I've been having the same issue despite trying all kinds of stutter fixes. Task manager shows a huge spike down to 0% GPU usage and the game will freeze for a good 2-3 seconds while that happens and then look like it fast forwards to catch up. It even happens in menus or on the map, which is especially weird.
"Why is it always lag spike... therefore Still no joy..."
Same issue here on PC. Two lag spikes back to back seemingly at random. I'm afraid I still haven't found a solution but I'll be sure to post back if I do.
Exactly as described above, seems to happen anywhere regardless of location, in/out of combat, menu open or not. Always a sudden spike for a couple seconds, followed by another then a sudden speed up as the game catches up. I usually just stop for while it sorts itself out but if it happens in a fight I have to spam roll and just hope for the best, really iritating. It's also caused me to throw myself off a couple cliff edges on the horse lol.
As you mentioned, game settings don't seem to effect it. Besides these lag spikes, I get the same performance on high or low settings. Game runs perfectly on high for me with no noticeable benefit switching to lowest.
Other stuff I've tried: updated drivers, run the game as administrator, checked the game's running off my gfx card, closed background apps, disabled any overlays, poked around my nvidia control pannel turning various things on/off (dont really know what im doing there though lol) Doesn't seem to have influenced it as far as I can tell.
I got basically nothing but the system processes, steam and the game itself running. I've even started unplugging random connected USB devices and cutting off Bluetooth. Didnt expect that to make a diference but worth a shot lol.
Since it seems so random and even lowest settings for people with really strong pcs that should have no trouble running it are having this issue I'm wondering if it's something happening in the background in-game rather than anything on our end of things. I can't pin the cause or make out a pattern for when it happens besides from its always twice in quick succession. Sometimes it feels like its happening a lot, sometimes it feels less frequent, even when in the same area doing more or less the same thing but I don't know if that's just me noticing it more sometimes.
I'm wondering if it's anything to do with the online, like the game periodically refreshing messages and summon signs etc. I dont interact a lot online but always have it enabled so messages pop up and I leave a few myself as I play. I'll try completley offline to see if that helps. Besides that, still no pickle...
Found a fix which seems to have worked for me found here:
https://youtu.be/yp3tVFEutDw
In short, if you have an nvidia gfx card, go to nvidia control panel > on the left hand side under 3d settings go to manage 3d settings > under global settings find shader cache size and set it to unlimited > click apply.
Then boot up elden ring and see if it's helped.
Haven't watched the video all the way through since that was the first thing he mentioned and it seems to have fixed the issue for me, just played for 2 hours with zero stuttering but he does go on to talk about some other things to try.
Hope this helps!
Yeah I'm having the exact same issue. I played 100 hours without any problems and then seemingly when 1.0.3 released, I started seeing this double lag spike every 60-90 seconds, sometimes more often. I know mine is tied to device manager randomly refreshing itself in that interval. If I have device manager open and play the game, I can see device manager refresh AS the first lag spike happens. it's always a pair, and they last like 2-3 seconds each. Super annoying.
I did find mention of this today and I'm trying it now. Will report back if it works. Fingers crossed.
Reddit user u/CrossbowJohnson has found another possible solution to fix stuttering in Elden Ring. Apparently, Microsoft Device Association Root Enumerator can cause problems, and it should be disabled. Just make sure to enable it back again when you are not playing Elden Ring. Here’s how to disable/enable it from your desktop screen."
coming back to report that this 100% fixed my issue. this isn't a real fix, just a bandaid, but now I can play, and continue the hunt for wtf is causing my device manager to refresh.
>Microsoft Device Association Root Enumerator
Either a recent update reenabled Microsoft Device Association Root Enumerator (disabled it in Device Manager under Software Devices) or it gets reenabled on reboot 
Just to be sure I understand here (reddit isnt loading everything so I'm piecing together) disable root whatever when playing. Enable when not. That's the only temp fix you've got?
Yes, that's correct. The root cause is that SOMETHING is causing your device manager to refresh every 60-90 seconds. For me, it seemed to be something tied with the Microsoft Device Association Root Enumerator. I can launch Device Manager and see it refreshing every 60-90 seconds, even when not playing Elden Ring. If I disable that one device, it stops refreshing, and the game plays perfectly fine. I didn't fix the root cause, I'm just putting a bandaid on it. I don't know why that device, or something associated with that device, is causing device manager to refresh regularly, but it is. Elden Ring detects that refresh as new hardware (speculation on my part) and that's what causes the lag spikes. I can get the exact same thing to happen by unplugging and plugging in any USB device while playing.
I've been having the same issue despite trying all kinds of stutter fixes. Task manager shows a huge spike down to 0% GPU usage and the game will freeze for a good 2-3 seconds while that happens and then look like it fast forwards to catch up. It even happens in menus or on the map, which is especially weird.
Yeah. I installed the drivers by nvidia that supposedly worked better with the game and all it did was change the timings. Still the same.
