I recently built a new PC focused on optimizing airflow, which keeps it cool even under heavy loads. However, I'm concerned about whether having an aggressive fan curve is a bad idea. For instance, when I play Cyberpunk 2077, my GPU temperature hits around 60°C during intense gaming but drops to approximately 30°C within 5 seconds when I pause the game due to decreased GPU usage. Is this rapid temperature change a cause for concern? I'm more interested in the impact on temperature change rather than the longevity of the fans.
6 Answers
Don't sweat it! The quick temperature changes happen for all GPUs and CPUs, especially when they switch from heavy loads to idle. Unless you're dropping super drastically in temp—like more than 90 degrees—you're in the clear. Plus, aggressive fan curves can lead to more noise and dust, but it won't harm your components.
It sounds like your current settings are too aggressive. You might want to download MSI Afterburner and set a custom fan curve that starts lower, maybe around 30% at 30°C and then ramps up from there. This way, your fans can respond more smoothly to temperature changes instead of jumping to high speeds suddenly.
Honestly, your GPU is probably fine with those temp swings. The only downside might be the noise from the fans getting super loud, but I wouldn’t worry too much about hardware damage.
Just to clarify, how did you set your fan curves? I’m using a background application myself, but I've heard it's something best adjusted in the BIOS. I'm still pretty new to this, so I’d love any tips!
The temperature changes you're seeing aren't an issue at all. The rapid drop when you pause the game is mainly because the GPU isn't doing any work, not just because of the fan curve. But if you're worried about noise, you might consider implementing hysteresis to gradually adjust the fan speed instead of making abrupt changes when the game pauses.
That sounds like a great plan! I should definitely look into that for a quieter experience.