Sound that runs ahead, a picture that stutters every few seconds, and a game that speeds up are three symptoms of the same timing problem.
Match the **sample rate** everywhere, choose **audio sync over video sync**, and stop the emulator and the desktop compositor from **double-capping the frame rate**.
Syncing to audio keeps the sound clean and lets the picture repeat a frame; syncing to video keeps motion smooth and can crackle. On a modern machine, audio sync plus a frame limit is the quieter default.
The emulator, the Windows device and any virtual mixer must agree. A 44.1 kHz emulator on a 48 kHz device resamples and slowly drifts away from the video.
Settings > System > Sound > Advanced > 48000 HzV-sync in the emulator plus a compositor plus a driver-level limiter each add latency and cause stutter every few seconds. Leave one limiter on and disable the others.
NVIDIA Control Panel > Manage 3D settings > Max Frame RateAn overlay with frame times shows a spike of 30 milliseconds every second, which is what stutter looks like in numbers. A steady 16.7 beats an average that hides spikes.
Crackling at a low buffer is a scheduling problem, not a broken emulator. Double the buffer, test the same scene, then reduce it again if the latency is acceptable.
Borderless windowed on a 60 Hz panel with a 59.94 game drifts once a minute. Exclusive fullscreen or a matching refresh rate removes that specific mismatch.
A sample rate mismatch somewhere in the chain, often a virtual device. Check every device, then the emulator.
Two frame limiters fighting. Disable the driver-level one and keep the emulator's.
A 60 Hz assumption on a 59.94 Hz game or the reverse. Choose the region-matching rate.
The buffer is too small for the extra load. Raise it and retest the same scene.
For pacing, usually. For alt-tab convenience, no; pick what the game needs.
No. A stable 60 with consistent frame times looks better than an unstable 120.
Restore the previous audio device settings and the sync option in the emulator. Nothing is written to your game files.
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