Troubleshooting Sudden FPS Drops Despite High GPU Usage

Hello, fellow gamers! I’m seeking some advice regarding a perplexing issue that has recently become quite prominent in my gaming experience. I own a Dell G15 5521 Special Edition, equipped with an Intel i7-12700H processor, an NVIDIA RTX 3060 (115 W) graphics card, and 16 GB of DDR5 RAM running at 4800 MHz.

Initially, this problem was infrequent, but it has now turned into a consistent annoyance across various games. I’m noticing a significant frame rate drop whenever my GPU usage hits 99%. For example, in Path of Exile 2, my frames per second (FPS) can spike to around 140, only to drop dramatically to 40 FPS for a few seconds before bouncing back to 140. This erratic behavior occurs every few seconds, disrupting gameplay. I’ve observed similar performance issues in other titles, such as Expedition 33.

To manage the situation temporarily, I capped the FPS at 60 for Path of Exile 2. Interestingly, this prevents the sharp FPS drops, as the GPU workload hovers around 50%. However, I am aware that this is merely a workaround and not a true fix.

I suspect that there might be some Software limitations causing the GPU to hit 99% usage, leading to the drops. If anyone knows of any applications or settings that can help manage GPU usage more effectively, I would greatly appreciate your insights.

If you have any questions about my laptop’s specifications or any other details, feel free to ask. Thank you in advance for your help!