I'm looking for advice on upgrading my PC for gaming, work, and streaming because I'm experiencing lags and freezes in games like Marvel Rivals, Dota 2, CS2, Genshin Impact, and Wuthering Waves. I have a dual monitor setup: a 240 Hz monitor for gaming and a vertical 144 Hz monitor for browsing. I've noticed that while gaming, my CPU usage is nearly at 100% and my RAM is almost maxed out. My current specs are an i5-13400F CPU, a Gigabyte NVIDIA 4070ti GPU, and 32 GB of 3200 MHz RAM. Is it feasible to run games on one monitor while handling a browser and other applications on the second? What should I upgrade?
4 Answers
When gaming, it's usually best not to multitask, especially at high resolutions and frame rates. Streaming while gaming requires a super powerful setup unless you're gaming at lower settings. Upgrading your CPU would likely be the most effective move since you're maxing it out—it's clearly the bottleneck here.
Bottom line, I'd recommend getting a new CPU with more cores/threads. Also, double-check if your cooler can manage the heat since 13th/14th gen CPUs can run hot.
Thanks! I’ll consider the CPU upgrade first. Just bought a water cooler, so it usually runs cool, but it's likely not managing the heavy multitasking.
First off, try disabling hardware acceleration in your browser and apps like Discord to see if that helps with the lag before you think about upgrading. That could really ease the strain on your CPU!
Thanks for the tip, I did that! I'll keep an eye on performance and update you guys in a week!
Definitely sounds like you need a CPU upgrade since you're hitting 100% usage. It's tough getting more power from a 13th gen Intel CPU, but try to find one with more threads. Also, keep an eye on your RAM—3200 MHz might be slow for DDR5, and a faulty stick could cause stutters. Make sure it’s not throttling, too.
Marvel Rivals is really demanding for the visuals it has, mainly because of its poor Lumen and Nanite setup.
Thanks! My RAM is DDR5 at 3200 MHz. I went for cheaper options, but upgrading the CPU comes first. My CPU stays cool but hits 100% usage often. Even on the lowest settings, Marvel has the most lag.
Appreciate the info! I was definitely multitasking a lot at 1080p. At 2K, it struggles more now. I'll prioritize the CPU upgrade.