I built this PC in 2021 and it worked reliably until recently. Now Valheim and Baldur's Gate 3 eventually cause the computer to crash after I've been playing for a while. I've added extra case fans, and the system sits on top of my desk with plenty of airflow. Nothing seems obviously overheated: the GPU is around 46°C and the CPU averages about 40°C. When the crash happens, the screen goes completely black, but the fans and lights stay on. I have to hold the power button to shut it down and restart it. Are any of these components outdated or likely to need replacement, and what should I check first? The system has an Intel Core i7-11700KF, Asetek 650LX 120mm liquid cooler, 16GB DDR4-3200, GeForce RTX 3070 8GB, MSI Z590 Pro WiFi motherboard, and a 1TB Kingston NV1 M.2 SSD.
4 Answers
Since the system is several years old, cleaning and replacing the thermal paste on both the CPU and GPU could be worthwhile, especially if the graphics card has never been serviced. Have replacement thermal pads available before opening the GPU, because the pads vary in thickness and may not reseat correctly.
The parts themselves aren’t especially outdated for these games, so I wouldn’t replace the whole platform yet. The power supply is important here, though. A 700W Gold unit should generally be enough for an i7-11700KF and RTX 3070, but a failing or low-quality PSU can cause a black screen while leaving the fans and lighting running. Check the exact model and consider testing with a known-good PSU.
The hardware is still capable, but if the operating system and firmware haven’t been refreshed since 2021, a clean OS installation plus current chipset, motherboard, BIOS, and graphics drivers is a reasonable troubleshooting step. Before reinstalling, also run memory tests and check the SSD’s health. If the crash continues after software updates, test the GPU and PSU individually rather than buying replacement parts blindly.
The computer has never had a clean OS reinstall, so I’ll add that to the troubleshooting list along with checking the drivers and firmware.
Those reported temperatures are normal, so overheating doesn’t seem like the obvious cause. A black screen with the machine still powered points more toward the GPU, power delivery, a driver problem, or a system hang than simply poor case airflow. Check Windows Event Viewer and reliability history, reinstall the graphics driver cleanly, and try reducing the GPU power limit or disabling any overclock to see whether stability improves.
The power supply is a 700W 80 Plus Gold unit. I’ll check its exact model and see whether I can test with another one.