Problem Details:

Hello! I wanted to see if anyone else has experienced this problem. I'll try to describe it the best I can, including the details that may have led up to the problem. I play on a gaming laptop.

Here are my settings and stuff:

CPU: Intel i7-5700HQ @ 2.7ghz (8MB Cache)
GPU: Nvidia GTX960M w/ 2GB GDDR5 VRAM
Installed RAM: 12GB DDR3

So here's the story:

I usually play osu! and get about 300fps. I play fullscreen with my native resolution (1920x1080). My input latency is about 3-4ms in song, which doesn't bother me too much. I usually play with uncapped frames (Unlimited Gameplay) option. I have had no problem running the game whatsoever. I am able to run other games such as Metro Redux 2033 and Shadow Warrior at High (not Ultra) settings and get reasonable frames (60-90ish). I try to optimize my settings for all my games to get the best quality while still having good frames. Up until last week, osu! is the only game that has been giving me problems.

Other Details:

I also stream on Twitch using OBS Classic. I have been streaming for about 5 months now. My settings have not changed; I believed I have optimized them for my computer specs. I mainly stream osu!, and I still get about 200 fps while streaming. My in-game input latency is still around 3-5ms. This leads me to believe the issues does not lie with my CPU. I output 1280x720 @ 60fps and upload speed is 2100kbps. Viewers experience no frame drops and I also run 2 webcams usually. I have a second computer which I use to keep an eye on my output. No problems on a usual day.

So if my computer can handle all of this, why is osu! the only game in which I experience frame drops? It's way "lighter to run" than other games I play.

The Problem:

The frames are steady and consistent at the usual 300 when I play casually (not streaming)... until BLAM! Frames drop to 0 for about .5 seconds, my cursor stops moving, and my combo breaks. This happens at timely intervals. It also happens when I stream.

Video or screenshot showing the problem (Stream Highlight as an example):

https://www.twitch.tv/lolchillbruh/v/95254148
The frame stutter is after my initial combo break, my cursor stops for a moment and my frames drop to zero for about half a second.

Ignore the beginning black screen; it goes black because I tabbed out for a second (single screen w/ OBS Classic). That's normal.

Actions I Have Taken

I updated my drivers. The most recent update on the Nvidia site was 10 days ago. I installed them yesterday.
I backed up my songs, skins, and replays. I then uninstalled osu!, and reinstalled it. The frame drop of death problem is still occurring.

Questions I have:

Would allocating more RAM to osu! be a solution? If so, how do I do that?

osu! version: 20160821.1 (latest)

EDIT:
I watched over the highlight and I realized that overall I drop a few frames a second. The highlight shows more overall stutter than usual, but I want to emphasize the huge frame drop of death after my combo break. I assure you other osu! streams I have had in the past do not have any stutter in them at all; I used to run a very smooth 720p60fps stream.

Reinstalling never fixes issues apart from update-issues (as in, the client can't update)

Try closing all background processes (especially some webbrowsers)
Oh, you can prioritize osu via task manager. Open task manager -> Programs -> Right click on osu -> Priority -> High
Doing so is not recommended though (but I don't know why)

Bara- wrote:

Reinstalling never fixes issues apart from update-issues (as in, the client can't update)

Try closing all background processes (especially some webbrowsers)
Oh, you can prioritize osu via task manager. Open task manager -> Programs -> Right click on osu -> Priority -> High
Doing so is not recommended though (but I don't know why)

Thanks Bara-, for responding!

I have prioritized osu! as "High" already. Forgot to mention that.
Also, I have tried running osu! by itself but the issue is still there
Note: In the past I was able to play osu! while having games (ex. CSGO) in the background, talk on discord, have 3-4 web browsers open, GIMP open, OBS open, and no issue there. EDIT: Which is why I'm stumped on this problem. .-. I believe it may be a RAM issue.

Try checking your DPC latency while playing the game to see if it may be responsible for what is happening. Other than that, monitoring Task Manager during your play to watch for periods of high CPU spiking from other processes may also be beneficial.

Have you tried enabling "Reduce Dropped Frames" in osu's settings? Settings -> Renderer -> Reduce Dropped Frames?
See if that helps.

Ephemeral wrote:

Try checking your DPC latency while playing the game to see if it may be responsible for what is happening. Other than that, monitoring Task Manager during your play to watch for periods of high CPU spiking from other processes may also be beneficial.

Thank you for the advice! I will check to see if it works, and will get back to you on it.

Pannari wrote:

Have you tried enabling "Reduce Dropped Frames" in osu's settings? Settings -> Renderer -> Reduce Dropped Frames?
See if that helps.

I have tried that, unfortunately it does not solve the issue .-. Thank you for respondng though, I appreciate it!

Kiri- wrote:

Ephemeral wrote:

Try checking your DPC latency while playing the game to see if it may be responsible for what is happening. Other than that, monitoring Task Manager during your play to watch for periods of high CPU spiking from other processes may also be beneficial.

Thank you for the advice! I will check to see if it works, and will get back to you on it.

@Ephemeral I checked and sadly that does not resolve the issue .-. i appreciate the helpful suggestion though!

It won't resolve the issue, but could you provide a screen shot of your DPC latency whilst having the game client open?

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@everyone (<--- idk if this works)

I think i found the problem, it may have been the battery. I only drain the laptop battery about once a month, which may not have been enough. overtime, I believe the amount of power going to my battery (since I always keep it fully charged) went unregulated... something like that. But yea a similar battery problem occured on my old laptop, so I believe it is beginning to happen here too. Thanks for everyone who replied and tried to help. I appreciate it... i really do. I guess i will have to purchase a new replacement battery.