High End PC Stuttering FIX!!

[Teukeh]

(TLDR at bottom) So I have a high end PC and was experiencing MASSIVE stutters/lag/frame drop/freezes, especially whenever the game would load/unload assets when moving between areas etc. The game would run perfect on maximum settings but consistently have huge stutter for several seconds making the performance horrible and completely unplayable. I was searching for several days without a fix but I FINALLY fixed it and want to share my findings.

For me the issue was with my processor (CPU). I have a 12th gen Intel Core i9-12900KF. The issue is that 12th gen and up have something called E cores (efficiency cores), which are typically used for more mundane and background stuff, while P cores carry out the main bulk of the processing. Eldenring is badly optimized when it comes to E cores and ends up ruining performance entirely. The solution was to go into my BIOS and disable all E cores so that the CPU only uses P cores. I haven't had a a single frame drop since.

Small side note, some motherboards have the ability to put e cores on "park" with the scroll lock as a toggle (which will need to be enabled in the BIOS). My MSI motherboard has this feature, however for me it did not work and I had to disable all E cores anyway. I really hope this helps someone fix their performance issues as it took me forever to figure it out!

TLDR: If your processor uses E cores alongside P cores, go into your BIOS menu and disable E cores.

[Bloody Mess]

have an I9-13900k and tried turning off the E cores but i get the same issues. I also have an rtx 4080 super.

[Figs]

I'd like to find a way that doesn't literally turn off cores in your CPU (these super useful for multitasking), like setting processor affinity mask, to keep it off the e cores.

The problem is real, I've tried running procmon (from sysinternals) set always on top and elden ring in borderless window mode. That way you can see the procmon stream.

I've noticed, but not with consistency, activity by the Nvidia container service near the pulse like freezes.

Watching file access wasn't immediately enlightening, elden ring is read and writing a lot, and there's no clear pattern.

I only spent about 20m looking...

For me, one thing that will mess elden ring up with these 'solid 60fps to 0 for 0.5 to 1.5s' is if any wireless device (keyboard or mouse on a dedicated dongle) causing a renumeration like event in device manager will prompt this behavior.

I'm glad you fixed your issue, but there's gotta be a way that doesn't disable major features of your CPU.

[-Tilter-]

I've tried every single possible fix recommended by people and the only thing that fixed it for me was Either disabling E cores in BIOS which is not very viable as a solution, or upgrading to Windows 11 which fixes E cores in games and now I play the game on 4k and max setting with no stutters, freezers or any fps drops at all.

[causality]

Ez fix get an AMD cpu next time. No stuttering or frame drop at all after 1,000s of hours of gameplay.

[Kai]

GPU drivers and software lets you tune your GPU to specific game profiles, but why can't we do this with games?

[SP.4$T]

So many people have problems with 13th & 14th gen i9.
why would need this as a normal person?
my i5 11th gen with my second had 5700xt runs this game perfect

[VBro96]

Make sure you don't fill your main drive, to make room for shaders