Your computer is struggling with performance across all games, and you're unsure where to begin troubleshooting.
Your computer is struggling with performance across all games, and you're unsure where to begin troubleshooting.
Begin with your hardware details: a Ryzen 7 2700, RTX 3060 12GB, 16GB DDR4 3200Mhz, and an 850W power supply. In short, your system isn’t delivering the expected frames—like 100-190fps in CS:GO or 90-120 in Valorant, even at low settings. As a competitive gamer using a 240Hz monitor, you’re aiming for maximum performance. I’ve noticed others with comparable builds achieving much higher frame rates, which makes me curious about the reasons behind that difference. You’re running Windows 11 and recently reset your SSD, but aside from Discord, no other background processes are active. The latest GPU drivers are installed, and I’m confident in their status. Please help identify any issues affecting performance, and thank you for your assistance.
I don't have real-time access to your system status. Please check Task Manager for your current CPU and GPU usage while gaming.
There isn't an MSI ROG Strix B450 available. Both ROG and Strix are Asus products, while MSI operates separately. They offer many different B450 boards, so it's unclear which one you have. If you're unsure, you can check your system using CPU-Z. You're likely running 1080p, but on that setting the 3060 might struggle with the 2700X. It's probably not a high-end GPU for fast frame rates. Have you updated your motherboard BIOS and chipset drivers?
Most people avoid using a task manager while gaming; MSI Afterburner is a better choice. Performance comparisons in videos or websites aren't reliable because many factors affect a PC's speed. Even with similar components, things like RAM speed and CPU requirements differ. For example, reaching 240Hz isn't guaranteed with a 2700x processor—it needs powerful single-core CPUs. A 2700x isn't ideal for gaming tasks. I suspect the 12100 could deliver higher FPS than 2700x since those games prioritize single-core performance and aren't optimized for multi-core systems.
Beginners usually don’t install MSI Afterburner, yet Task Manager comes pre-installed. Are you really prioritizing too much detail over the right tools? Task Manager works, though it’s not perfect. I personally use HWinfo and MSI Afterburner, but I know most newcomers with a couple forum comments won’t even be familiar with those options. My setup has a 2700x in secondary and a weaker GPU (RX590), so I push many more frames at 1440p compared to 1080p. The CPU here isn’t great for ultra-high framerates, but it’s not completely useless either. This isn’t typical unless there’s another issue slowing things down. Sure, my system has 32 GB of RAM, and even with 16 GB it didn’t become a problem. While the CPU shouldn’t reach 240 FPS, it should hit at least 190-200 FPS on max settings in VALORANT with that GPU.
Hey @shawnkirk, I just noticed something: is "Multi threaded rendering" active in your VALORANT game settings? If not, enable it and play a short session to check the impact. Also, consider boosting your CPU overclocking—both Valve and CS will perform better with higher clock speeds.
Is setting up a small software a major concern? One could post this question here and ask for possible reasons why Afterburner isn't downloading or installing properly. A few factors to consider when using Task Manager to monitor hardware during games: 1. The readings often differ from Afterburner and provide limited details. 2. With only one display, opening Task Manager while playing can cause usage spikes. Most players run games in full screen for optimal performance; thus, the system might drop when the window is minimized. Even in borderless or windowed mode, performance can decrease, making diagnosis harder. 3. Different games behave differently—some thrive in full screen, others perform adequately, some run smoothly in the background, while others may freeze or slow down significantly. Afterburner or similar tools offer more reliable hardware data during gameplay. There are many variables to account for, so focus on eliminating them to pinpoint the issue. As I mentioned earlier, achieving stable frame rates like 240Hz depends heavily on RAM speed and processor settings—Ryzen needs around 3600MHz for optimal DDR4 performance, especially on Windows 11. It's unclear if updates have improved this, but it's likely not as smooth as in previous versions.