Stutter, lag or packet loss? Tell them apart#
Three different problems feel similar in a fast game. Fixing the wrong one wastes an evening, so start by naming yours:
| What you see | Likely cause | Where to look |
|---|---|---|
| The whole screen freezes for a split second, often when something new appears (a hero, an ability, a new area) | Frame-time stutter on your PC — usually shader compilation, CPU spikes or storage | Your PC |
| Smooth picture, but enemies teleport, shots don’t register, or abilities fire late | Latency or packet loss between you and the server | Your connection |
| Everyone in your party lags at the same moment | Server-side trouble or a regional routing problem | The servers |
Turn on an FPS counter (Steam’s in-game overlay has one under Settings → In Game) and watch it when the hitch happens. If FPS dives at the same moment, it’s your PC. If FPS holds steady but the game rubber-bands, it’s the network.
Quick checks first#
- Restart Steam and the game after any update — Deadlock patches often, and a half-applied update causes odd behaviour.
- Verify the game files: Steam Library → right-click Deadlock → Properties → Installed Files → Verify integrity.
- Update your graphics driver from NVIDIA, AMD or Intel directly.
- Close heavy background apps — browsers with video, game launchers, overlays and recorders all compete for CPU and bandwidth.
- Plug in your laptop and set Windows to a performance power plan.
Fixes for stuttering and FPS drops#
Let shaders finish compiling
Source 2 games compile shaders the first time they see new effects. After a big update, the first few matches can hitch while this happens; it usually settles once the cache is built. Steam’s shader pre-caching option (Steam → Settings → Downloads) can help, and you shouldn’t clear your shader cache unless you’re troubleshooting.
Lower the settings that hit the CPU and memory
Stutter is more often a frame-time problem than a low average FPS. Settings that add lots of particles, shadows and post-processing push the CPU and GPU unevenly. Our best settings guide lists which options to drop first.
Cap your frame rate
A frame cap a little below what your PC can hold (for example 141 on a 144 Hz screen) gives steadier frame times than running uncapped. Use the in-game limit or your GPU driver’s limiter — not both.
Try the other renderer
Switching between Vulkan and DirectX 11 sometimes fixes stutter on specific GPUs and drivers. See Vulkan vs DX11 for how to switch and test fairly.
Check your storage and RAM
Installing to an SSD helps loading and texture streaming. If you have 8 GB of RAM, close everything else before you play — memory pressure shows up as stutter.
Fixes for lag and packet loss#
- Use a cable. Wi-Fi adds jitter and packet loss, especially on busy networks. Ethernet is the single biggest fix for most players.
- Stop other uploads and downloads on your network — cloud backups, game updates, streaming on other devices.
- Restart your router if packet loss started recently.
- Check your matchmaking region so you aren’t being placed far from home (see servers and matchmaking).
- Test outside the game: a packet-loss test or a ping to a reliable host shows whether the problem is your line. If it is, your ISP needs to know.
Skip “ping booster” and VPN offers
Paid “ping reducers” rarely beat a direct route, and some VPN use can conflict with game rules. Fix your local network first.
When it’s the servers#
If your whole party lags at once, or the problem started right after an update for many players, it’s likely server-side. Check the official Deadlock forum and community channels; there’s little you can do locally beyond waiting or switching region. Our server status guide explains where to look.