Understanding and Troubleshooting Progressive Input Lag in FPS Gaming: A Deep Dive into RAM-Related Issues
In the world of PC gaming, experiencing persistent hardware or software issues can significantly impact the gaming experience. Recently, a dedicated gamer shared an intriguing case of progressive input lag specifically affecting WASD key inputs during FPS gameplay, particularly in titles like PUBG. Despite extensive troubleshooting, the root cause appeared to be linked to RAM behavior, offering valuable insights for both gamers and PC enthusiasts facing similar challenges.
Background and Context
The user constructed their own gaming rig primarily used for titles such as DAYZ, PUBG, and RDR2, with PUBG being the main game of focus. The issue manifested gradually, worsening over hours of playtime, especially after major game updates. The problem involved certain keys—initially the ‘A’ key—not registering clicks reliably, which over time extended to other WASD keys, impairing full control in-game.
Troubleshooting Efforts
The user undertook an exhaustive series of diagnostic steps, including:
- Physical cleaning of keyboard keys and switching USB ports.
- Reinstalling keyboard drivers and attempting hardware refund/exchange.
- BIOS resets and updates, along with multiple memory diagnostics.
- Adjusting RAM settings within BIOS.
- Reinstalling the game repeatedly.
- Testing the keyboard on different ports and systems.
- Modifying power plans in Windows.
Despite these measures, the problem persisted or evolved, presenting additional symptoms such as:
- Keyboard inputs becoming slow or unresponsive after approximately two hours of gameplay.
- Reduced issue frequency when Discord was not running.
- Unexpectedly improved responsiveness during streaming with OBS open.
- Manual power cycling and system drain temporarily alleviating the problem.
- Concurrent mouse responsiveness problems, with the mouse only registering clicks sporadically, despite working flawlessly on other devices.
Emerging Clues and Observations
Through these observations, several patterns emerged:
- The issue intensifies over time, suggesting potential resource contention or hardware throttling.
- The problem diminishes in some scenarios, such as when certain background applications like Discord or OBS are active.
- Power cycling temporarily restores responsiveness, hinting at a systemic or hardware-level interference.
Hypothesized Causation: A RAM-Related Bottleneck
After elimination of common causes—keyboard faults, driver issues, physical port problems—the suspicion shifted towards memory behavior. The user proposed that the RAM may be “out of sync” or struggling to handle specific tasks, potentially due to its interaction
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