Massive CPU Spikes and FPS Drops

Hi all,


I've run out of ideas and after countless hours spent searching for solutions to this issue, I am here to ask if anyone has the same and can offer a solution.

Ever since 0.2 (maybe even 0.1, but I don't recall) I have had massive CPU spikes completely randomly that tank my FPS for a second or so. This will happen even if I'm just standing around in my hideout, with settings far below what my PC can handle. This isn't a "this is a CPU intensive game!" issue that I've seen mentioned in many other threads about this :D

I have reinstalled the game and clean reinstalled my GPU drivers (using DDU) multiple times and to various different versions over the past year or so.
I've also tweaked so many settings as suggested in countless threads I've found about this issue, including all ingame settings, numerous Windows settings and even some BIOS level stuff. Nothing has helped.
I see the ingame chat mentioned frequently as a cause of CPU spikes, and have cleared the chat log more often than I can count and only ever join a completely random trade and global channel on login so there are no messages coming through. I don't beleive my issue is not caused by the chat.

Worth mentioning I have thoroughly tested my CPU/GPU in loads other games and benchmarking software, and this isn't a hardware issue. My PC works flawlessly in every other game I play.
I'm using Windows 11, a 7800x3d with a 5070ti and 32gb DDR5 6000Mhz

PoE2 is my favourite game of all time as my 1200hrs can attest to, but I'm really tired of these massive FPS drops and stutters. Please can someone help me!



Here is my DxDiag: https://pastebin.com/9Rc2a9EZ

Here is my Config ini: https://pastebin.com/7ts7X71K

Please post two separate links to Pastebin.

• https://www.poecommunity.help/information/system-info
• Your poe2_production_Config.ini file

You can find the latter by copying & pasting the below into File Explorer's address bar.

%USERPROFILE%\Documents\My Games\Path of Exile 2

Here is my DxDiag: https://pastebin.com/9Rc2a9EZ

Here is my Config ini: https://pastebin.com/7ts7X71K

Thank you

Forgot to reply directly to you!

I have attached the requested.

Thanks

Thanks. Nothing is jumping out at me as being obviously wrong in either file.

Let's try making some changes. I'll elaborate on why afterwards.

---

"

MortalShroom#5675 wrote:

renderer_type=Vulkan

Let's try setting "Renderer" to "DirectX 12".

"

MortalShroom#5675 wrote:

fullscreen=false

Let's try setting "Mode" to "Fullscreen".

"

MortalShroom#5675 wrote:

use_dynamic_resolution=true

Let's try unticking "Dynamic Resolution".

"

MortalShroom#5675 wrote:

reflex_mode=LowLatency

Let's try setting "NVIDIA Reflex" to "Off".

---

I can appreciate that the above suggestions may seem baffling - particularly the third suggestion.

My thinking is that GGG uses their own proprietary engine - and as Path of Exile and Path of Exile 2 use substantially different versions of that engine, and PoE 2 is currently an unfinished Early Access game, we cannot rule out engine bugs which cause an occasional performance hitch.

The first suggestion is largely just to see whether the issue is exclusive to one graphics API.

The others all serve the same goal - to try to make things less complex. While Dynamic Resolution, for example, is intended to improve framerates - it also necessitates that the game monitor its performance and attempt to make changes on the fly. By contrast, without the feature in some ways the game is ultimately doing fewer things - and so the surface area for possible bugs is reduced.

While NVIDIA Reflex isn't GGG's own proprietary technology - its implementation in their game engine is ultimately their code, and similarly susceptible to possible bugs.

"

Sarno#0493 wrote:

Thanks. Nothing is jumping out at me as being obviously wrong in either file.

Let's try making some changes. I'll elaborate on why afterwards.

---

"

MortalShroom#5675 wrote:

renderer_type=Vulkan

Let's try setting "Renderer" to "DirectX 12".

"

MortalShroom#5675 wrote:

fullscreen=false

Let's try setting "Mode" to "Fullscreen".

"

MortalShroom#5675 wrote:

use_dynamic_resolution=true

Let's try unticking "Dynamic Resolution".

"

MortalShroom#5675 wrote:

reflex_mode=LowLatency

Let's try setting "NVIDIA Reflex" to "Off".

---

I can appreciate that the above suggestions may seem baffling - particularly the third suggestion.

My thinking is that GGG uses their own proprietary engine - and as Path of Exile and Path of Exile 2 use substantially different versions of that engine, and PoE 2 is currently an unfinished Early Access game, we cannot rule out engine bugs which cause an occasional performance hitch.

The first suggestion is largely just to see whether the issue is exclusive to one graphics API.

The others all serve the same goal - to try to make things less complex. While Dynamic Resolution, for example, is intended to improve framerates - it also necessitates that the game monitor its performance and attempt to make changes on the fly. By contrast, without the feature in some ways the game is ultimately doing fewer things - and so the surface area for possible bugs is reduced.

While NVIDIA Reflex isn't GGG's own proprietary technology - its implementation in their game engine is ultimately their code, and similarly susceptible to possible bugs.

Thank you for your time trying to help me with this, it really is appreciated.

I made all the changes you suggested but it hasn't stopped the spikes. They're occuring approximately every 30 seconds or so.

Are you able to reproduce the issue when performing a Windows Clean Boot & without opening any other programs?

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/how-to-perform-a-clean-boot-in-windows-da2f9573-6eec-00ad-2f8a-a97a1807f3dd