Mouse Lag When CPU Under Load: 5 Reasons and Solutions!

You have been working tirelessly on building some huge projects. Or, you’ve been playing a fast-paced FPS game that has no room for mouse lag.  Yet, you are experiencing this horrible issue.

We have all experienced this. And boy, does mouse lag tick us off or not. Now, what should you do with mouse lag when CPU under load? 

When the CPU is under load, it can’t render the mouse inputs hence causing the lag. The most common reason is high mouse polling. To mitigate the issue, you will have to lower the mouse polling. Also, a slow SSD/HDD can cause the mouse to lag. Thus, it is time to upgrade the SSD/HDD.

That is just the summary. Keep reading this article where I’ll discuss the reasons and solutions in detail.

A Quick View to Troubleshooting Mouse Lagging Issues

Mouse Lag When CPU Under Load: Why Does It Happen

Every PC user will unanimously agree that it’s pesky when the mouse keeps lagging. And the baseline of this is high CPU usage. 

High CPU usage refers to 60% or more of the CPU allocated to complete tasks. When you click or move your mouse, it signals the CPU to process an event. That was commanded by the mouse. When the CPU is under load, it takes time to process the mouse’s command. And because it also consumes CPU power. The CPU takes longer to respond due to being under load.

This high CPU usage is a common phenomenon. Here’s someone else who faced this problem in a severe way.

You’ll also notice that your CPU usage is rising when the mouse is moving. That was the general reason. To solve the mouse lag, you need to find specifically what is causing the CPU to be under load and resolve that issue. 

Here are 5 reasons why your mouse lag when high CPU – 

Reason 1: High Mouse Polling

Mouse polling is the mouse refresh rate. It is the number of times a mouse refreshes. For instance, your mouse says that its polling is 500Hz. It means the mouse refreshes its position 500 times in one second. 

Now, when your CPU has a low-speed processor, say 2.4 GHz. It will have a hard time processing the mouse’s refresh rate. Your mouse stutters when moving fast due to it.

Solution 1: Lower the Mouse Polling Rate/ Use a Compatible Mouse

If you’re using a low-spec CPU and a high-polling-rate mouse, lower the rate. 

To do so – 

• Download the dedicated mouse driver software developed by the company. For instance, download Bloody mouse software if you’re using an A4Tech Bloody series mouse.

• Open the software and look for ‘polling/refresh rate’ 

• Upon finding the horizontal bar of the polling rate, lower the polling rate to 125 Hz.

You can change the mouse polling rate in Windows 10 as well.

Another solution is to change your mouse. That is if your processor power is low. Purchase a mouse with a low polling rate. However, there are lots of mice out there with this feature. Here are my recommended mice with a low polling rate.

• For a fast responsive and lightweight mouse, go for Logitech B100 Corded Mouse. You can check price on Amazon.

• If you are looking for a wireless mouse, then HP Wireless Mouse is ideal. You can check for availability on Amazon.

• Lenovo Wired Mouse is equipped with an adjustable DPI. You can check price on Amazon.

Reason 2: NtGdiCloseProcess() Lagging the Process 

This is a special one for those who use Windows 10 and Chrome. I bet you are struggling to find out what is causing the problem. 

Because if you’ve ended all the background tasks from task managers. Closed all CPU power-consuming software and the mouse is still lagging with a high CPU load.

There’s a small function called NtGdiCloseProcess() which is causing the mouse to lag. 

This happens with the high core count, chrome, and windows 10 users. NtGdiCloseProcess() does the work for the existing windows process and teardown. 

It apparently serializes through a single lock, with a 200 microsecond passthrough time between each pass

Solution 2: Temporarily Suspend the Process/ Talk to the Developer

Using the windows debugging and performance trace, find out the processing rate of NtGdiCloseProcess(). 

Temporarily close the task from there. This will help you to go on with your work for a while and the mouse won’t lag. 

And there’s no solution suitable for you at this moment. Because it’s mouse lag when CPU under load windows 10 bug that is being solved by developers. 

Reason 3: RtkAudUService64.exe Load in Task Manager

RtkAudUService64.exe is a Realtek audio processing software that pushes the CPU to overclock. Resulting in your mouse lagging because the CPU is at 90 to 100% capacity. 

There’s also another sign. You’ll notice your CPU is getting hotter.

Since mouse movement requires CPU power, you’ll have to decrease the CPU clock. 

Solution 3: Deactivate RtkAudUService64.exe and End Background Processes

Deactivating the software and ending tasks is really easy. Here’s how you can do it –

• Go to the search bar, type, and select ‘task manager.

• Or, right-click on your taskbar. And click on the ‘task manager option. 

• Find RtkAudUService64.exe. Select it and click on the end task.

To kill the background processes that are unnecessary and consume a high percentage of CPU –

Scroll through background processes. Click the ones that have a high consumption of CPU. And click ‘end task’ to kill the processes.

Reason 4: Slow SSD/HDD

Check the drive where you installed your windows. It’s usually installed in C: drive. Oftentimes we install windows on SSD to have a faster-processing speed.

Either driver has very low empty storage or you’ve been using the driver for more than 5-6 years. 

Then slow storage drives are causing your CPU to be under load. Which in turn is lagging your mouse movement.

Solution 4: Install Crystal Disk Info and Upgrade Drive

First of all, download crystal disk info software on your PC. Use the software to check your HDD/SSD health. 

Upon investigation, the software will tell you if they’re in good condition. If it’s anything other than perfect/good, it’s time to upgrade your HDD/SSD. 

Secondly, if they’re in good health and your mouse is still lagging with a high CPU. Go to drive properties and clean cache and empty storage as much as possible. 

However, if the SSD/HDD health is bad, then you need to change the HDD/SSD. Here are some of my recommended SSD/HDDs for you.

• For a fast and reliable SSD, you cannot go wrong with SAMSUNG 980 SSD 1TB. You can check price on Amazon.

• If you want an HDD, then Seagate BarraCuda 1TB Internal HDD is the ideal option. You can check for availability on Amazon.

For compatibility across every platform, go for WD 5TB Elements Portable External Hard Drive. You can check price on Amazon.

Reason 5: Logitech G-Hub Software

This is a specific problem for Logitech mouse owners. If you use Logitech mouse software, that is your culprit for mouse lag. 

Solution 5: Close Logitech G-Hub

Logitech G-Hub is a gaming software for Logitech mouse users. 

Uninstall or close the program and your mouse won’t lag anymore

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can High CPU cause Lag?

Yes, a high CPU can cause mouse lag. Mouse refresh rates consume CPU usage to function. When the CPU is under load, it can’t process the commands given by the mouse. To run without a hitch, you require a CPU operating at a rate where it can process mouse polling rate. And lower your polling rate.

Why Does My Mouse Move Slowly in Games?

A stuttering mouse is frequently caused by your system having trouble running the game. Any number of computer parts, such as your processor or memory, might place restrictions on you. If this is the case, lower your mouse polling rate and close chrome. And lower the graphics settings of your game.

Why Is My Mouse Suddenly Laggy?

Check your CPU consumption percentage from the task manager. If it’s over 60%, CPU overload is causing your mouse to be suddenly laggy. To stop the lag, you’ll have to decrease the polling rate of your mouse to 125 Hz. And end tasks that are running in the background. And definitely close chrome tabs. 

Conclusion

That concludes the solutions you can apply when mouse lag when the CPU is under load. 

A bonus tip for reading till the end. Whatever you do, don’t throw away the mouse because it’s a software issue. So do what I suggested in the article and your mouse lag will be solved.

Good luck!