I recently built a new gaming PC with the following specs: AMD Ryzen 7 5800x3d, Geforce RTX 4070, 12GB GDDR6X, a Gigabyte B550M K AM4 motherboard, a WD Black 2TB drive that runs at 7300MB/s, a Corsair H150i liquid cooler, and 32GB of G.Skillz TridentZ DDR4 RAM at 4000MHz. I typically play Escape from Tarkov, which is pretty demanding, while also using Medal for recording clips with GPU encoding. Sometimes I watch streams on a second monitor. My GPU, CPU, and RAM usage fluctuate between 60-90% and occasionally max out, leading to black screens on both monitors or crashes that prevent the game from reopening despite trying to clear it through Task Manager. I feel like the performance should be better given my hardware, though I recognize I'm pushing the system with these tasks. What troubleshooting steps can I take to improve performance without lowering graphics settings? I've heard there might be issues with RAM speeds at 4000MHz with the AMD CPU, and I suspect my motherboard might not be the best quality for my setup. I'd prefer not to invest in new components unless absolutely necessary.
3 Answers
Sometimes WD drives need firmware updates for Windows 11. This may not be your issue, but it's worth looking into. You can also check the Windows Event Viewer for any error codes that could give you more insights. Reseating your RAM and drive may help too, just be careful when handling your components!
Have you checked if your BIOS is up to date? Updating it can sometimes solve performance issues, especially with Ryzen systems. Also, installing AMD's software can help, along with tools like OCCT for stress testing and benchmarking.
I did the last BIOS update about 8 months ago, but that’s a good reminder to check again!
Running 32GB at 4000MHz can overwhelm your CPU’s memory controller, which could destabilize your system. Try reducing your RAM speed to 3200MHz and make sure the CPU SOC voltage is set manually to around 1.125V. Also, consider the motherboard; it has fewer VRM phases than you might want for this setup, and it might be overheating, leading to performance issues.
I’ll definitely check the Event Viewer when I get home. Reseating sounds like a good option, and I’ll be careful with it!