How to fix Intel i5-13490F core scheduling lag in Returnal?
When the screen gets filled with enemies, I'd get these tiny, sharp hitches. They aren't constant, but they absolutely wreck the game feel. Monitoring the backend showed the i5-13490F's clocks were bouncing wildly between 3.2GHz - 4.8GHz during load shifts, causing frame time spikes of 8ms - 15ms. I tried the 'safe' route of updating motherboard drivers, but the stutters didn't budge—a total waste of time. I eventually went into the BIOS and hard-locked the P-Core frequency at 4.6GHz and set the thread priority to High. The RivaTuner frame time graph went from a jagged mountain range to a flat plain, with intervals stabilizing at 12ms - 16ms. I did have two boot failures after locking the clocks, but a tiny voltage bump to 1.25V cleared it right up. CPU temps are sitting at 65℃ - 72℃, and the system is whisper quiet. 3DMark stress tests confirmed zero crashes, and memory temps stayed at 58℃ - 63℃.
