Microstutters - can you list causes you know?

[Cray]

If you know typical microstutter causes, I'd appreciate it if you list them, no matter what or how obscure they are.

Microstuttering in this and other source games is pretty common, and there are so many different causes for it, it's hard to keep track and fix it. Sometimes people have a fix and assume that is the only cause, sometimes people know several causes or some very obscure reasons. Sometimes it's the steam overlay, sometimes it's audio settings/backend, sometimes background shader compilation, sometimes IO interrupts, etc.

As I recently installed a new GPU and, once again, have to dive in and fix this to get smooth gameplay, I'll just ask you all if you can please list causes you know of. Just write a short description of the cause(s) and add any commentary you want below it.

edit/ps: currently on linux with nvidia 1060 xorg & latest drivers, but I've had this on so many different systems now (win, linux, diff rigs) it'd be nice if we had a comprehensive run down.

'appriesh <3

[ExtzyZazor]

V-Sync disabled or misconfigured: This can cause desynchronization between the GPU and the monitor, leading to microstuttering. Enabling V-Sync or using technologies like G-Sync (NVIDIA) or FreeSync (AMD) can help smooth out the experience.

High frame rates (FPS) without a limit: If the FPS is too high, it can cause instability and excessive GPU heating, leading to microstuttering. Limiting the FPS to something like 60 FPS can help stabilize performance.

Graphics driver issues: Outdated or incompatible drivers can cause various issues, including microstuttering. Make sure you are using the latest driver version for your GPU.

Background shader compilation: Some Source games compile shaders while you play, which can cause stuttering. This is especially noticeable during the first runs of the game after a fresh installation or update.

High CPU or RAM usage: If the CPU or RAM is overloaded with background processes while gaming, it can impact the game’s performance and cause microstuttering. Check if any processes are consuming resources in the background.

Audio settings or audio driver issues: Sometimes, problems with the audio driver or system audio configuration can cause microstuttering. Testing with a different audio driver or adjusting audio settings in the game might help.

I/O interrupts (input/output): If the game is accessing the hard drive or SSD intensively (e.g., loading textures or other assets), it can cause microstuttering. This is more noticeable on systems with slower drives.

Unstable overclocking: If you’ve overclocked your GPU or CPU and the system isn’t stable, this can lead to failures that result in stuttering.

Power supply issues: An unstable or insufficient power supply can cause voltage drops, leading to crashes or stuttering.

[the mold]

I also have micro-stuttering on Source games, but I don't really do much troubleshooting because it can become endless very quick. I usually just stick to games that work and avoid the ones that don't. Source games and some Unreal Engine games are usually the ones with problems for me

edit: since posting this I did experience better performance by running -opengl in launch properties. You could try -vulkan too, but Vulkan runs terrible on my computer personally. So far OpenGL has been running a lot better.

[viske_]

I had a very strange stutters, especially in audios. It was noticable playing online but in the singleplayer or hosted-local server games it was a nightmare.
Then i bumped into this one command from people who had similiar problems in counter strike:

snd_mixahead 0.05

changed the value to 0.1 (which is actually default) and it fixed it for me.

Limiting fps to 120 saves GPU resources and relocate it for your browser alt-tabs or steam overlay (which is always hungry with new version and freezes the game sometimes).

The rest of the stutters happend excusively on L4D1 maps. Someone on the forums who had the same problems found the solution by rolling back infected models from new Last Stand update to the old ones. Here's that addon that helped:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2240314047

Also there is a thread someone made in reddit, i can't find it but it involves Windows Powershell script (which was later converted into comfy .bat) that tracks every single app in Windows while you play the game, and when "spikes" happens it will record it in output log which you can open to see what causes the problem. Strangely, windows explorer is the reason i am experiencing the rest of the microstutters today, rebooting it via .bat file or task manager helps but i have not found any permanent solution to fix it. On 8.1 i never had such issues with explorer.