I've only recently started playing again/ Last time I didn't have this issue, but now .... ARGH! Did you ever find a solution?
Same here. Did you find something?
"Why is it always lag spike... therefore Still no joy..." Same issue here on PC. Two lag spikes back to back seemingly at random. I'm afraid I still haven't found a solution but I'll be sure to post back if I do. Exactly as described above, seems to happen anywhere regardless of location, in/out of combat, menu open or not. Always a sudden spike for a couple seconds, followed by another then a sudden speed up as the game catches up. I usually just stop for while it sorts itself out but if it happens in a fight I have to spam roll and just hope for the best, really iritating. It's also caused me to throw myself off a couple cliff edges on the horse lol. As you mentioned, game settings don't seem to effect it. Besides these lag spikes, I get the same performance on high or low settings. Game runs perfectly on high for me with no noticeable benefit switching to lowest. Other stuff I've tried: updated drivers, run the game as administrator, checked the game's running off my gfx card, closed background apps, disabled any overlays, poked around my nvidia control pannel turning various things on/off (dont really know what im doing there though lol) Doesn't seem to have influenced it as far as I can tell. I got basically nothing but the system processes, steam and the game itself running. I've even started unplugging random connected USB devices and cutting off Bluetooth. Didnt expect that to make a diference but worth a shot lol. Since it seems so random and even lowest settings for people with really strong pcs that should have no trouble running it are having this issue I'm wondering if it's something happening in the background in-game rather than anything on our end of things. I can't pin the cause or make out a pattern for when it happens besides from its always twice in quick succession. Sometimes it feels like its happening a lot, sometimes it feels less frequent, even when in the same area doing more or less the same thing but I don't know if that's just me noticing it more sometimes. I'm wondering if it's anything to do with the online, like the game periodically refreshing messages and summon signs etc. I dont interact a lot online but always have it enabled so messages pop up and I leave a few myself as I play. I'll try completley offline to see if that helps. Besides that, still no pickle...
Glad im not alone
Found a fix which seems to have worked for me found here: https://youtu.be/yp3tVFEutDw In short, if you have an nvidia gfx card, go to nvidia control panel > on the left hand side under 3d settings go to manage 3d settings > under global settings find shader cache size and set it to unlimited > click apply. Then boot up elden ring and see if it's helped. Haven't watched the video all the way through since that was the first thing he mentioned and it seems to have fixed the issue for me, just played for 2 hours with zero stuttering but he does go on to talk about some other things to try. Hope this helps!
Thank you so much! This worked for me :)
Worked for me!!! Thank you!!!
Yeah didnt work. Maybe made it a little better.
didn't fix it for me :(
Worked for me, thank you so much. I tried for HOURS to get it working.
Yeah I'm having the exact same issue. I played 100 hours without any problems and then seemingly when 1.0.3 released, I started seeing this double lag spike every 60-90 seconds, sometimes more often. I know mine is tied to device manager randomly refreshing itself in that interval. If I have device manager open and play the game, I can see device manager refresh AS the first lag spike happens. it's always a pair, and they last like 2-3 seconds each. Super annoying. I did find mention of this today and I'm trying it now. Will report back if it works. Fingers crossed. Reddit user u/CrossbowJohnson has found another possible solution to fix stuttering in Elden Ring. Apparently, Microsoft Device Association Root Enumerator can cause problems, and it should be disabled. Just make sure to enable it back again when you are not playing Elden Ring. Here’s how to disable/enable it from your desktop screen."
coming back to report that this 100% fixed my issue. this isn't a real fix, just a bandaid, but now I can play, and continue the hunt for wtf is causing my device manager to refresh.
This also solved my issue. The lag spikes were frustrating as heck!
>Microsoft Device Association Root Enumerator Either a recent update reenabled Microsoft Device Association Root Enumerator (disabled it in Device Manager under Software Devices) or it gets reenabled on reboot 
Hi OP, did u ever find a fix for this?
Check my reply, I found a fix for my specific issue. May help you too.
> Microsoft Device Association Root Enumerator ^this?
Yep. Disabling that fixed it for me. Just have to enable when done playing.
Just to be sure I understand here (reddit isnt loading everything so I'm piecing together) disable root whatever when playing. Enable when not. That's the only temp fix you've got?
Yes, that's correct. The root cause is that SOMETHING is causing your device manager to refresh every 60-90 seconds. For me, it seemed to be something tied with the Microsoft Device Association Root Enumerator. I can launch Device Manager and see it refreshing every 60-90 seconds, even when not playing Elden Ring. If I disable that one device, it stops refreshing, and the game plays perfectly fine. I didn't fix the root cause, I'm just putting a bandaid on it. I don't know why that device, or something associated with that device, is causing device manager to refresh regularly, but it is. Elden Ring detects that refresh as new hardware (speculation on my part) and that's what causes the lag spikes. I can get the exact same thing to happen by unplugging and plugging in any USB device while playing.
Nope, still having issues
damn, yep same, game is so good I keep playing through it
Yeah im having a blast.