I've had this PC for about six years. It has an RTX 3070 Ti, an Intel Core i7, 16 GB of RAM, and roughly 2 TB of storage. I mainly use it for gaming, and it has handled demanding games such as Elden Ring and Forza without much trouble.
After leaving it unused for six days, it started having serious problems. When I launch a game, it runs normally for around two minutes, then the system freezes, my headset produces a loud buzzing sound, and the PC shuts down. After restarting, it either crashes again or performs much worse than before. Apex Legends used to run around 200 FPS on high settings, but now it only reaches about 50 FPS on the lowest settings and drops to 20 FPS during fights or rapid camera movement.
I've scanned for malware, freed up plenty of storage, and updated the graphics drivers. I'm wondering whether the graphics card is failing, but I'd prefer to avoid paying for a professional diagnosis or replacing expensive parts if possible. What should I test first, and is there a realistic way to keep the system running for another year while I finish Elden Ring?
5 Answers
If the hardware checks look normal, back up your files and consider reinstalling Windows. A clean installation can rule out damaged system files, driver conflicts, or background software problems. It’s worth trying after making sure your important saves and documents are backed up, but the sudden shutdown still makes temperatures, power delivery, and hardware stability the priority.
Try isolating the graphics card. If your processor has integrated graphics, connect the monitor to the motherboard video output and run the system without using the RTX card. Gaming performance will be poor, but if the crashes stop and the desktop remains stable, that points toward the GPU, its power connection, or the power supply.
The exact model of the i7 matters, especially if it’s one of the newer models with known stability issues. Also check whether the CPU or GPU is being detected correctly and whether either one is stuck at an unusually low clock speed. Monitoring temperatures, clock speeds, and power usage while running a game should help identify whether this is overheating or throttling.
Run a proper hardware stress test while monitoring temperatures and errors. Test the CPU, GPU, memory, and especially the combined power test separately rather than immediately replacing parts. A failing power supply can cause freezes, buzzing audio, sudden shutdowns, and major performance drops under load.
Start by checking temperatures while gaming. A clogged heatsink, failed fan, or dried-out thermal paste can cause the CPU or GPU to overheat, throttle heavily, and eventually shut the system down. Open the case, clean out the dust, and make sure every fan is spinning properly. If temperatures are excessive, servicing the cooler or replacing thermal pads may be much cheaper than replacing the graphics card.
I had very similar crashes, and cleaning the inside of the case fixed them. I’d definitely check temperatures before assuming the GPU is dead.
This is a good diagnostic step, although some i7 models do not include integrated graphics, so it won’t work in every system.