Problem with multitasking

[TensaYamato]

Hello!

I'm new here, so apologies if this question would be better asked in one of the sub-forums.

 

I have a problem in regards of multitasking. While gaming, I often let a stream run on my second monitor. Most of the time I have to lower the resolution of the stream, but even then it could happen that the game and/or the stream stutter(s). The stream could even freeze entirely. Closing the stream usualy fixes the problem in the game, but of course this isn't ideal for me.

 

My first thought was that my CPU was the problem as it's usually 100% utilised while gaming. But even when I'm not gaming, just having multiple streams and/or youtube videos open can cause problems. The CPU hovers in the 20-30% range in this scenario and the problem isn't consistent. Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn't. So maybe the problem lies somewhere else.

 

Essentially I want to ask people with more experience what the cause could be. A new CPU would require a new Motherboard and RAM, so if it doesn't fix my problem, I would just waste money.

 

SPECS

 

CPU: i5-4590

Motherboard: Asus Z97-A

RAM: 12GB DDR3 1600 MHz (I know the size is weird)

GPU: KFA2 1660 Super

 

OS: Windows 10 Home

Browser: Google Chrome

 

I appreciate all suggestions and tips to identify the cause.

 

[minibois]

Try limiting the game fps and see if the game + stream run stable at that point.

It might just be a combination of the game trying to get as much fps as possible, which takes a toll on the stream performance (if the stream is GPU accelerated).

[TensaYamato]

I usually limit my fps to 60 or 144 depending on the title. And even if setting them all to 60 works, this wouldn't explain the issues when not gaming. I'll still try if it changes something.

[Husky]

Check your GPU usage when you have all of those streams open with no game running. My GPU gets hit pretty hard by YouTube on some videos when it uses a certain codec (AVC1 I think) and it makes the videos stutter if a few are playing.

[TensaYamato]

21 minutes ago, Husky said:

Check your GPU usage when you have all of those streams open with no game running. My GPU gets hit pretty hard by YouTube on some videos when it uses a certain codec (AVC1 I think) and it makes the videos stutter if a few are playing.

I let a Youtube video and a Twitch stream run at the same time, both in 1080p60. At the beginnig of the video I had some stuttering, that settled after a while though. I already had the habit of lowering the stream quality, that's why the cpu usage in my post above is lower than now. 

[Samfisher]

You mentioned 140fps so I'm assuming 1 screen is 144Hz and the other is 60Hz.  Stutter will occur if  both screens are using GPU resources as Windows forces refreshes of the entire desktop at 60hz (your 2nd monitor).  The only way round this is to run your game in full screen mode (exclusive) instead of borderless etc

[TensaYamato]

edited

Edited January 10, 2020 by TensaYamato
Forgot to quote

[TensaYamato]

9 hours ago, Samfisher said:

You mentioned 140fps so I'm assuming 1 screen is 144Hz and the other is 60Hz.  Stutter will occur if  both screens are using GPU resources as Windows forces refreshes of the entire desktop at 60hz (your 2nd monitor).  The only way round this is to run your game in full screen mode (exclusive) instead of borderless etc

Yeah, that's my setup. Is that a common problem with monitors with different refresh rates?

That could fix the problems while gaming, but that still leaves the issues when not. Just a few minutes ago I skipped a bit in a YouTube video, which caused that video and the stream on the second monitor to stop for 5 seconds. Not a huge problem, but still irritating. 

[Samfisher]

18 minutes ago, TensaYamato said:

Yeah, that's my setup. Is that a common problem with monitors with different refresh rates?

That could fix the problems while gaming, but that still leaves the issues when not. Just a few minutes ago I skipped a bit in a YouTube video, which caused that video and the stream on the second monitor to stop for 5 seconds. Not a huge problem, but still irritating. 

It causes stuttering, and yes it's a common problem with ALL monitors of different refresh rates cos the desktop is refreshed at a different rate than the game.  Exclusive full screen gives the control back to you.  I've never experienced videos outright hanging tho, just bad stutters in game.

[TensaYamato]

1 hour ago, Samfisher said:

It causes stuttering, and yes it's a common problem with ALL monitors of different refresh rates cos the desktop is refreshed at a different rate than the game.  Exclusive full screen gives the control back to you.  I've never experienced videos outright hanging tho, just bad stutters in game.

I'll give it a try. Thanks for the help!