System Specs:

OS: Win 7 Professional

System Type: x64-based PC

Processor: Intell Xeon X5470 @ 3.16GHz, 4 Core(s), 4 Logical Processor(s)

RAM: 16.0 GB

Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670

Monitor: DELL S2440L 24"

So after several weeks of playing BF4 with no problems (Probably getting around 60FPS) my frame-rate started to dip into the Mid 30's and High 20's.

I tried OC my CPU, unparking my CPU, turning off almost ALL processes except for BF4 and other essential programs.

What I notice is that my frame-rate dips as soon as I get involved in action, but if I turn away from the action then my FPS jumps to 60 FPS.

I don't know if it's an issue with packet loss because I have been playing on servers with around 10 people, with latency below 20 ping.

I've tried going back to an older version of my driver, nothing.

Even if lower my settings to ALL low, the FPS remains around 30.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I need to update to my current rig or any tricks to help improve my FPS?

This is what the Geforce experience suggests for my settings:

Ambient Occlusion: HBAO

Anti-Aliasing Deferred: Off

Anti-Aliasing Post: High

Effects: Low

Lightning: Ultra

Mesh: Low

Post-Process: Ultra

Resolutoin: 1920x1080

Resolution Scale: 100

Terrain Decoration: High

Terrain Quality: Ultra

Texture Filtering: Low

Texture Quality: Low

(Mind you I turn off V-sync)

Isn't a Xeon a server CPU?

Those suggested settings are absolutely wack. Lighting, AA, AO and Post-Processing are all the things which will take the largest hit on your framerate, yet those are all Ultra while everything else is low?! I would turn AO off completely, AA down to Low and Lighting to medium or something. Lighting is the only one where you will see much of a visual dip anyway. You can definitely bring Texture Quality all the way up as that is limited by VRAM and you have plenty.

However, as to why the sudden drop, no idea.

@bollard it's quite frustrating to be honest. I even tried playing the singleplayer on the LOWEST of LOW settings. I'm talking lowest resolution, everything on low, v-sync off, and I am still getting 25-30 FPS.

Buy the PS4 version, it runs pretty much perfect now, running the equivalent of high settings in 900p @ 60 FPS.

Joking aside, I can't help you with technical advice. I'd just set it all to medium or high details and turn off all the post effects stuff like AA and blur and whatnot. Honestly, I'd just stop trying and hope the next patch solves your problem again. It seems like a patch introduced something that doesn't jell with your rather exotic hardware. Try to get over it for the time being, and get back to playing the game and not thinking about the fact that it should run a lot better. It's still playable at 30 FPS.

Hell - I played (and enjoyed the fuck out of) BF4 on PS3 for the first month...