Intel

Hey fellow Redditors,

I've got a tale of frustration and perplexity to share about my 13700K build. After almost a year of struggling, my OCD is in overdrive as I can't seem to set up an OS that feels remotely smooth and stutter-free, unlike my trusty old 2600K, Ryzen 2600, or even my aging 7600K laptop.

I know I'm not alone in this ordeal, but it seems like the majority of 13th-gen owners claim to have no issues whatsoever. It's been a long journey, and I've tried everything from swapping out every single component, including the 13700K itself, to experimenting with different GPU brands. I've spent months diving into every conceivable trick and tweak, hoping for a glimmer of hope.

(Un)surprisingly, it's slightly better on Windows 10, but only after I disabled half the features I paid for and expected to work smoothly—things like my iGPU, C-States, and other power management features. I've delved into the world of parking, scheduling, interrupts, even employed Lasso, and more just to keep things under control for specific use-cases or to fight those dreaded DPC latencies. And yet, the struggle continues.

At this point, I've come to a rather humbling realization: maybe this CPU just doesn't like me, and perhaps I'm just not skilled enough to tame it. It's been a rollercoaster of emotions, and I can't help but wonder if it's a skill issue rather than just bad luck.

So, if you're out there, fellow geeks, feeling like your CPU is playing tricks on you, let's commiserate together. And if you've ever had that moment where you think, "Did I just poop my pants out of frustration?" – well, you're not alone either.