DPC Latency

Deferred Procedure Call latency describes how long Windows waits to finish lower-priority work scheduled by hardware interrupt handlers. Audio interfaces, live streaming tools, and other real-time workloads are sensitive to long delays, which can cause clicks, dropouts, or stutter even when average CPU use is low. Measurement tools can identify the module spending the most time in these deferred routines, but one high reading is not enough to blame a device. Test during the workload that fails, update or roll back the named network, storage, USB, or graphics package, and compare results. Avoid disabling security or core power-management features permanently just to improve a synthetic score; confirm that the real audio or video problem also disappears.