CPU 98%, game hitching and stuttering

[Smoot]

So basically, my CPU is always chugging at very high percentages, going up to 98%, according to my task manager and it leads to my game hitching and freezing, and messes with my timing in certain situations - as well as being an immersion breaker.

I have an i7 8700k as well as 2080 Super with 16 GB of ram.

The game is generally okay in most low action scenarios, but during shootouts, thunderstorms, and in certain towns such as Saint Denis and Valentine, the game just craps all over itself. My GPU, however, is seen only reaching to that of 20-30%, so it is quite confusing for me why the game is acting like this.

I've tried every fix I could find - I've updated my drivers, reinstalled the game, set the launch option to have -cpuloadrebalancing, used Process Lasso to limit the cores my CPU uses, and messed with the graphics in every conceivable way, other than boiling the game down to the worst graphics possible, which I simply don't want to do.

Is there any definitive fix for the game being like this? I recall it playing much better on my gtx 1060 last year.

[Mr Green]

Had a similar problem for a long time, unfortunately no fix, tried everything you can think of but no dice.

[CuddleBear]

Overclock, get a better cooler or get a better cpu really.

[Extreme]

I have i5 9600k and mine is nowhere near to 98% maybe except Saint Denise but i dont have stuttering maybe your CPU is overheating.

[Smoot]

Originally posted by CuddleBear:

Overclock, get a better cooler or get a better cpu really.

I understand, and I want to believe you're right, but this is the only game this issue happens with. I run MW 2019 at similar high/very high settings and my CPU is normal and not at 98% and that game is very taxing, especially in Warzone. It's just my RDR2 for all I know. Not to mention on my last graphics card I had better performance, granted the settings were maybe slightly lower considering it was such a downgrade compared to this one (2080 Super instead of a GTX 1060). I also previously mentioned that I tinkered with the graphics, but I didn't specify that I did in fact attempt a low/medium graphics preset and the issue was NOT fixed, so again, I don't think it is my hardware, however I do appreciate your comment and suggestion.

[Smoot]

Originally posted by Extreme:

I have i5 9600k and mine is nowhere near to 98% maybe except Saint Denise but i dont have stuttering maybe your CPU is overheating.

I don't know why that would happen though, as my other newer games don't have this issue. Granted, the only taxing games I've played other than RDR2 was the Witcher 3 and MW 2019. I have TW3 maxed out with no issues whatsoever, and MW running at high/very high settings with very very minimal performance issues.

[Smoot]

Originally posted by Mr Green:

Had a similar problem for a long time, unfortunately no fix, tried everything you can think of but no dice.

Do you think it is something Rockstar added/changed in the RDR2 settings in a previous update? I never had this issue until i returned to a game after a year hiatus from it.

[AussiePatriot]

Originally posted by Smoot:

So basically, my CPU is always chugging at very high percentages, going up to 98%, according to my task manager and it leads to my game hitching and freezing, and messes with my timing in certain situations - as well as being an immersion breaker.

I have an i7 8700k as well as 2080 Super with 16 GB of ram.

The game is generally okay in most low action scenarios, but during shootouts, thunderstorms, and in certain towns such as Saint Denis and Valentine, the game just craps all over itself. My GPU, however, is seen only reaching to that of 20-30%, so it is quite confusing for me why the game is acting like this.

I've tried every fix I could find - I've updated my drivers, reinstalled the game, set the launch option to have -cpuloadrebalancing, used Process Lasso to limit the cores my CPU uses, and messed with the graphics in every conceivable way, other than boiling the game down to the worst graphics possible, which I simply don't want to do.

Is there any definitive fix for the game being like this? I recall it playing much better on my gtx 1060 last year.

98% is very high, too high. The only most (CPU) taxing area in the game is San Denis, which could possibly get your CPU to 98%, buts that's really a stretch.

It really sounds like your machine needs some maintenance. I'd be checking apps that might be running in the background and closing as many of them as possible. And keep an eye on CPU temps When its running so hard.

