My PC isn't running games the way I expect... anyone know why?

Hardware
1

So, I’m a tech enthusiast, but I’m not exactly an expert when it comes to hardware. I can install PCs and set up most software, but no matter what I do, my PC still feels like it’s underperforming. I play games like Arma 3, Arma Reforger, COD, and others, but when I play Arma Reforger, I’m getting some really low frames (30-50) even though others with less powerful systems are getting much higher frames.

I’ve made sure all my drivers are up to date, including the GPU, BIOS, and CPU.

Here are my PC specs:

  • AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D 8-Core Processor
    • Base Speed: 4.20 GHz
    • Cores: 8
  • 64GB CORSAIR Vengeance RGB DDR5
  • SABRENT 2TB Rocket 4 PLUS NVMe 4.0 Gen4
  • NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER
    • DirectX 12 (FL 12.1)

Anyone got any advice on what I can check or something I might have missed? Or maybe tell me if I’m overthinking it and my PC is fine? I really feel like it should be running better than it is (and yes, I know Arma games are very CPU intensive).

Thanks for any help!

2

Try running some benchmarks. Use Cinebench for CPU and 3DMark or Heavenbenchmark for GPU. While doing this, check the temperatures and see if the results match what you expect.

3

Beckett said:
Try running some benchmarks. Use Cinebench for CPU and 3DMark or Heavenbenchmark for GPU. While doing this, check the temperatures and see if the results match what you expect.

I’ll try that. I’ve used FurMark for GPU benchmarking, do you think 3DMark would be a better option?

4

@Smith
Yeah, 3DMark is a solid choice. Heaven is a bit older. 3DMark is on Steam and has free benchmarks you can run. It also lets you compare your system to others with the same GPU, which could be helpful.

5
  • Is your monitor plugged into the GPU and not the motherboard?
  • Are you using DisplayPort or HDMI? Sometimes HDMI can limit framerates.
  • Is your monitor set to the right framerate?
  • Check if your GPU is being fully utilized. You can monitor it while you play with a hardware monitor program.
  • Have you tried uninstalling and reinstalling your GPU drivers using DDU, especially if you’ve changed hardware recently?
6

@CurciusLoam

  1. Yes, the monitor is plugged into the GPU.
  2. I’m using DisplayPort.
  3. Yes, it’s set to 200Hz.
  4. I’ll check GPU utilization.
  5. I haven’t tried that yet, but I’ll give it a shot.
7

Check if your NVIDIA drivers are optimized for the games you play most. Sometimes a new driver update will be focused on newer or different games, and you might get better performance by sticking with a stable previous driver.

8

@Caleb
Is there a way to know which driver is best for the specific games I play?

9

@Caleb
Stick with the most recent one, it’s usually the best bet.

10

What are you looking at to check your frames? Is it a frame counter or actual framerates? Can you really tell the difference between 280 and 330 fps?

11

BrianDaniel1 said:
What are you looking at to check your frames? Is it a frame counter or actual framerates? Can you really tell the difference between 280 and 330 fps?

Yes, I can. Arma Reforger runs at a steady 50-60 fps when I’m not doing anything, but in gunfights, it drops to 30-40 fps, which makes PvP so difficult. My monitor can handle 200Hz, but I never get close to that. I spoke to someone with the same specs but less RAM, and they were getting 70-80 fps consistently.

12

BrianDaniel1 said:
What are you looking at to check your frames? Is it a frame counter or actual framerates? Can you really tell the difference between 280 and 330 fps?

That’s just Arma, and it’s the Reforger version, which is pretty demanding.

13

4x 16GB CORSAIR Vengeance RGB DDR5

Isn’t AM5 a bit unstable with 4 sticks of RAM? Also, are they running on JEDEC? And is the CPU’s power unlocked?

14

I tend to avoid DirectX 12. Try switching to DirectX 11 and see if that helps.

15

Cruz said:
I tend to avoid DirectX 12. Try switching to DirectX 11 and see if that helps.

Do I just change that in the NVIDIA settings? I’ve never messed with DirectX directly.

16

Cruz said:
I tend to avoid DirectX 12. Try switching to DirectX 11 and see if that helps.

Usually, you can change it within the game, or it’ll ask you which version to use when you launch the game.

17

Are all the games you’re playing online?

18

Rowen said:
Are all the games you’re playing online?

Yes, they are.

19

Rowen said:
Are all the games you’re playing online?

Then the issue might not be the PC, but rather the internet connection. Try lowering the graphics settings and see if that helps.

20

Rowen said:
Are all the games you’re playing online?

I have 1000 Mbps internet, so I don’t think that’s the issue.