I've been having some serious overheating issues with my Asus TUF 3080 graphics card while playing Chiv 2. The hotspot temperatures are fluctuating between 104-106°C, and it's become a real problem. Other temps are reading 70°C for both the GPU and memory. I've already reapplied thermal paste and pads three times over the past three years, using Grizzly Minus 8 and currently waiting on Gelid GP-Extremes. Although this Powerspec G901 PC from Microcenter isn't the greatest case, reviews suggested the Asus TUF cooling should be sufficient, but that's not the case for me. The card overheats and shuts down during graphically intensive games like Baldur's Gate 3, which is beyond frustrating as it costs me progress. I'm using HWMonitor for temp readings and feeling at the end of my rope here with this card. Could it be irreparably damaged?
4 Answers
After your three repasting attempts, it does sound like your card might be on its way out. Sometimes repeated overheating can lead to lasting damage.
Check your fan curve settings. Are the fans ramping up to 100% when needed? If they're not kicking in properly, that might contribute to your overheating issues. How have you got yours set up?
I've got it on a PWM setting with turbo presets. It’s supposed to ramp up quite a bit, but it doesn't seem to help much with the heat, especially on the back where the memory is.
Make sure you're using the right thickness for your thermal pads. If they aren't compressing properly, that could lead to increased hotspot temperatures. Check the measurements; it's easy to get that wrong, especially if it's your first time repasting. What sources are you following for those measurements?
I've relied on some community recommendations, but this is my first repaste, so I'm worried about not getting it right. It’s been pretty frustrating.
You might want to consider switching to thermal putty instead of pads if getting the right pad thickness has been tricky. It might give you better contact with the cooler for your GPU's core.
Do you have suggestions for good thermal putty? I'm down to try anything at this point!
I hear you; I’ve also had a card that wouldn’t cool down after so many tries. Keep an eye out; you might be nearing the end with this one.