Random Lag spikes in all games, I feel like ive tried everything.

vGrinz

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Jun 24, 2015
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4,510
Hey guys, Ive been getting random lag spikes in all the games that ive been playing. My frame rate drops, and its really choppy. In Cod4, during the lag spikes it drops down to 60-80 FPS, but its as laggy as 10 FPS. For a while ive been looking up answers and couldn't find anything. Ive already read the other posts on here about the same topic. Some things to rule out:

-Ram: I replaced them recently and the the lag spikes are exactly the same.
-GPU: I recently replaced the graphics card as well, and the lag spikes still occur.
-Drivers: Ive updated the drivers, but still nothing.
-Game Cache: Ive checked the game cache on steam and all seems normal, Also the lag spikes happen during origin games as well.
-Gpu Overheating: The GPU is running at optimal temperatures for gaming.
-Hard Drive: Ive already de-fragmented my hard drive, as per the suggestion of another question on here
-Resolution: The Resolution doesn't seem to matter, the lag spikes happen from 1920x1080 thru 640x480
-Ccleaner: Ive Ran Ccleaner acouple of times until no errors showed up.
-Malware: I Run Malwarebytes on a weekly basis and get rid of any malware.

My Specifications:
Motherboard: Asus m4n68t-2
Cpu: Phenom ii x4 965
Gpu: Radeon r9 280 3gb
Ram: 8gb 1866
Hard Drive: 1Tb
PSU: 600w

I also normally wouldn't post a question about computers, I prefer to try and fix it myself, but at this point im getting desperate, It seems like nothings gonna fix this, any help is appreciated.
 
Solution
To me it sounds like your CPU is throttling (slowing down to reduce heat and prevent damage), so yes a new cooler would do great. The Phenom ii x4 965 is an AM3 socket CPU, so you will need a cooler that fits AM3. Some coolers will fit all CPU sockets; some come with two sets of mounts (one for Intel, one for AMD), as did my Scythe Mugen 4. Have a look around for a nice cooler, and post it here if you're not sure.

As you can see here, the renowned Hyper 212 EVO will fit both AMD and Intel: "LGA 1366 / 1155 and AMD FM1 / AM3+"
AM3+ will fit an AM3 CPU, if i am correct: http://prntscr.com/7l8hnq

vGrinz

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Jun 24, 2015
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4,510
Update: I decided to keep track of the cpu temperatures. Prior to doing so, I cleaned out my computer of dust using a vacuum cleaner. There was alot of dust and I assumed that the problem might be fixed. While this is not true, It did atleast improve the preformance, now i am running games at slightly better fps, for a longer duration.

The new problem: While tracking the cpu temperature, I noticed that it was getting up to 84.0 C - 86.0 C, However it was not until the Cpu temperatures started to drop, and ended at 71.0 C that I would experience the lag spikes. During the same time, my average percentage for core usage was at 98-100% compared to 88-90% when im not experiencing lag.

New Question: At this point what are my options. I would like to purchase a new Cpu in the future, but in doing so, I want to switch to Intel, there fore im going to need a new motherboard, so its going to have to wait.

Is it safe to assume that replacing the Cpu fan with a better one will solve the temperature problem. And if so, can someone fill me in on how Cpu fan compatibility works, I have never had experience with Cpu's or their fans.
 

Bradleyvarol

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Jan 29, 2015
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4,660
To me it sounds like your CPU is throttling (slowing down to reduce heat and prevent damage), so yes a new cooler would do great. The Phenom ii x4 965 is an AM3 socket CPU, so you will need a cooler that fits AM3. Some coolers will fit all CPU sockets; some come with two sets of mounts (one for Intel, one for AMD), as did my Scythe Mugen 4. Have a look around for a nice cooler, and post it here if you're not sure.

As you can see here, the renowned Hyper 212 EVO will fit both AMD and Intel: "LGA 1366 / 1155 and AMD FM1 / AM3+"
AM3+ will fit an AM3 CPU, if i am correct: http://prntscr.com/7l8hnq
 
Solution