space-5794 Fortnite

Fortnite Stutter Every 4-7 Seconds with Game Latency Spikes - Fix Guide

📅 Published: 2026-02-06 🔄 Updated: 2026-02-06 👥 Reports: 29 ⚡ Severity: 🔴 High

🎯 Quick Answer

Disable the unused Realtek 2.5 Gbps Ethernet adapter in Windows Device Manager, as its hardware interrupts cause rhythmic main-thread stalls in Fortnite.

SECTION 1: OVERVIEW

This documentation addresses a specific, rhythmic performance degradation in Fortnite on the Windows platform. The error manifests as consistent micro-freezes or hitches occurring every 4 to 7 seconds, sometimes extending to 10-second intervals. The issue is present across various game versions and updates, independent of specific seasonal content. This problem is classified as an occasional but high-impact configuration conflict, resulting in a game-breaking disruption to smooth gameplay. Analysis of in-game performance markers confirms the stutter correlates directly with sharp, isolated spikes in the "Game" latency metric, while GPU, render, driver, and network latencies remain stable. This indicates a stall in the game's primary logic thread. The root cause is a hardware interrupt conflict originating from a specific network adapter driver, not a core game bug.

SECTION 2: SYMPTOMS

The application exhibits a consistent, rhythmic micro-freeze during gameplay and in menu screens. The stutter occurs at precise 4-7 second intervals, causing a perceptible hitch. Performance monitoring tools show a sudden, singular spike in the "Game ms" latency graph coinciding with each visual stutter. The frame rate counter may remain stable, confirming the issue is not a traditional frame drop. The system may exhibit broader latency, with cursor stutters persisting in other applications while Fortnite is running. The error initiates after a period of normal operation, often following a fresh Windows installation, and persists indefinitely across game sessions until the underlying conflict is resolved.

SECTION 3: COMMON CAUSES

Category: Hardware Interrupt Conflict Specific Technical Explanation: The Realtek PCIe 2.5GbE Family Controller network adapter generates excessive hardware interrupts (ISRs/DPCs) at regular intervals, even when the physical port is disconnected. Windows continues to poll the device. These high-priority system interrupts preempt Fortnite's main game thread, causing the observed rhythmic stalls. Category: Driver Incompatibility Specific Technical Explanation: Outdated or faulty Realtek 2.5 Gbps Ethernet drivers (versions prior to 10.77.20) contain inefficient interrupt moderation logic. This results in excessive interrupt request (IRQ) load on the CPU, degrading system-wide latency and directly impacting real-time application performance. Category: Software Conflict Specific Technical Explanation: Fortnite's anti-cheat or networking subsystems perform low-level hardware enumeration that conflicts with the power state or interrupt handling of the 2.5G adapter. This conflict triggers the periodic stuttering only after certain game or system states are initialized. Category: Configuration Error Specific Technical Explanation: Having multiple active network adapters (e.g., Wi-Fi and multiple Ethernet controllers) without proper binding order can cause network stack irregularities. Background Windows services polling the unused but enabled high-speed adapter introduce latency spikes. Category: Operating System Scheduling Specific Technical Explanation: The Windows timer resolution or thread scheduler incorrectly prioritizes deferred procedure calls (DPCs) from the network driver over the game process. This creates a predictable pattern of thread stalls aligned with driver polling intervals.

SECTION 4: SOLUTIONS

Solution 1: Disable Unused Realtek 2.5G Ethernet Adapter

Difficulty: Easy Time Required: 2 minutes Success Rate: High Prerequisites: Administrator account Steps:

Press the Windows key + X and select Device Manager from the menu.
Expand the Network adapters section.
Locate the entry named Realtek PCIe 2.5GbE Family Controller.
Right-click the adapter and select Disable device.
Confirm the action in the dialog box that appears.
Restart the computer for the change to take full effect.

Technical Explanation: This action prevents the Windows kernel from loading the driver and scheduling hardware interrupts for this specific device. Eliminating the source of the periodic DPCs removes the conflict that stalls Fortnite's main thread. Verification: Launch Fortnite and monitor gameplay for the characteristic 4-7 second stutter. Use the in-game performance overlay to confirm the "Game ms" graph no longer shows regular, isolated spikes.

