OBS rendering lag even WITHOUT streaming/recording

[xKiichan]

I've had this problem for about a week & it's driving me crazy. I know there are already other posts like this, many of which I've already seen & tried, but none of them really helped...;;

Issue:
The FPS drops abysmally low & it's not a one-off thing like what happens sometimes when there's a big activity spike; it keeps happening constantly, to the point that streams look like Powerpoint slideshows & are just unwatchable.
But the thing is, I know it's not even a network/connection/internet issue cuz it happens even when I'm not streaming? I can literally just open OBS and it would be lagging. All other programs are fine, it's only OBS specifically.

Possible triggers?
I did an in-place Windows upgrade and enabled SVM in BIOS, possibly a Windows update as well.
The problem started happening 2 days after that, on a Marvel Rivals stream which was the first stream of the week.

Things I tried:

1. Clearing DirectX shader cache; friend thought it might be caused by Marvel Rivals​
2. Updating & downgrading OBS (currently using 30.2.3, tried latest, 31.0.0, 30.2.2, and 30.2.0; can't do latest cuz it messes with Riot games)​
3. Enabling/Disabling HAGS​
4. Setting OBS as high performance in graphics performance preference​
5. Using DDU to do a fresh install of GPU drivers​
6. Updating & downgrading GPU drivers (currently using 572.16)​
7. Running OBS as admin​
8. Disabling Windows game mode​
9. Disabling fullscreen optimization for OBS​
10. Setting energy mode for OBS to maximum performance in NVIDIA control panel​
11. New fresh scene collection​
12. Cleaning up browser/text/media sources​
13. Disable lookahead/psychovisual tuning​
14. Renaming the obs-studio folder in AppData/Roaming​
15. Running OBS in a different Windows user account​
16. Running OBS in safe mode with no plugins, websockets, etc.​
17. Making sure optimization for OBS is disabled in NVIDIA​
18. Uninstalling OBS & doing a fresh install​
19. Changing OBS color space from Rec. 709 to sRGB​
20. Changing monitor refresh rates​
21. Making sure Windows & OBS audio sample rates match​
22. Setting OBS process priority to high​

TLDR:

• It's not scenes/sources; I tried a fresh scene collection & OBS reinstall
• It's not plugins; I tried safe mode
• It's not encoder/fps settings etc; it happens even when not streaming/recording, and I've used these same settings for a long time with no issue
• It's not hardware; motherboard is new, everything else is working fine
• It's not internet; network & connection are fine

Specs:
• OBS ver 30.2.3
• Mobo - Gigabyte B550M DS3H AC
• CPU - AMD Ryzen 7 3700X
• GPU - NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060
• PSU - Seasonic Prime PX 850W Platinum
• RAM - 32GB Kingston HyperX

Logs:
https://obsproject.com/tools/analyzer?log_url=https://obsproject.com/logs/1k1I4HE9V9WAxROa

Stats when it's lagging:

Stats when it's normal:

 

[xKiichan]

To add to this, there could be random times where it stays stable for a while, maybe a few mins to an hour or so, before it starts lagging again.
Currently it doesn't seem reliable as it lulls me into a false sense of security lol,,

 

[prgmitchell]

You'll want to restart OBS in safe mode and see if you are still having issues.

 

[rockbottom]

Crap SE plugin installed & most of the remaining plugins are stale. The installed NDI runtime is from like 3 years ago. Plugins need to be maintained.

I would update all plugins as needed.

Rendering lag is GPU overload, plain & simple. If it remains after taking care of the plugins, start reducing load. Drop both monitors to 60HZ.

Start a clean slate, drop all the BS for testing. Create a New Scene Collection with just (1) Scene/Source.

 

[xKiichan]

You'll want to restart OBS in safe mode and see if you are still having issues.

View attachment 111696

As I mentioned twice in the post, I already tried safe mode...which is why I know it's not a plugin issue.

 

[xKiichan]

Crap SE plugin installed & most of the remaining plugins are stale. The installed NDI runtime is from like 3 years ago. Plugins need to be maintained.

I would update all plugins as needed.

