're using two different kits or just two sticks. Then the XMP (DOCP) profile will match that configuration instead of four sticks. If you're using the same RAM kit, adjust your BIOS: set the frequency to what the kit specifies (e.g., 1.35V, timings 16-18-18-18-18-38). You can verify the specifications in the SPD tab within BIOS.
Really, it seems like you should check the drivers and install a new one from the Nvidia website. Even with slow RAM, many older games should run at 60fps or higher. What games are you playing? Some cause huge performance drops when settings are turned up, often running at around 16k or more. Have you tried medium settings? Also, use MSI Afterburner to monitor CPU and GPU usage while gaming, along with temperatures. Aim for under 83°C for the 4090 and under 95°C for the 5800X. You mentioned a 60Hz monitor—maybe the cooling system is limited because you didn’t share your case details.
Reduced resolution lowers GPU demand while boosting CPU usage. The extra RAM isn't alleviating the CPU strain.
Studying timing for my RAM setup and trying a basic fix. Thanks for all the advice and insights. I’m expecting a big problem with the new drivers. Before the 4090, I used a 3060ti for the main screen and a 1660 super for the secondary screens—everything worked fine without SLI. I plan to clear the driver cache and stick to a conservative RAM configuration, then share updates. Also, my system has four DIMMs: two Fury and two Ballictic. They’re all rated similarly, though they might not be compatible. Results will tell.
Ran FurMark in native resolution 1920x1080 with 8x MSAA for 20 minutes. Temperatures settled at 65*C. Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Battlefront 2, Fortnite, Hogwarts Legacy (I know, not that old), and Back 4 Blood were all games I felt a bit let down.