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Troubleshooting Gaming and Performance Issues on a Custom-built PC: A Comprehensive Guide

Building and maintaining a high-performance gaming PC can often come with unforeseen challenges. If you’re experiencing stuttering, screen tearing, and system instability despite diligent troubleshooting, you’re not alone. This article provides a detailed account of common issues, steps taken to resolve them, and best practices for diagnosing and fixing persistent performance problems.

System Overview

The configuration in question includes:
– Monitor: MSI OPTIX MAG QRF274-QD (165Hz, 1440p)
– Motherboard: MSI B760M D3SH DDR5
– Storage: 1TB NVMe Western Digital, 1TB Samsung SSD
– Memory: DDR5 6000MHz XPG
– Graphics Card: NVIDIA RTX 3080 10GB
– Processor: Intel Core i5-14600KF
– Power Supply: 750W Plus Gold by Antec
– Cooling: Thermalright liquid cooling and fans

The system was initially set up with a clean installation of Windows 10 Pro, later upgraded to Windows 11 Pro to investigate potential differences.

Initial Modifications and Observations

Prior to encountering issues, a BIOS update was performed, coupled with attempts to overclock RAM timings to improve performance. These changes coincided with the onset of system performance irregularities, including:

Stuttering in multiplayer PUBG sessions
Screen tearing despite G-Sync being enabled
Game-specific choppiness and tearing issues
Low Power Draw in Cinebench (around 90W initially)

Troubleshooting Steps Undertaken

The troubleshooting process involved an extensive series of steps, demonstrating systematic problem-solving:

Operating System Reinstallation
Windows was fully reinstalled, with all partitions on drive C deleted to eliminate software conflicts.
SSDs holding data and game files were disconnected temporarily to isolate variables.
Driver and BIOS Updates
Updated BIOS to the latest version.
Reinstalled chipset drivers and GPU drivers using Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) for clean uninstallation.
Reflashed BIOS, checked for firmware updates.
Hardware and Power Configuration Adjustments
Disabling features like High Precision Event Timer and global C-states in BIOS.
Adjusting Windows power management settings: disabling link state power management