suttering, freezing...
suttering, freezing...
Purchased my used PC about five months ago without testing it thoroughly; I regret it now. From the start, I faced issues like random freezing for just a second, usually a few times daily, but eventually it stopped. Later it returned but seemed to disappear again. The more recent problems involve stuttering and game performance. Previously, games ran smoothly except when the whole PC would freeze briefly with buzzing sounds. However, after a few hours or even the next day, those occurrences ceased. Around a month ago or earlier, even with reduced graphics and high FPS at maximum settings, I noticed a drop of about 20 frames per second—usually around 70+ FPS. Another issue occurred when opening Blitz and CodeMW2WZ; everything appeared distorted, as if the GPU was failing, only in specific areas. Initially, the game loaded quickly, but now it often stutters or freezes, especially during enemy encounters in Rust, with consistent low FPS and poor gameplay even at 1080p. Lowering graphics settings hasn’t helped much. Apologies if my explanation is unclear; it’s late and I’m exhausted.
System specifications and temperature readings during operation.
GTX 1080 gainward Phoenix gs I5 11400f paired with LC CC 120 cooler from Gigabyte z490m LC. Power supply runs at 2x8 3200mhz SSD power and Phenom 1TB M.2 HDD. Storage includes a 1TB WD drive with unknown RPM. Cooling system operates at 550w Silverstone 80+ bronze. Temperatures: GPU idle 44°C, CPU idle 39°C, peak GPU 78°C, CPU 59°C.
It seems you're dealing with an underpowered setup. For a modern system, you should aim for a PSU of at least 750W. You mentioned having it for five months, which is fine, but there might be issues with the installation or configuration. Check if the system was originally configured properly—whether it was overclocked or updated. Also, verify audio routing (HDMI vs. internal) and whether both components are running simultaneously without conflict. Optimize drivers for your games or use a general setup for better performance.
When you return, start HWInfo64 in the background while playing games. Ask it to log activity. It will produce an Excel file with more details. I’ll review it later. Please send it here and mention any lag. (If it triggers at 1:05 a.m., that’s easier to spot in the log)
I don't understand the duration of the previous owner's ownership. Most parts are still covered under warranty, except for the GPU and cooler (warranty ends in 2024, with exceptions for SSDs). Regarding BIOS, I only enabled XMP settings for audio; for headphones, I connected them to the back of the motherboard instead of using front I/O. Performance improvements from changing drivers were minimal except for the GPU and motherboard (the board was updated about 2-3 months ago).
Note: When I first bought the PC, the previous owner reinstalled Windows 11, wiped everything from the HDD and SSD, then downloaded NVIDIA drivers and games. Now there are only gameplay issues. Recently, I played Rust—initially smooth, but now at launch time, FPS was around 20-30, lagging and stuttering, with frequent drops. The game froze and crashed after a crash in Bandit; it ran better afterward. Before that, War Thunder was fine, so this seems to occur mainly in more demanding titles.