Steam games stuttering even though it shouldn't

Ace-nk · 2026-07-03 05:35:52

Games like euro truck simulator or dying light periodically stutters even though back on windows it didn't. I understand I won't get a perfectly smooth gaming experience on linux as much as I did on windows but my frame rate is higher here. This issue was much worse a few days back when I my linux drive was almost completely full (do note my games are in a different HDD as this is an old gaming laptop), so I reinstalled arch. Now I have about 200GB free in my linux drive (my games are still installed on my hdd). and the stuttering is much much less but still present in most games, especially oddly in eurotruck simulator. The only games that does not stutter is games like hollow knight.
I am on arch linux and hyprland,

output to

inxi -xxACGS

System:
  Host: Apollo Kernel: 7.0.14-arch1-1 arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc
    v: 16.1.1
  Desktop: Hyprland v: 0.55.4 dm: N/A Distro: Arch Linux
CPU:
  Info: 6-core model: Intel Core i7-8750H bits: 64 type: MT MCP
    arch: Coffee Lake rev: A cache: L1: 384 KiB L2: 1.5 MiB L3: 9 MiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 800 min/max: 800/4100 cores: 1: 800 2: 800 3: 800 4: 800
    5: 800 6: 800 7: 800 8: 800 9: 800 10: 800 11: 800 12: 800 bogomips: 52799
  Flags-basic: avx avx2 ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel CoffeeLake-H GT2 [UHD Graphics 630] vendor: ASUSTeK
    driver: i915 v: kernel arch: Gen-9.5 ports: active: eDP-1
    empty: DP-1,HDMI-A-1,HDMI-A-2 bus-ID: 00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:3e9b
  Device-2: NVIDIA GP107M [GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile] vendor: ASUSTeK
    driver: nvidia v: 580.173.02 arch: Pascal pcie: speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 16
    bus-ID: 01:00.0 chip-ID: 10de:1c8c
  Device-3: Holitech USB2.0 HD UVC WebCam driver: uvcvideo type: USB
    rev: 2.0 speed: 480 Mb/s lanes: 1 bus-ID: 1-7:4 chip-ID: 2fee:1014
  Display: wayland server: Xwayland v: 24.1.12 compositor: Hyprland
    v: 0.55.4 driver: gpu: i915 display-ID: 1
  Monitor-1: eDP-1 model: ChiMei InnoLux 0x15f4 res: 1920x1080 dpi: 142
    diag: 394mm (15.5")
  API: EGL Message: EGL data requires eglinfo. Check --recommends.
  Info: Tools: gpu: nvidia-smi x11: xprop,xrandr
Audio:
  Device-1: Intel 300/C240 Series Family HD Audio vendor: ASUSTeK
    driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus-ID: 00:1f.3 chip-ID: 8086:a348
  API: ALSA v: k7.0.14-arch1-1 status: kernel-api
  Server-1: sndiod v: N/A status: off
  Server-2: PipeWire v: 1.6.7 status: active with: 1: wireplumber
    status: active 2: pw-jack type: plugin

output to

vulkaninfo --summary

==========
VULKANINFO
==========

Vulkan Instance Version: 1.4.350


Instance Extensions: count = 24
-------------------------------
VK_EXT_acquire_drm_display             : extension revision 1
VK_EXT_acquire_xlib_display            : extension revision 1
VK_EXT_debug_report                    : extension revision 10
VK_EXT_debug_utils                     : extension revision 2
VK_EXT_direct_mode_display             : extension revision 1
VK_EXT_display_surface_counter         : extension revision 1
VK_EXT_surface_maintenance1            : extension revision 1
VK_EXT_swapchain_colorspace            : extension revision 5
VK_KHR_device_group_creation           : extension revision 1
VK_KHR_display                         : extension revision 23
VK_KHR_external_fence_capabilities     : extension revision 1
VK_KHR_external_memory_capabilities    : extension revision 1
VK_KHR_external_semaphore_capabilities : extension revision 1
VK_KHR_get_display_properties2         : extension revision 1
VK_KHR_get_physical_device_properties2 : extension revision 2
VK_KHR_get_surface_capabilities2       : extension revision 1
VK_KHR_portability_enumeration         : extension revision 1
VK_KHR_surface                         : extension revision 25
VK_KHR_surface_protected_capabilities  : extension revision 1
VK_KHR_wayland_surface                 : extension revision 6
VK_KHR_xcb_surface                     : extension revision 6
VK_KHR_xlib_surface                    : extension revision 6
VK_LUNARG_direct_driver_loading        : extension revision 1
VK_NV_display_stereo                   : extension revision 1

