Windows 10: ASUS Strix GTX 1080Ti OC - lag spikes/stuttering

Hello guys,

This is my setup - https://pcpartpicker.com/list/yqmf6X (nothing is OC'ed /only factory/ .. everything is on stock)
i7 8700k (no OC)
GTX 1080ti OC edition (factory OC only)
16gb (2x8gb) RAM DDR4 3200MHz
SSD + HDD

Userbenchmark OK - http://www.userbenchmark.com/UserRun/7016923

Here is my problem: In almost every game I am having lag spikes/stuttering https://imgur.com/a/JrNll + https://imgur.com/a/PHnwX like this (Assassin's Creed: Origin - benchmark). Games where I can see the problem the most: Assassin's Creed: Origin, Battlefield 1, PUBG, Witcher 3 running in the city (there is a microstutter when you enter new area in the city). Sometimes it runs OK for few minutes. Sometimes it runs OK for 1 hour BUT it looks like when I let my PC running for like 6 hours (playing or idling - does not matter) stuttering problem is worse. But I experienced it right after cold boot too.

My overall performance is great. I checked 3D Mark/Cinebench 15/FPS in games regarding youtube videos with people with the similar setup.. everyhting is how it should be. EXCEPT the stutters :/.

I noticed that sometimes it disappears when I alt-tab like during this test: https://imgur.com/a/bH4nV

Superposition Benchmark + AC:O Benchmark = https://imgur.com/2rT0Pck (frametime) /// but another AC:O Benchmark right away was super smooth = https://imgur.com/EEopEh8 ... so I don't get it anymore.

Here are also some videos of the problem:

BF 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHxeKw_9PdA
AC:O: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqDYgDQboKg

I've already done:
- tried another mobo (Asus Maximus X hero
- another RAMs (also XMP on/off)
- win10 1607
- win10 latest build with only drivers + games (without sound drivers and onboard audio disabled, windows defender disabled, no antivirus programm)
- another cpu i7 8700k
- gaming mods off in Windows
- hdtune, latency mon (0,3-0,4ms pointing on nvidia drivers during my tests, spikes to 0,7ms probably only when alt-tabbing)
- drivers are up to date, so the bios
- only SSD plugged in
- power management option set to performance (windows + nvidia)
- last 5 versions of nvidia drivers (including the latest one 390.77)
- temps are OK (https://imgur.com/a/WUGw1 - after 1 hour of BF 1)
- tried another non-Gsync 1080p 60hz monitor
- vsync off, gsync off/on, I've tried almost every possible setting in nvidia control panel

Looks like the problem is not there with iGPU - but it's so hard to test it with such a low fps. I have no opportunity to try the card in another pc or borrow another one.

So at this point.. I don't know what to do next to be honest.

For example I've noticed in Witcher 3 installed on SSD this kind of microstutters: Everytime when I pass ''some line/script/new aera'' in the game or a moment before someone start talking. Everything looks great when I am not moving in the game.. when I start to move and cross ''the script line'' or enter the city etc.. lag occurs again. During the lag spike my gpu power% in MSI After Burner drops a bit down - https://imgur.com/EcvPenW

But all of this does not happen all the time.. it seems so random.Do you think that my GPU can be fault from the beginning? Should I RMA it? :/

Hey,

Every single time I get lag spikes, low fps, slow rendering or any bad performance in games I always run a full scan with https://www.malwarebytes.com/mwb-download/ . You can try this option and do let me know if the scan finds anything suspicious.

If it's not directly related to a hardware issue and only happens intermittently....this may suggest a malware or bug of some sort as midou35000 suggested or it can be attributed to your network connection (ISP or low bandwidth) and even possibly the game server.

Hello,

it's not malware guys.. I reinstalled windows so many times.. and tried everything even with my cable disconnected. BUT!!! I found out another interesting thing?

It may sound crazy..but been testing this for a few days.

When I was testing a lot of games (my stuttering problem).. I started experiencing some random disconnects from WoW and packet losts + connection problems in Overwatch (icons on the left side).

After talking with my NIC provider + blizzard support.. they told me that everything is 100% OK with them and there must be something on my side. But here is the part.. when I pull out the GTX 1080ti .. and running only on my iGPU, everything is OK and I don't have any disconnects + connections problems in Overwatch (tested for like 3 days). After I connected the GPU back = problem is here again. Random disconnects, connection losts etc..

So I was like my MOBO can be bad. So I changed to ASUS Maximus X Hero and guess what? Same problem.

I don't get it.. is that even possible? Should I really RMA the gpu - that can be causing the stuttering in games (singleplayer games too) and causing this ''intenet'' problem? Have anyone experienced something like this?

BTW - my INTEL NIC drivers are up to date.. and I have tried a lot of Nvidia drivers too = did not help.