I'm using an MSI B550-A PRO motherboard, a Ryzen 5 5500, 32 GB of DDR4-3200 memory, and an ASUS low-profile RTX 5060. Yesterday, Call of Duty was running below 100 FPS, so I changed the memory setup to see whether dual-channel operation would help. I normally use four RAM sticks, which is still dual-channel on this platform—not quad-channel. I also used a vacuum cleaner to blow dust out of the PC, taking care not to let it suck up components, and held the fans still while cleaning. Afterward, the game began dropping from over 100 FPS to around 30–40 FPS. Could static electricity from the vacuum have damaged the motherboard or another component, or might changing the RAM have reset a performance setting? I also unplugged the power cable and held the power button for about 45 seconds while troubleshooting.
4 Answers
Before assuming hardware damage, compare the game with the same graphics settings and resolution as before. Check whether the game is compiling shaders or using a different render mode, and make sure Windows has not switched to a power-saving plan. Actual static damage usually causes crashes, missing hardware, or failure to boot—not just a sudden reduction in FPS.
The power-button procedure is harmless, but it does not really remove some special kind of stored static from the PC. Go into the BIOS and confirm the RAM amount, XMP setting, boot defaults, and PCIe settings. If the problem started immediately after cleaning, inspect for a loose power connector or partially seated RAM stick. For future cleaning, use compressed air while holding the fans still rather than a household vacuum.
A vacuum can create static, but permanent damage is relatively unlikely unless there was a strong discharge directly into a component. The RAM change is a more likely explanation: check that all modules are detected and that the memory is running at 3200 MHz with the correct XMP profile enabled. Four sticks on this platform still operate in dual-channel mode; it isn’t quad-channel. Also check CPU and GPU temperatures and clock speeds in MSI Afterburner or another hardware monitor while the game is running.
Use an on-screen hardware overlay and watch GPU usage, each CPU core, temperatures, and frequencies during the FPS drops. If the GPU is near 100%, the graphics settings or GPU performance are the limiting factor. If one or more CPU cores are maxed out while GPU usage falls, the Ryzen 5 5500 may be the bottleneck. A reset BIOS setting, thermal throttling, or a driver issue could also explain the change, so reseat the RAM and graphics card and reinstall or update the graphics driver if needed.
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