can a low-wattage PSU cause stutter in games?

[COSMINiftime1705]

hello guys,i have a PC with RTX 3060 TI,the CPU is i7-12700KF,with 32GB ram DDR4 of 3200Mhz,2 ssd of 1TB Samsung 980 Pro,the motherboard is an Aorus Z690 Elite ,a liquid cooler of 360mm,and 7 vents,all with RGB+RGB on Ram sticks and graphic card.As monitor i got a Lenovo Legion that have 240Hz with G-sync capable and 1 ms response time.
The problem is that i got a lot of stutter in games,even in games like Couter-Strike 1.6.I Changed almost everything in this PC.Like motherboard,Cpu,ram sticks and cooler of the Cpu....but i still got microstuttering.So maybe the problem is my PSU,cuz i got a Seasonic of 550Watt 80+ Gold and i think that this is a little low-wattage for this PC.What do you guys think?i should change my PSU?and if yes,witch PSU?...thank you in advance

 

[Kaamos_Llama]

Your PSU is on the low wattage for your system so its quite possible it could help. Youre going to want a 750W unit to give yourself some headroom. I'll just say get a Corsair RM(X) 750W. The RMe is also decent but has is a bit lower quality than the RM and RMX.

Few questions:

Are you running the latest drivers for GPU, Motherboard chipset, networking, and the latest BIOS version for the motherboard from the Gigabyte website? If not update them straight away.

Do you have 2x16 GB of RAM or 4x4 and did they all come in the same packet together?

Do you have any other software running in the background while youre gaming and have you tried removing everything and gaming without them running.

In what games are you getting the problem? Please list them.

Are the stutters regular, or do they come at random times?

Has this system always had the problem or did it start sometime after working perfectly?

Have you had a gaming PC before this one?

 

[COSMINiftime1705]

Your PSU is on the low wattage for your system so its quite possible it could help. Youre going to want a 750W unit to give yourself some headroom. I'll just say get a Corsair RM(X) 750W. The RMe is also decent but has is a bit lower quality than the RM and RMX.

Few questions:

Are you running the latest drivers for GPU, Motherboard chipset, networking, and the latest BIOS version for the motherboard from the Gigabyte website? If not update them straight away.

Do you have 2x16 GB of RAM or 4x4 and did they all come in the same packet together?

Do you have any other software running in the background while youre gaming and have you tried removing everything and gaming without them running.

In what games are you getting the problem? Please list them.

Are the stutters regular, or do they come at random times?

Has this system always had the problem or did it start sometime after working perfectly?

Have you had a gaming PC before this one?

Hello and thank you for you responseWell,to answer at all questions:1.Yes.I have all of that updated
2.i have 4 sticks of 8GB each,and it not came all in one packet...i installed 2 sticks of 8 GB each after i bought the PC from previous owner.All 4 sticks have 3200 MhZ frequency
3.No,i don't have any software in the background.I checked it
4.i have this problem in nearly all games i play..like:Counter Strike 1.6,Counter-Strike 2,World of Thanks,Greedfall,Rust,PUBG.But in some games it run ALMOST good,like FIFA24 and WWE 2k23
5.The stutter is regular...i was not able to fix it at all...
6.Since i bought it,but i changed all in it.Except Graphic card,and PSU...and other 2 sticks of RAM from previous owner
7.Yes,i had.....and before i played on a 60 Hz TV,not even gaming monitor,with even more weak specs and it was better than now....

Is really frustrating......to spend so much money and to not have a smooth gaming experience.....So i think that my only problem is PSU now....
If you want i can do a Benchmark test if it help...

 

[Kaamos_Llama]

OK thanks for the detailed reply.

Try something before you buy a new PSU. Take out 2 sticks of RAM that came in the same pack leaving 16GB and see if the stuttering is any better.

Using RAM that doesnt come in the exact same kit, even if its the same speed timings and brand doesnt guarantee 100% compatibility. One sign of slight RAM instability is stuttering.

 

[COSMINiftime1705]

OK thanks for the detailed reply.

Try something before you buy a new PSU. Take out 2 sticks of RAM that came in the same pack leaving 16GB and see if the stuttering is any better.

Using RAM that doesnt come in the exact same kit, even if its the same speed timings and brand doesnt guarantee 100% compatibility. One sign of slight RAM instability is stuttering.

Ok sir! i will do it and come back with a response as soon as possible.But the reason for witch i bought that 2 extra sticks of RAM was because i had stutter even with 2 sticks of ram that are identical.But i will still try to be sure

 

[Kaamos_Llama]

Also check whether the RAM sticks are in the correct slots according to the motherboard manual to enable dual channel mode!

