Troubleshooting Persistent Stuttering in Mortal Kombat 1 Despite GPU Upgrades
Experiencing performance issues in demanding games can be frustrating, especially when seemingly straightforward solutions don’t resolve the problem. Recently, a gamer encountered persistent stuttering issues in Mortal Kombat 1, which continued even after replacing the GPU. This article explores potential causes and effective troubleshooting strategies for addressing such persistent performance hiccups.
The Scenario: Stuttering Persisting Despite Hardware Changes
The user reported severe frame stuttering in Mortal Kombat 1, with 1% lows dropping into single digits during gameplay. Initial suspicions pointed to the GPU, specifically an AMD Radeon RX 9070XT, as the culprit. To rule this out, the user replaced it with an NVIDIA RTX 5070. Surprisingly, the stuttering persisted, indicating the problem may not be GPU-related.
Standard Troubleshooting Attempts
The user employed several common techniques to resolve the issue:
- Adjusted settings in the NVIDIA Control Panel
- Modified Windows Power Plans
- Enabled or disabled Triple Buffering
- Used Driver Cleanup tools (DDU) to thoroughly remove AMD drivers before installing new GPU drivers
Despite these efforts, no improvements were observed. The stuttering remained persistent across different configurations.
Further Analysis: Beyond the GPU
Given that hardware swaps and software tweaks did not resolve the issue, attention shifts to other potential bottlenecks:
- System RAM: Stress tests indicated RAM was functioning correctly, and game performance did not drop in other titles.
- CPU: Monitoring showed low CPU utilization during gameplay, suggesting CPU bottlenecks are unlikely.
- Other Components: Since the problem is exclusive to Mortal Kombat 1, it might be tied to game-specific settings, compatibility issues, or other hardware interactions.
Also noteworthy is the discrepancy in performance across different machines—none of the other tested systems experienced stuttering, hinting at a unique configuration or hardware interaction on this particular system.
Effective Troubleshooting Strategies
If you’re facing similar issues, consider the following approach:
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Update All Drivers and Game Patches: Ensure your graphics drivers and the game itself are fully up to date. Developers often release patches addressing performance issues.
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Verify Game Files: Use platform tools (e.g., Steam Verify Integrity) to check for corrupted files that might cause performance problems.
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Monitor System Resources: Use tools like MSI Afterburn
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