Unpredictable lags/loads/framedrops

So as the title says I have unpredictable lags, loads and framedrops.
Problems: (1) (2) (3) (4)

Now as to address the most common question, my laptop is way over the "recommended system requirements" as of these stats:

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Lenovo Y500
CPU: Core-i5-3230M 2.6 >> 3.2 boosted (2+2virtual cores)
GPU: Nvidia GForce GT650M 1GB GDDR5
RAM: 8GB
HDD: 5400rpm seagate

I do know, that my HDD is complete crap, however I believe the game should solve this itself, not to use the HDD too much, instead use this huge power my laptop has. The HDD caching didn't help a bit, moreover it made the game even more laggier, so I disabled it and set everything back where it was.

The game runs with the same problems (1) with ultraLOW, and ultraHIGH graphics.

I stopped the racing stuff because of the unpredictable loading screen times (2). It is either 1-2 seconds (complete new map generation and stuff) or 1-2 minutes(even loading the previously loaded map) which soon after disconnects me from the server. Complete random.. Also, after a long time of continuous game running(5+hours) it becomes really long 1-3 mins.

Other than loading screens, I get 1-2 seconds of framefreeze (3) most of the time I open a strongbox, and when I kill all the mobs from the strongbox. I rarely, but get framedrops (4) with large pack of mobs as well.

The second big question, what runs in the backround:

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Steam. Nothing else, cause I'm playing the game via Steam.

The third question what are you ingame settings:

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Boarderless windowed
1366x768
Everything else besides anisotropic(<<is Trilenar) is on the lowest setting, off or not ticked.

What I am asking for, is a solution to this particular problem. Help me players, devs, whoever. I didn't find any solution to this :/ (besides considering an SSD - which I currently cannot afford)

. Laptop is decent, but not insane.
. How are the temps of CPU/GPU ?
. Freeze on strongbox is kinda common without an SSD.
. Try using the standalone client. It's not like steam client is bad, it's just that you are forced to have steam running on the background. If you don't want to do that you should disable steam overlay for the game. BTW, you don't need to redownload the client, you can download the installer, copy the entire PoE Steam directory ( /steamapps/common etc etc ) to where you installed the PoE installer and let the launcher (regular, not steam) check the resources etc.
. Borderless, 1360x768, Trilinear, most stuff low, shadows ON else my GPU stays at idle state, lol.


As for "unpredictable loading screen times (2)" , I don't have a clue, except high temps or weird connectivity issues.

For the framedrops(1) I believe the GPU temperature must be the high one, it's quite hot there, but not that problematic in the short run - dunno how to measure on pc with this laptop, but I can tell - i used to touch my old pc's parts when games were lagging or freezing.

For Steam(2) I like the Steam Client, when I close it off, it just chills in the background doing nothing, using like 6MBs of memory, and that's it, no CPU usage.

For loading screen(3), it either loads in randomized time: rnd(1,180)s, or disconnects me with "unexpected error". So I really don't know that one, but it's annoying when I try to do some racing. I have to close off the game before the race, so the loading screens will be half a min at max. The longest one I participated was the 2 hour race, but at the end I got the 1 min loading screens, so it really made me frustrated.

Annoyance toplist out of these 3:
#1: (3) - 10/over 9000
#2: (1) - 10/7
#3: (2) - 10/0

For the temp checking use GPU-Z , HWiNFO, or whatever other software you like (most accurate for me was HWiNFO, but for temps only any will do).

GPU-Z will also give you a load % reading, that sometimes help troubleshotting some issues, specially underutilization ones.

As for the loading times... I know the feel, but I have no clue as to why it can be SO random. I mean, at least on my PC (that is a decent one but not a very good one) with no SSD I get decent loading times (not so much on loading the client for the first time tho).

Some people have reduced the loading times a bit + lowering the .GGPK size (on some cases) with the GPPK defrag, but for some reason that I'm not aware the tool says you shouldn't use it on the steam client.

Just for the sake of it, delete your ShadeCache folder, it won't probably help you but it won't make it worse either.

GPU max temp 61°C - that's pretty okay for a laptop I guess.



I try not to mess with too much stuff on this laptop, I really don't want to call the "REKT" on it. So I guess i'll stay with the 1-2 hour game restarts until I can afford a better HDD or SSD..