 

[COSMINiftime1705]

Also check whether the RAM sticks are in the correct slots according to the motherboard manual to enable dual channel mode!

I didn't know that there is such a thing,I will also check it! Thanks

 

[COSMINiftime1705]

Also check whether the RAM sticks are in the correct slots according to the motherboard manual to enable dual channel mode!

I checked the manual and the slots are correctly for dual channel.When I get home from work I will take off the old 2 sticks of RAM,am I will keep just the same brand new ones bought by me,to see if there is a difference

 

[COSMINiftime1705]

OK thanks for the detailed reply.

Try something before you buy a new PSU. Take out 2 sticks of RAM that came in the same pack leaving 16GB and see if the stuttering is any better.

Using RAM that doesnt come in the exact same kit, even if its the same speed timings and brand doesnt guarantee 100% compatibility. One sign of slight RAM instability is stuttering.

i did that in the end and the result was that even without that 2 old sticks of RAM,the stutter is still in games same as with all 4 sticks of RAM,so it's not the RAM....i really hope that it will be PSU.Cuz i am tired of it)

 

[Kaamos_Llama]

Just forgot to check that you know what your temperatures on GPU and CPU are when youre gaming ?

 

[COSMINiftime1705]

Just forgot to check that you know what your temperatures on GPU and CPU are when youre gaming ?

on GPU i have 73 degrees on heavy load and on CPU i have 63-68 degrees on heavy load...temperatures are totally fine...i'm scared to not be GPU faulty....

 

[Kaamos_Llama]

Yep they are.

Last things I'm not sure of, you have all latest drivers for Network, Chipset and GPU and the latest system BIOS?

Use DDU to reinstall graphics drivers in Windows Safe Mode

Upgrading Your GPU? Here's How to Totally Uninstall Old Nvidia, AMD or Intel Graphics Drivers

If you're installing a new graphics card, remove the old drivers.

www.tomshardware.com

Have you tried running the system file checker?

Using System File Checker in Windows - Microsoft Support

Learn how to run System File Checker in Windows to check if your computer has problems with files.

support.microsoft.com

Finally if all else fails try reinstalling Windows. It will take a little time and you'll need to back up any important files first, but its the best way to be sure its not a software issue.

 

[COSMINiftime1705]

Yep they are.

Last things I'm not sure of, you have all latest drivers for Network, Chipset and GPU and the latest system BIOS?

Use DDU to reinstall graphics drivers in Windows Safe Mode

Upgrading Your GPU? Here's How to Totally Uninstall Old Nvidia, AMD or Intel Graphics Drivers

If you're installing a new graphics card, remove the old drivers.

www.tomshardware.com

Have you tried running the system file checker?

Using System File Checker in Windows - Microsoft Support

Learn how to run System File Checker in Windows to check if your computer has problems with files.

support.microsoft.com

Finally if all else fails try reinstalling Windows. It will take a little time and you'll need to back up any important files first, but its the best way to be sure its not a software issue.

to be honest,i did it all after i put my liquid cooler for my CPU,that was 2 weeks ago...and i did everything you said here,even with DDU and Windows Safe Mode,i ran also system file checker and all was good,and even a fresh install of the Windows.I tried everything and didn't fix the stuttering except to change PSU...if is not PSU,then...i really don't know what else could it be

 

[Kaamos_Llama]

Fair enough, just trying to cover all bases before you have to go and buy something more. Hopefully the PSU does the trick then, good luck !

 

[COSMINiftime1705]

Thank you! if it's not PSU,i will buy a pre-build of 2,500$

 

[Brian Boru]

i did everything you said

Before you buy anything, some other things to do if relevant:

♣ Does the stuttering happen outside of gaming, eg when watching YT or editing an image or…?

♦ Disable any 'extras' you use while gaming:
Overlays
Game bar
Chat apps
DVRs
"Assistants"
Etc

♥ Turn off all other non-MS software which is running in the background.
@Kaamos_Llama can you start a game after booting into Safe Mode?

♠ Turn on v-Sync.

♣ Turn off 'Turbo boost' from intel.

 

[Kaamos_Llama]

♥ Turn off all other non-MS software which is running in the background.
@Kaamos_Llama can you start a game after booting into Safe Mode?

♠ Turn on v-Sync.

I dont think so, GPU drivers arent loaded into safe mode.

Definitely disable any extra apps, I shouldnt assume thats covered under a Windows reinstall.

The Vsync angle is interesting. OP has 240Hz Gsync monitor, Vsync and any buffering settings should be disabled in games and Gsync enabled in drivers/Geforce Experience.

