I've recently built a new PC using some older components like drives, but I'm running into issues with my Intel i3 14100 CPU not being able to handle games well. I've got 32GB of RAM and a GeForce 5060, along with a stock Intel cooler and some additional fans. The main problem arises when I try to play Baldur's Gate 3; the CPU usage skyrockets and ultimately causes my PC to crash. I've formatted my drive and performed a clean Windows install, plus I've stopped a background app that was consuming around 20% of CPU, but nothing seems to help. A friend suggested thermal throttling might be the cause, while another thinks Baldur's Gate 3 might be too demanding for my current CPU, recommending that I upgrade to something with more cores. After running HWInfo, I've noticed a lot of PCIe bus load issues with my graphics card and audio. I'm considering testing my old graphics card to see if the issue lies with the components or our connections.
3 Answers
It sounds like the crashes aren't just about CPU usage—it's great that you mentioned the stock cooler! Monitoring temperatures might reveal if thermal issues are at play. Baldur's Gate 3 can be quite CPU-heavy, but your setup shouldn't crash just because of high CPU usage. I'd suggest keeping an eye on thermals; it might save you from having to buy a new CPU.
The Intel i3 14100 is a decent chip, but being quad-core might not help you much in 2025, especially since many games are optimized for six or eight cores now. Baldur's Gate 3 has minimum requirements that your CPU exceeds, so it hints that something else is going wrong. Could be related to power issues or software conflicts too. I'd check everything thoroughly before jumping to a CPU upgrade.
I've updated everything on my drives, so I'm hoping a new CPU cooler will resolve this. If it doesn't, then I'll definitely look into the power supply.
It's interesting that crashing doesn’t seem related to core counts. For a bit more, you could get a 14400F, which offers way better performance. Also, Baldur's Gate 3 is known for its stability issues, so if it's the only game giving you trouble, it might not solely be your hardware. What about other games you play? Any crashes with them?
So far, just Baldur's Gate 3 has crashed, but I've noticed some stuttering in games like Helldivers. Trying to figure this out!
For sure, if it's thermal throttling, it's definitely cheaper to replace the cooler than the CPU. Fingers crossed it's a minor fix!