I've been experiencing issues with my EVGA RTX 2080 Super graphics card while gaming. Over the last two days, it crashed multiple times, causing the screen to go dark and the fans to ramp up to 100%. I regularly clean my PC, but given the high temperatures, I decided to dust it out and repaste both the GPU and CPU. After putting everything back together, the computer powered on, but when I ran Furmark, it crashed again after about 10 seconds. Now, I can't use the graphics card at all; it runs at 100% fan speed with black screens even during boot. I've tried reconnecting all the cables and reseating the card, but nothing changes. Is my GPU dead? If it is, what replacements do you recommend that fit under $500?
5 Answers
How often do you reapply the GPU cooler? Most users don’t need to do this frequently. Just a thought, but if you’ve had your card since late 2019 and this was your first repaste, that could be a factor. It's usually not something you have to worry about unless you’re experiencing overheating issues constantly.
It sounds like your GPU might be toast. Since you've already tried cleaning and reseating it, I’d recommend checking if your CPU has integrated graphics and see if you can boot from that. Also, if your motherboard is functioning well, you might want to look for a replacement. For solid upgrades, consider a 3080 or a 4070 series — look for deals on used cards online. You might find someone selling one at a great price just to clear out their old gear.
Quick question — what power supply unit (PSU) are you using? Also, you might want to run Memtest86 from a bootable USB to check your RAM before concluding that the GPU is the issue.
I've had some 20 series cards fail due to not having proper support, and the chip can delaminate if it overheats too much. If you're finding the 5060TI for under $500 challenging, keep looking! They do sell out quickly, but a 4070 would be an excellent choice too if you can find it used for a decent price.
Yep, sounds like a dead GPU. But hey, what games do you play? That could help narrow down your next steps.
Related Questions
Lenovo Thinkpad Stuck In Update Loop Install FilterDriverU2_Reload