I recently got a new PC from a startup that went under. It has an Intel i7 9700k, RTX 3060, 64GB of DDR4 RAM, and a 1TB SSD plus 2TB HDD. After the company formatted the system and reinstalled Windows 10, I've been facing an issue where my CPU hits 100% usage whenever I play games like Fortnite or Marvel's Avengers. The Windows Task Manager shows that these games are demanding about 70-80% of the CPU. I've also checked the CPU temperature with Core Temp, and it maxes out around 70°C (160°F). I've updated the GPU drivers and completed all Windows updates, but nothing seems to help. Can anyone suggest what might be causing this?
4 Answers
Just a heads up, don’t get confused about the CPU names! The i7 9900K isn't a thing; it's either the 9700K or the i9-9900K. Make sure you're getting the right specs out there to avoid any confusion, especially when troubleshooting.
It sounds like you're hitting the limits of an older CPU. The i7 9700k, while decent, is around 7 years old now and might struggle with newer games. You might want to check if your monitor is connected to the GPU instead of the motherboard, just to ensure you're getting all the power you need.
Fortnite is notorious for bad optimization! It can really skew CPU usage, especially when it should be relying on the GPU more. So, it could be partly that game's fault. If you're seeing high usage in Marvel’s Avengers too, it might just be time to consider a CPU upgrade or overclocking if you're up for it. But keep an eye on those temps!
Thanks for clarifying! I noticed it happening in other games too, which is frustrating.
Yeah, a modern mid-range CPU can outperform the 9700k by a significant margin. Unfortunately, you might just be feeling the age of your CPU when playing new titles. It might be worth looking into a future upgrade plan.
The monitor is definitely plugged into the GPU, so that's not the issue for me.