Rendering lag is GPU overload, plain & simple. If it remains after taking care of the plugins, start reducing load. Drop both monitors to 60HZ.

Start a clean slate, drop all the BS for testing. Create a New Scene Collection with just (1) Scene/Source.

SE was actually the first thing I tried to remove, and then booted in safe mode to see if it was any of the other plugins. It still lagged.
I tried updating plugins but most of them are already the latest versions.

I checked, and my GPU is hardly even being overloaded, especially since it lags when I'm not even playing any games or doing anything. Even if I was, other games or programs run smooth as butter, it's only specifically OBS that lags.
HWiNFO64 says average GPU utilization is 14%.

I already mentioned trying all of those suggestions in my list, unfortunately none of them work.

 

[rockbottom]

I'm running the same version of OBS with no issues. So either your set-up is bugged or your rig is broken. I gave you the first steps I would take. You do you.

 

[xKiichan]

It's not my fault I already tried them & they didn't work tho..? ;;

 

[koala]

The symptoms you describe might indicate sudden performance loss. This can happen due to overheating, so the hardware throttles, so for a second there is just a fraction of the expected performance. Overheating could be CPU or GPU. Make sure all fans are working properly and check CPU and GPU temperature during such a lag with appropriate monitoring tools.

 

[xKiichan]

The symptoms you describe might indicate sudden performance loss. This can happen due to overheating, so the hardware throttles, so for a second there is just a fraction of the expected performance. Overheating could be CPU or GPU. Make sure all fans are working properly and check CPU and GPU temperature during such a lag with appropriate monitoring tools.

Yeah I've been checking temp and utilization, it's always just around or below 50C, and 40%...OBS says it's being overloaded, but the CPU/GPU stats say otherwise. T_T It just doesn't make sense...

 

[rockbottom]

Your set-up is lame, bad plugin's, bad NDI, huge Scene Collection with many Scenes having multiple Display, Game or Window captures. Housekeeping is in order. Sorry, it makes perfect sense.

 

[prgmitchell]

As I mentioned twice in the post, I already tried safe mode...which is why I know it's not a plugin issue.

I understand but your log doesn't reflect this...you'd need to restart in safe mode, reproduce the problem, and then post a new log for us to look at.

 

[Lawrence_SoCal]

I don't know about currently, but previously, that PoS streamlements plugin changed DLLs or some such, such that uninstalling did NOT revert OBS Studio back to its normal state. Getting there required re-installing OBS Studio.

As such, for troubleshooting, it probably would be a really good idea to skip Safe Mode and use a separate Portable Mode instance to test

 

[xKiichan]

Your set-up is lame, bad plugin's, bad NDI, huge Scene Collection with many Scenes having multiple Display, Game or Window captures. Housekeeping is in order. Sorry, it makes perfect sense.

You missed the part again where I did a fresh reinstall with no plugins & a new scene collection with just one scene & one source, and it still lagged. No, it does not make sense. Idk if you're genuinely trying to help or trying to pick a fight lol

 

[rockbottom]

No, I want to help you but only YOU can update the plugins, clean-up the mess & do the troubleshooting steps. Don't do them no help for you that's all.

 

[xKiichan]

No, I want to help you but only YOU can update the plugins, clean-up the mess & do the troubleshooting steps. Don't do them no help for you that's all.

Sure but idk how many times I have to mention that I already did them and they just didn't work...?

 

[rockbottom]

Then your rig is broken.

 

[koala]

The lag happens if in safe mode, so no plugins. It happens without recording/streaming, so no encoder issue and no network issue. It started happening "for about a week". No overheating.

It's sudden performance loss with the GPU, because the GPU isn't suddenly able to render a frame within 16 ms (for 60 fps) but it needs as much as 2400 ms according your screenshot. I encourage you to revisit the GPU temperature. Do the GPU stay in its safe temperature zone?

Use Furmark as testing tool, because it's able to stress the GPU to 100% and will show if there is anything not smooth.
An example for a properly running furmark test:

You see the GPU is stressed up to its hardcoded power limit (Board power, 200W), and it heats up to 74°C and stays there very consistently. The animated image generated by Furmark runs absolutely smooth over the whole course of the test.

