Witcher 3 experiences stuttering on GTX 1650/i5 9300H system with Windows 11/10
Witcher 3 experiences stuttering on GTX 1650/i5 9300H system with Windows 11/10
Hello, I'm here because I'm really stuck on what to do next. Let me share what I have:
I have a Lenovo Legion Y540 notebook with the following specs:
- GPU: GTX 1650
- CPU: i5-9300H
- RAM: 8GB doubled to 16GB
- Storage: Two SSDs, one 1TB for the game and another 256GB for the system
- Operating System: Windows 11
- Software: Third-party tools like MSI Afterburner, RivaTunerStatistics, Razer Cortex (used as is), Lasso process, Malwarebytes
Currently, other games work fine except for Witcher 3, which has some annoying stutters every few seconds during animations or loading. I've tried adjusting game settings, changing quality, enabling VSync, and even using pre-rendered frames. Still, nothing seems to fix the issue.
The game runs at around 60 FPS without stuttering, but it drops significantly when moving quickly, rotating the camera, or loading save files. Sometimes it stutters during cutscenes too. I've checked many forums, but they didn't help much.
Other things I should mention:
- I haven’t overclocked my GPU or CPU.
- I’ve updated the GPU drivers to the latest version.
- My CPU stays around 70–90°C.
- I don’t have any mods installed that could affect performance.
- I haven’t run any virus scans (no errors found).
- My GPU temperature reaches 91°C at max usage, even with low settings and around 1000MHz.
- The DVR doesn’t make a difference either.
- I’ve tried updating GPU drivers for older versions too.
I also have enough free disk space (about 100GB).
If anyone has any questions, I’ll do my best to help. Also, here’s a screenshot of one of the stutters with MSI Afterburner—it might give some clues. But it was one of the worst cases, usually causing frame drops from 16 to 32, not 100+, and most often dropping to 60–50 FPS.
Please let me know if you need more details.
A 3DMark Time Spy would also work well.
We already understand the problem—your CPU and GPU are throttling due to heat. If the system has adequate airflow, the next step would be to disassemble the device and reapply thermal paste in the affected areas.
However, this process is challenging for someone unfamiliar with it.
Ok, so i followed your suggestion sir, and here is the file you asked me for:
HWiNFO file
, if there will be anything else i could do just let me know. Also i have noticed my cpu is thermal throttling, but idk if there is much i can do about it and idk if this should have such a big hit on a performance really?
It seems like you're experiencing a throttling problem and the machine pauses briefly to cool down. Could you tell me what graphics resolution you're using? For example, are you playing at 1920 x 1080p or another setting? Maybe lowering the resolution could help. That's all I have to go on.
My resolution setting is 1920x1080, and yes, lowering the resolution makes the game run more smoothly, though it’s not ideal for fhd without issues. I’m aware this might sound odd, but I suspect my PC could be missing thermal paste on the CPU, although I’m not certain. Also, I know GTA Online runs almost perfectly fine.
My laptop stays on the cooling pad constantly while in use to improve airflow, but I rarely activate the fans. I also recently cleared the PC fans, which improved the ambient temperature inside without anything on. The system temperatures are: minimum 36°C, maximum 62°C, average 41°C. The GPU readings are between 53.6 and 55.8, with an average of 55.1. For reference, I can share a 3DMark test link if it would be useful.
A 3DMark Time Spy would be suitable. We are already aware that both your CPU and GPU are experiencing thermal throttling. If the system has adequate airflow, the next step would be to disassemble the device and reapply thermal paste in the affected areas. However, this process is challenging—especially for someone unfamiliar with it.
Here is your 3D Mark result summary rewritten:
The benchmark outcome appears stable since no overclocking or undervolting was performed. Based on current understanding, the issue may stem from insufficient thermal paste application. While many users apply it only to the CPU, are there other components that should also receive thermal paste?