I've been experiencing some heating problems with my Gigabyte GTX 1660 Super while playing Minecraft using Complementary Shaders on low settings. The temperature gradually rises from around 60°C to 85°C and holds there, even with the fans running at full speed. Here are my specs:
- CPU: i5-12450F
- GPU: GIGABYTE GTX 1660 SUPER D6 6G (GV-N166SD6-6GD)
- Settings: Locked at 120 FPS.
To address this, I've tried repasting the GPU, which didn't help much, and removing the side panel of my case only reduced the temp by about 5°C. Currently, I'm limiting the power to 60% to keep temps around 65-70°C, but that significantly impacts my clock speeds.
Now, I have a few questions: 1. Could the heatsink be warped or not making proper contact with the GPU? 2. Is there a chance that the thermal pads being used are a problem since my card has Hynix VRAM? 3. Should I consider taking it to a professional repair shop to examine the mounting pressure or the thermal pads?
3 Answers
Since you’ve already repasted, and the open case only helped a bit, it’s likely not a simple fix. Older cards can sometimes have mounting issues due to wear. Selling your current card could actually help fund a new one, especially since professional fixes might cost more than that. Just a thought!
If taking off your case's side panel helps, you might want to look into adding better intake fans for improved airflow. 85°C is technically fine, but if you're pushing higher resolutions, that card might struggle. Instead of professional repairs, consider upgrading to a better GPU—it may be worth the investment instead of trying to salvage an old card.
While 85°C is on the high side, it’s not necessarily alarming. Shaders can really push a GPU, and your GTX 1660 Super, while once a good card, is getting older. Your temps reflect what I’d expect for that setup, and it’s probable that the GPU is throttling performance to manage heat. I wouldn’t worry too much if it’s not hitting the absolute maximum temps. It's just the nature of running those kind of graphics in Minecraft.
Even if it's older, it still provided great value back then. Just keep an eye on the temps!