[CuddleBear]

Well there isnt too many settings that would touch CPU changes in the end. You either need more power in an overclock or better cooling so it boosts higher.
Alternative would be to lock the framerate to something that is not maxing out. if you get 70+ fps then you should lock it to 60 for example. that will help the cpu a whole ton in the end.
You really do not want either the CPU or GPU to run at a 100% at any time as it causes input lag and stuttering in all games. you need to give it 10% wiggle room really.

[AussiePatriot]

Originally posted by CuddleBear:

Well there isnt too many settings that would touch CPU changes in the end. You either need more power in an overclock or better cooling so it boosts higher.
Alternative would be to lock the framerate to something that is not maxing out. if you get 70+ fps then you should lock it to 60 for example. that will help the cpu a whole ton in the end.
You really do not want either the CPU or GPU to run at a 100% at any time as it causes input lag and stuttering in all games. you need to give it 10% wiggle room really.

Good advice, imo I like to have more overhead though, atleast 30%.

[EteR]

There is no way i7-8700k + 2080S should have such problems. I have i7-8700k myself paired with 1080Ti and my CPU loads barely go above 70%.

So let's assume that your components are fine and it's not a driver issue (which I definitely recommend a clean reinstall using DDU).

What resolution are you playing on? If you're playing on lower resolutions and go for the most FPS you can put unnecessary load onto your CPU and you're not stressing your GPU enough.

If you're playing on 1080p I recommend either uping your resolution or increasing your GPU load by putting HIGHER settings in game. Or both. I know it may sound weird. Second option is to limit your FPS in game to 60 stable.

I have i7-8700k + 1080Ti + 16GB RAM and playing on 1440p. With FPS lock to 60 I get anywhere between 70-95% GPU usage with CPU mostly below 70%. My ingame settings are the optimized settings that Hardware Unboxed did 2 videos on Youtube.

[Smoot]

Originally posted by CuddleBear:

Well there isnt too many settings that would touch CPU changes in the end. You either need more power in an overclock or better cooling so it boosts higher.
Alternative would be to lock the framerate to something that is not maxing out. if you get 70+ fps then you should lock it to 60 for example. that will help the cpu a whole ton in the end.
You really do not want either the CPU or GPU to run at a 100% at any time as it causes input lag and stuttering in all games. you need to give it 10% wiggle room really.

Gotcha. Thank you. It's just weird that this is the only game this happens to despite playing newer or similarly taxing games. I assumed it was the game but this certainly questions the overall state of my rig. Thank you for the advice.

[Smoot]

Originally posted by EteR:

There is no way i7-8700k + 2080S should have such problems. I have i7-8700k myself paired with 1080Ti and my CPU loads barely go above 70%.

So let's assume that your components are fine and it's not a driver issue (which I definitely recommend a clean reinstall using DDU).

What resolution are you playing on? If you're playing on lower resolutions and go for the most FPS you can put unnecessary load onto your CPU and you're not stressing your GPU enough.

If you're playing on 1080p I recommend either uping your resolution or increasing your GPU load by putting HIGHER settings in game. Or both. I know it may sound weird. Second option is to limit your FPS in game to 60 stable.

I have i7-8700k + 1080Ti + 16GB RAM and playing on 1440p. With FPS lock to 60 I get anywhere between 70-95% GPU usage with CPU mostly below 70%. My ingame settings are the optimized settings that Hardware Unboxed did 2 videos on Youtube.

1920 x 1080 resolution, uncapped frames. Ill try upping the resolution and as capping the frames to 60, as well as the clean install using DDU. I appreciate you taking the time to write this out.

[EteR]

Originally posted by Smoot:

1920 x 1080 resolution, uncapped frames. Ill try upping the resolution and as capping the frames to 60, as well as the clean install using DDU. I appreciate you taking the time to write this out.

No problem, try putting higher settings in the game first before trying the resolution.
Maybe one more tip - at least in my case, using Vulkan API gives me for some reason around +10% performance boost in comparison to DX12. It may be just my case, some people see no performance difference.

Let us know whether it helped.

[East]

Hey man, this might give some insight, this is for the 9700K, but maybe it helps:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pRTweQp2uw