Solving Stutters in Apex and RE2
Solving Stutters in Apex and RE2
I'm experiencing frame stutters mainly in Resident Evil 2 Remake and Apex, which are the only games I'm aware of with this issue. Other titles like Rocket League and Battlefront 2 on Ultra Run work perfectly. I've already attempted reverting the Windows April update, but it only reduced the problem slightly. The stutters still make the games unplayable. I've tried numerous fixes suggested by origin support, which has been quite extensive (over 4 hours), but none resolved the issue. Even running benchmark tests like 3DMark gives me a solid score, so I'm unsure what specifically is causing the problem.
It's typical for 2666 RAM to be set at 1333, as it operates at double that speed. Nonetheless, 2666 RAM remains relatively slow for Ryzen, particularly in the first generation models. If Apex performed well before, perform malware scans and monitor temperatures using a tool such as MSI Afterburner, which displays GPU and CPU temperatures during gameplay. Additional factors might include the power supply unit and the type of storage used for the game.
What is the speed of your RAM? The Ryzen, particularly the first generation, requires a minimum of 3200 RAM for optimal performance. I haven't played Apex, but I've run RE2 Remake on my 8700K with a 1080 SC and 16 GB RAM without issues. It's mentioned that RE2 Remake has a graphics setting glitch that can be resolved by using maximum settings, and your hardware should manage it as long as the RAM speed isn't too low.
It's typical for 2666 RAM to be set at 1333, since it operates at double that speed. Nonetheless, 2666 RAM remains relatively slow for Ryzen processors, particularly those from the first generation.
If Apex performed well previously, perform malware scans and monitor temperatures using software such as MSI Afterburner, which displays GPU and CPU temperatures during gameplay. Other potential influences might include the power supply unit (PSU), the storage device used for the game (such as whether it's properly defragmented and has sufficient free space), possible conflicting startup programs, and the overall condition of the HDD.
Malwarebytes offers a quick and efficient solution for detecting malware. An inadequate or outdated PSU can lead to these issues, even if it functioned properly before. HDDs should maintain at least 15% of their actual capacity free, and regular defragmentation is essential for optimal performance. For example, I keep all my game files on a high-capacity WD Black 6TB HDD. However, after a period without using the defrag tool, my video editing software became extremely slow when loading clips. This was due to fragmentation on the drive, which reduced performance despite ample free space.
A straightforward method to identify conflicting startups is to disable them individually and test the game again. It's worth noting that many applications automatically appear in startup lists unless you uncheck this option during installation. Most of these programs aren't truly necessary as startups.
If RE2 Remake has consistently failed, it may be linked to a settings issue I previously identified.
I own an 850 w PSU but since it's a prebuilt unit from three years ago, there isn't much available information beyond that. My hard drive reports 0 percent fragmentation, so do you have any suggestions for software to clean up a hard drive or free up space?
There are tools available that can reveal the brand and model of each part in your computer. I use HWiNFO64, you can find it here.
https://www.hwinfo.com/download/
Your power supply has sufficient wattage for your requirements, but that is only part of the story—it must also be of good quality.
Another reason for video issues can be a low-quality video cable connecting the graphics card to the monitor, which is something you can test affordably. Sometimes gently moving the cable ends will show if it’s defective by what you observe on the screen.
Concerning the hard drive where the game is installed, check its size and the amount of free space reported by Windows. Use the Windows calculator and multiply .15 times the actual space used. This gives you the recommended free space at all times.
On defrag tools, I have experimented with many, but Raxco's PerfectDisk is my preferred choice. It’s Microsoft certified and includes a stealth mode that runs quietly in the background, only when no demanding programs are active. However, with any defrag utility, it’s important to disable support for solid state drives (SSD, NVMe), as these do not need defragmentation and instead use TRIM. Running them will only accelerate wear.
Have you checked for software conflicts, such as background applications or startup programs? Often these issues are resolved by the user, who later reports that a specific program was the culprit.
Do you have any suggestions on verifying background app activity since none of the enabled startup apps are causing issues? Also, I attempted to install Titanfall 2 and it now experiences frame stutters (see attached graph). Could any recent driver updates have triggered this problem?
If you had just a handful of startups and confirmed they weren't problematic, it's likely you're missing background programs that aren't causing issues. I'm not psychic, but I can't see the graphs either.