Solution 2: Update Realtek 2.5GbE Network Driver

Difficulty: Medium Time Required: 10 minutes Success Rate: High Prerequisites: Internet access, Administrator account Steps:

Identify your motherboard manufacturer and model from system information or documentation.
Visit the manufacturer's support website, navigate to your motherboard model, and locate the LAN or Network driver section.
Download the latest driver package for the Realtek 2.5GbE adapter. Target version 10.77.20 or newer.
Run the installer, following the on-screen prompts to complete the installation.
Alternatively, open Device Manager, right-click the Realtek PCIe 2.5GbE Family Controller, and select Update driver > Browse my computer for drivers. Navigate to the extracted driver folder.
After installation, restart the system.

Technical Explanation: Driver version 10.77.20 and later include critical fixes for interrupt moderation and DPC latency. The update optimizes how the driver handles packet processing and communicates with the Windows kernel, reducing unnecessary CPU overhead. Verification: Check the driver version in Device Manager under the adapter's Properties > Driver tab. Confirm the stutter pattern is resolved during extended Fortnite gameplay.

Solution 3: Adjust Network Adapter Advanced Properties

Difficulty: Advanced Time Required: 5 minutes Success Rate: Medium Prerequisites: Administrator account Steps:

Open Device Manager and expand Network adapters.
Right-click Realtek PCIe 2.5GbE Family Controller and select Properties.
Navigate to the Advanced tab.
In the Property list, locate and select Interrupt Moderation or Interrupt Moderation Rate. Set its Value to Disabled or Lowest.
Locate the Receive Side Scaling property and set it to Disabled.
Locate the Flow Control property and set it to Disabled.
Click OK and restart the system.

Technical Explanation: Disabling interrupt moderation forces the adapter to interrupt the CPU more frequently but for shorter durations, which can prevent the buildup of DPCs that cause long stalls. Disabling Receive Side Scaling and Flow Control simplifies the driver's data path, reducing potential latency variability. Verification: Test Fortnite for a reduction in stutter severity and frequency. Use a tool like LatencyMon to observe if DPC latency spikes associated with the ndis.sys or rt2x5x64.sys drivers are reduced.

Solution 4: Set Network Adapter Power Management

Difficulty: Easy Time Required: 3 minutes Success Rate: Low Prerequisites: Administrator account Steps:

Open Device Manager and expand Network adapters.
Right-click Realtek PCIe 2.5GbE Family Controller and select Properties.
Go to the Power Management tab.
Uncheck the option labeled Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.
Click OK.

Technical Explanation: This prevents Windows from placing the network adapter into a low-power state. Periodic wake-ups from these states can cause latency spikes. Keeping the adapter in a consistent active state provides more predictable interrupt behavior. Verification: The stutter interval may become less predictable or reduce in severity. This is often a supplementary fix used in conjunction with a driver update.

Solution 5: Perform a Clean Boot and Isolate the Conflict

Difficulty: Medium Time Required: 15 minutes Success Rate: Medium Prerequisites: Administrator account Steps:

Press Windows key + R, type msconfig, and press Enter.
In the System Configuration window, go to the Services tab.
Check Hide all Microsoft services, then click Disable all.
Navigate to the Startup tab and click Open Task Manager.
Disable all startup items in Task Manager.
Close Task Manager, click OK in System Configuration, and restart the PC.
Launch Fortnite and test for stutters. If resolved, re-enable services and startup items in groups to identify the conflicting software.

Technical Explanation: This process starts Windows with a minimal set of drivers and startup programs. It isolates third-party software conflicts that may be interacting poorly with the network adapter driver or Fortnite's processes. Verification: A clean boot eliminates the stutter if a background service is the catalyst. Systematic re-enabling identifies the specific service causing the recurrence of the issue.

SECTION 5: PREVENTION

Maintain updated motherboard chipset and network adapter drivers sourced from the manufacturer's official website. Regularly review Device Manager for unused hardware components and disable non-essential devices. Configure Windows Update to deliver driver updates but verify their version and source post-installation. After any major Windows feature update, re-check network adapter advanced properties and power management settings. Establish a system monitoring baseline using performance tools to quickly identify the re-emergence of latency spikes. Avoid installing redundant network management software from motherboard vendors.

SECTION 6: WHEN TO CONTACT SUPPORT

Contact Epic Games Support if all network adapter solutions fail and the rhythmic stutter persists exclusively in Fortnite. Provide a detailed report including the specific "Game ms" spike pattern from the in-game performance overlay, a full DxDiag output, and the Fortnite game logs located in C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Local\FortniteGame\Saved\Logs. Escalate to motherboard or system manufacturer support if the issue manifests as system-wide latency, or if the Realtek adapter exhibits problems in other applications. Provide them with the exact driver version and any relevant Windows Event Viewer logs from the System section.