 

[Brian Boru]

Vsync … should be disabled

Yeah, the last 2 are just from my notes, can't explain or justify 'em

drivers arent loaded into safe mode

That's what I expected, but thought there might be some magic to enable selective driver installation during or after.

 

[COSMINiftime1705]

Well,I tried even with disabling any extras ....and my gsync is configured correctly.And about stuttering,it is happening just in games...and when I did the benchmark,on my GPU was good health and outstanding performance.It's really weird.But another detail that I observed last night was that,if I change video settings in-game while I play,even if I have the same number of FPS,the stuttering is even bigger...

 

[COSMINiftime1705]

Guys! Another detail that I observed is a little red light on my motherboard when I start PC, witch is on for 10 seconds,and after it turns off.I searched and I found that one of the reasons is that the CPU is not getting enough power from PSU.Is it true?

 

[Kaamos_Llama]

Not 100% but sounds like the CPU warning light might be on if you forget to plug in the CPU power. If that was the case then it wouldnt work at all and the light would stay on.

The little red light should have text next to it on teh motherboard, theres usually one for CPU, VGA and RAM I believe. Can be just the ligth is red while waiting for the RAM to past start up tests I think.

Basically if its booting to Windows afterwards the warning lights arent important.

 

[zakariyabombaywala]

hello guys,i have a PC with RTX 3060 TI,the CPU is i7-12700KF,with 32GB ram DDR4 of 3200Mhz,2 ssd of 1TB Samsung 980 Pro,the motherboard is an Aorus Z690 Elite ,a liquid cooler of 360mm,and 7 vents,all with RGB+RGB on Ram sticks and graphic card.As monitor i got a Lenovo Legion that have 240Hz with G-sync capable and 1 ms response time.
The problem is that i got a lot of stutter in games,even in games like Couter-Strike 1.6.I Changed almost everything in this PC.Like motherboard,Cpu,ram sticks and cooler of the Cpu....but i still got microstuttering.So maybe the problem is my PSU,cuz i got a Seasonic of 550Watt 80+ Gold and i think that this is a little low-wattage for this PC.What do you guys think?i should change my PSU?and if yes,witch PSU?...thank you in advance

Here are some steps to diagnose and potentially resolve the stuttering issue:

1. Check for Overheating: Make sure your CPU and GPU are not overheating. High temperatures can lead to performance issues. Ensure that your liquid cooler and ventilation are working correctly.
2. Update Drivers: Ensure that all your drivers, including graphics card drivers and motherboard drivers, are up-to-date.
3. Monitor Usage: Use a monitoring tool to check the CPU, GPU, and RAM usage while gaming. This can help identify if there's a specific component that's being heavily utilized.
4. RAM XMP Profile: If your RAM supports XMP (Extreme Memory Profile), enable it in your motherboard's BIOS. This ensures that your RAM runs at its advertised speed.
5. Windows Power Plan: Set your Windows power plan to "High Performance" to ensure that your CPU is running at full speed during gaming.
6. SSD Health: Check the health of your SSDs using a utility like CrystalDiskInfo. A failing SSD can cause stutters.
7. Background Processes: Ensure that no unnecessary background processes or applications are running while gaming. This includes software that may be using system resources.
8. VRAM Usage: Monitor your GPU's VRAM usage. If you're running out of VRAM, it can lead to stuttering.
9. PSU Capacity: While 550W is generally enough, if you've added many additional components like RGB and extra cooling fans, it may be pushing the limits of your PSU. Consider upgrading to a higher wattage PSU.

If, after checking these factors, the issue persists, upgrading to a higher-wattage PSU might be a good solution. You might consider a PSU with at least 650W or more to provide ample headroom for your components and any future upgrades. Seasonic makes excellent PSUs, so you can stick with the brand.

Ensure that the PSU you choose is from a reputable manufacturer, is at least 80+ Bronze or higher efficiency certified, and has the necessary connectors for your components. Always calculate the wattage requirements of your system, factoring in the GPU and CPU power consumption, and add some extra headroom for safety.

 

[Brian Boru]

Here are some steps

Welcome to the forum

Your AI is pretty good, which one are you using?

 

[COSMINiftime1705]

Well guys....I bought another PSU and the results are the same....without succes...now with a 850W PSU....80 gold+

 

[Kaamos_Llama]

Damn. Someone else here may have soem suggestions, but I'm pretty much out.

If you didnt already, post over at Toms Hardware Forum and link this thread here so that people can see the steps you've taken already. Hopefully someone there may have a better idea.

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