My system has an Asus Prime A520M-K motherboard, Ryzen 5 5600GT, Radeon RX 7800 XT, 32GB of Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4-3600, and a Corsair RM1000x power supply. I play at 1440p on a 165Hz monitor, but Black Ops 7 and other games produce noticeable micro-stutters that are causing headaches. The CPU can reach 100% usage during gameplay while memory usage is around 50%. I was getting roughly 212 FPS uncapped, but I limited the game to 163 FPS and the frame rate still varies depending on the settings. What can I try now to improve frame pacing, and what CPU or platform upgrades would make sense later?
4 Answers
Check the basics before replacing hardware: update the motherboard BIOS and chipset drivers, enable DOCP/XMP so the memory actually runs at 3600 MT/s, and use a clean Radeon driver installation if the problem started after a driver update. Also monitor CPU and GPU frametimes with an overlay rather than looking only at average FPS.
For an AM4 upgrade, the Ryzen 7 5700X3D is probably the best value option for gaming. The 5800X3D is also excellent, but it usually costs more for a relatively small improvement. Check the A520M-K CPU support list and update the BIOS first; also make sure the case airflow and CPU cooler are adequate. The board may run either chip, but its VRM temperatures should be monitored under sustained loads.
Since you are already limiting the game to 163 FPS, try 158–160 FPS instead and compare the frametime graph. Avoid uncapped FPS if the CPU is constantly maxed out. If headaches continue, check monitor overdrive, disable any aggressive motion-blur settings, confirm the refresh rate is actually set to 165Hz in Windows, and test FreeSync on and off to see which gives the steadier image.
The CPU is the obvious limit here. A Ryzen 5 5600GT paired with an RX 7800 XT can become CPU-bound, especially in a high-FPS competitive game. Try a lower FPS cap, such as 150–160, and make sure FreeSync is enabled. A cap slightly below the monitor's refresh rate can produce smoother frame pacing than running right at 163 FPS.
The 100% CPU usage under load supports that diagnosis. GPU usage dropping or fluctuating while the CPU is saturated would also explain the stutters.
I was worried the motherboard would not provide enough power, so checking VRM temperatures and the official BIOS support list makes sense before buying anything.