You have a RTX 3060, this GPU has 170 W as limit. You should see the same graph, just with a board power pinned to 170 W instead of 200 W. The max. temperature is probably vendor dependent but should be in the range 70-90°C and stay at its maximum as consistent as in my example.

And if you run GPU-Z at the same time as Furmark, its sensors should be as smooth without any spikes, as in this example:

If you see a not smooth Furmark test, it's something with your GPU. Might be insufficient cooling (overheating, look at GPU temperature), insufficient power supply (just not smooth but no overheating), general GPU failure (also not smooth, difficult to differ from insufficient power supply). "Insufficient power supply" might result from a failing power supply. Would exhibit general system instability as well.

If your system in general crashes more often than once per half a year, your system is not stable. My experience with Windows 10 was about 1 unexpected system crash per year, and with Windows 11 I didn't encounter one yet since I started using it about 2 years ago.

 

[xKiichan]

I understand but your log doesn't reflect this...you'd need to restart in safe mode, reproduce the problem, and then post a new log for us to look at.

Here's the new log with safe mode enabled

Analyzer | OBS

OBS (Open Broadcaster Software) is free and open source software for video recording and live streaming. Stream to Twitch, YouTube and many other providers or record your own videos with high quality H264 / AAC encoding.

obsproject.com

 

[xKiichan]

The lag happens if in safe mode, so no plugins. It happens without recording/streaming, so no encoder issue and no network issue. It started happening "for about a week". No overheating.

It's sudden performance loss with the GPU, because the GPU isn't suddenly able to render a frame within 16 ms (for 60 fps) but it needs as much as 2400 ms according your screenshot. I encourage you to revisit the GPU temperature. Do the GPU stay in its safe temperature zone?

Use Furmark as testing tool, because it's able to stress the GPU to 100% and will show if there is anything not smooth.
An example for a properly running furmark test:
View attachment 111747
View attachment 111748
You see the GPU is stressed up to its hardcoded power limit (Board power, 200W), and it heats up to 74°C and stays there very consistently. The animated image generated by Furmark runs absolutely smooth over the whole course of the test.

You have a RTX 3060, this GPU has 170 W as limit. You should see the same graph, just with a board power pinned to 170 W instead of 200 W. The max. temperature is probably vendor dependent but should be in the range 70-90°C and stay at its maximum as consistent as in my example.

And if you run GPU-Z at the same time as Furmark, its sensors should be as smooth without any spikes, as in this example:
View attachment 111749

If you see a not smooth Furmark test, it's something with your GPU. Might be insufficient cooling (overheating, look at GPU temperature), insufficient power supply (just not smooth but no overheating), general GPU failure (also not smooth, difficult to differ from insufficient power supply). "Insufficient power supply" might result from a failing power supply. Would exhibit general system instability as well.

If your system in general crashes more often than once per half a year, your system is not stable. My experience with Windows 10 was about 1 unexpected system crash per year, and with Windows 11 I didn't encounter one yet since I started using it about 2 years ago.

Ok I tried these, and here are the results:

Seems to be a different version of Furmark from the one you used, but

GPU-Z:

The actual test animation? Super smooth, no lags, no hiccups at all.
Meanwhile I check back on OBS & the preview was lagging still. Strangely, as the test kept running, OBS stopped lagging midway? I've yet to see dropped frames again, but from my experience, this is only temporary & not to be trusted, and it will start lagging again later.
I don't think it should be overheating tbh cuz I just installed liquid cooling in my system quite recently as well.

No general system crashes or lags whatsoever. Hell I've been playing Monster Hunter Wilds with no issue too. It's completely just OBS alone that lags;;

Additionally, I've tried setting up Streamlabs (which iirc was based on OBS), and at first I thought it was fine, but then it started lagging too.
I was forced to try using XSplit for my last stream, which had ZERO dropped frames.

I'm still no closer to understanding what's causing this, but it truly does seem to be an OBS-specific issue :(