Instance Layers: count = 7
--------------------------
VK_LAYER_MANGOHUD_overlay_x86_64  Vulkan Hud Overlay           1.3.0    version 1
VK_LAYER_NV_optimus               NVIDIA Optimus layer         1.4.312  version 1
VK_LAYER_NV_present               NVIDIA GR2608 layer          1.4.312  version 1
VK_LAYER_VALVE_steam_fossilize_32 Steam Pipeline Caching Layer 1.3.207  version 1
VK_LAYER_VALVE_steam_fossilize_64 Steam Pipeline Caching Layer 1.3.207  version 1
VK_LAYER_VALVE_steam_overlay_32   Steam Overlay Layer          1.3.207  version 1
VK_LAYER_VALVE_steam_overlay_64   Steam Overlay Layer          1.3.207  version 1

Devices:
========
GPU0:
apiVersion         = 1.4.312
driverVersion      = 580.173.2.0
vendorID           = 0x10de
deviceID           = 0x1c8c
deviceType         = PHYSICAL_DEVICE_TYPE_DISCRETE_GPU
deviceName         = NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti
driverID           = DRIVER_ID_NVIDIA_PROPRIETARY
driverName         = NVIDIA
driverInfo         = 580.173.02
conformanceVersion = 1.4.1.3
deviceUUID         = e537e231-8b69-30aa-3cf2-08877fb12e41
driverUUID         = 6d5e1e18-4111-5cbd-ae1e-c369f9e3c390

I have the drivers nvidia-580xx-dkms installed along with its corresponding nvidia utils and lib32 nvidia utils for 580xx from the aur
I have my gpu setup according to the hyprland wiki tutorial,
/etc/modprobe.d/nvidia.conf includes
options nvidia_drm modeset=1
/etc/mkinitcpio.conf includes
MODULES=(nvidia nvidia_modeset nvidia_uvm nvidia_drm)
And i have the required environment variables in my config
These aren't long (like many many seconds long) stutters. Its short but still noticeable and shouldn't happen, my specs should be able to run games like dying light or eurotruck simulator with no issues at all. Even heavier games like lies of P plays with good fps it just stutters periodically (which again didn't happen on windows)
Now AI tells me I should put all my gpu resources into my games, and use only the integrated GPU for my wm or any other gpu accelerated apps. I don't know would that be even a good or decent idea which is why I am asking for help. Is there any way to make it so when a game is running all available resources will be allocated to it until the game is minimized (or in this case switching the workspace or minimizing the game)? or would that even be a good idea? I am happy for any assistance or advice provided to help with and remove the stuttering.

Last edited by Ace-nk (2026-07-03 06:01:33)

Lone_Wolf · 2026-07-03 09:07:49

You lack the stuff necessary for nvidia and intel to cooperate when using vulkan.

Install vulkan-mesa-layers , vulkan-mesa-implicit-layers and vulkan-intel .

See https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Vulkan … en_devices for info how to switch/force the gpu used for vulkan .

Note that this may not solve your issues, but a correct vulkan setup helps with lots of steam games .
Especially if you rely on dxvk , proton-vkd3d and such to get better performance.

Arch Linux

#1 2026-07-03 05:35:52

Steam games stuttering even though it shouldn't

#2 2026-07-03 09:07:49

Re: Steam games stuttering even though it shouldn't

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