I built a high-end gaming rig back in June 2020, featuring an Intel Core i9-9900k CPU and an EVGA Geforce RTX 2080 Ti Hybrid XC GPU, among other specs. Recently, I've noticed a concerning issue: whenever I connect all three of my 1440p monitors or even when I use 1-2 monitors for moderately graphic-intensive tasks like playing Roblox, my GPU temperature skyrockets to 100 degrees Celsius within just a couple of minutes, causing it to shut down and the fans to go into overdrive. However, if I'm just browsing the web or watching YouTube, it stays around 56-58 degrees. This problem has been sporadic for about three years now, often leaving me without a working computer for long stretches only to self-resolve for a short time before reappearing. I initially thought it might be a motherboard issue due to previous beeping problems at startup, but that seems to have passed. Based on my recent findings about the GPU temperature, I'm leaning toward the GPU being the main culprit now. I've tried various fixes like reseating the GPU, reapplying thermal paste, updating the drivers, and adjusting settings in MSI Afterburner, but nothing has worked. It's frustrating since this GPU is pricey and hasn't been overclocked much. Does anyone have any ideas on how to troubleshoot or fix this issue?
2 Answers
It sounds like your thermal paste or thermal pads might be the problem. They can degrade over time, especially under heavy use, so it might be worth trying to replace them. I had a similar issue before, and swapping those out really helped.
Since you've got an EVGA hybrid cooler, it's also possible that the pump for the liquid cooling might have failed. If that’s the case, it could definitely lead to overheating. Have you checked if the pump is working?
No, I haven't tested the pump yet. The Geek Squad guy suggested it might be an issue too. Is there an easy way to check if the pump is functioning properly? If it is indeed dead, can the GPU still be salvaged?
I had the thermal paste replaced today at Best Buy, which helped lower the idle temp a bit, but the overheating issue still persists. They mentioned they couldn't do anything about the thermal pads either.