I recently built a brand new PC from scratch using mostly new parts, except for an older SATA drive. However, I'm experiencing worse performance than my previous 8-year-old setup. In games like Arc, Rust, and Fortnite, I'm getting significantly lower frame rates and encountering audio issues with crackling and popping sounds. For instance, I'm averaging only 20-30 FPS in Rust when my friend, who has a slightly less powerful system, averages around 80-100 FPS in the same conditions.
I've tried various solutions, including a clean installation of Windows 10 and 11, updating drivers, and adjusting BIOS settings like enabling XMP for my RAM. My hardware all works well in other systems, and temperatures are normal. Despite these efforts, I still can't figure out why my new setup isn't performing well. I'm hoping someone can help me troubleshoot these issues! Here are my specs for reference:
- **CPU:** Ryzen 7 9800X3D 4.7 GHz
- **Motherboard:** MSI MAG X870 TOMAHAWK
- **GPU:** PNY OC GeForce RTX 5080 16 GB
- **RAM:** G.SKILL Flare X5 Series DDR5 RAM 32GB (2x16GB) 6000MT/s CL36-36-36-96
- **PSU:** be quiet! Pure Power 13 M 1000 W 80+ Gold
- **CPU Cooler:** ID-COOLING FROZN A720 BLACK
- **Storage:** Western Digital SN850X 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME
- **Case:** NZXT - H9 Flow 2025 ATX
1 Answer
Sounds like some pretty frustrating issues! A couple of things to try:
1. Check if your CPU is boosting correctly or if it's stuck at the base clock speed. You can do this in the BIOS settings.
2. The current BIOS for the MSI X870 is known to have audio problems; some earlier versions might perform better.
3. Consider setting your RAM to run slower at 5600MT/s using Expo 1, as I had similar issues before.
4. Make sure you've installed the AMD chipset driver, as Windows updates often miss that.
5. Also, double-check your PCIe lanes to ensure the GPU is set up correctly.
Should I roll back to an older BIOS version? Do you know which one might work better?
How would you recommend checking if it's boosting?