[Solved] Under-powered PSU causing Framerate issues?

Forum CPU & Components : Power Supplies, Cases & Mods [Solved] Under-powered PSU causing Framerate issues?

I'm having some trouble with FPS drops, and thought maybe someone here would know have a solution to the problem.

When I play Minecraft, I start out at 200 FPS, but after about 5-15 minutes, it degrades into 1-5 FPS. It's not the hard drive slowing it down, I've already checked that it's not even needing to access the drive (i'm staying in the same chunk). The only thing I've noticed is, as the CPU's temp goes up, the fans start running hard, and then the temp goes down, as do the frames.

But it's not just Minecraft. When I play CS:S, I can play 1-3 rounds at 60 FPS, then it'll just fall to 1-7 FPS. Fallout: New Vegas, Medium settings for about 5 minutes at 30-50 FPS, then 1-5 FPS. Lowest settings possible is the same, 30-50 to 1-7.

The only suspicion I really have anymore, is the power supply. The graphics card's minimum power requirements are 350w and my power supply only outputs 300w.

Windows Vista Home Premium SP2 32-bit
Intel Pentium 4 631 (C) HT 3.0 GHz, 800MHz front side bus, 2MB L2 cache
Asus P5LP-LE Motherboard
3GB DDR2 PC2-4200 RAM
250GB SATA 3G (3Gb/s), 7200 RPM
PNY nVidia GeForce 9400 GT, 512MB VRAM
300w Power supply

Reply to Triforce9

what exactly are your temperatures?

also its probably not your psu.

------------------------------ sllaw eht no nettirw gnihtemos saw ecno ereht
Reply to esrever

Probably not the PSU. Darn. My budget doesn't really support replacing any other component.

The CPU gets up to around 187°F and then cools to around 167°F and holds steady around there.
The GPU never gets hotter than 111°F and idles around 90°-99°F.

BTW, I doubt that it matters, but I thought I should add that it has two fans that idle at about 2200RPM and 4400RPM, and when the CPU heats up, they go up to about 3400RPM and 5500-6000RPM respectively.

Reply to Triforce9

Best answer

your cpu temperature is really high. you might need a new fan.

------------------------------ sllaw eht no nettirw gnihtemos saw ecno ereht
Reply to esrever

Hmm, I wonder if there's dust clogging the heatsink. It'd be worth a check; I have two other computers that need new CPU fans already, so I don't really want to have to buy another one!

Thanks for your input!

Message edited by Triforce9 on 01-12-2012 at 12:54:24 AM

Reply to Triforce9

Sorry, I should have replied sooner! (I keep getting emails about choosing a "Best Answer" )

I had opened my computer to find that the top of the heat sink was completely filled with dust. The fan wasn't able to blow air into it at all! So I spent the better part of two hours cleaning it (I had to use Q-Tips, as I didn't/don't have any thermal paste on hand).

As such, my issue is now resolved. CPU now idles at 98°-100°F and under load, 127°F.

Reply to Triforce9