Hey everyone! I've been dealing with a really frustrating problem: my PC just shuts off completely when I try to play games. It's not a BSOD or a restart; it's like someone just pulled the power cord out. The RAM lights stay on, which is kind of strange. I first thought it might be overheating, but I've checked the temperatures and even run stress tests with OCCT and Furmark, and everything looks normal. My dad also uses this PC for heavy video rendering in Premiere and After Effects without any issues. However, every time I boot up games like Helldivers 2 or Fortnite, the PC shuts down immediately.
I've tried a bunch of things to sort this out: I lowered the graphics settings, adjusted the power plan, reset the CMOS, used MSI Afterburner to limit power usage, and even reinstalled drivers and Windows, but the problem persists. Some people have mentioned that it could be the PSU, but I can't really test that theory. I've heard from others who faced similar issues, and even after replacing their PSUs, the problem didn't go away.
What can I do to troubleshoot further before I take it to a technician? I'd really appreciate any tips! Here are my specs:
- Ryzen 7 5800XT
- RTX 3080 10GB Asus Tuf Gaming
- MSI X570-A PRO Motherboard
- 32GB DDR4 RAM Corsair Vengeance Pro (2x16 at 3200MHz in dual channel)
- Aerocool Cylon 4F cooler
- 6 Aerocool fans
- Seasonic Focus GX 850W Gold PSU
3 Answers
Have you checked how many cables you’re using for the GPU? I’ve found that the RTX 3080 can sometimes have transient spikes that cause crashes. Even with a solid 850W PSU, it can still be an issue if you’re using just one cable for both power connectors. It might be worth trying separate cables for stability!
Have you made any recent changes to your setup? It sounds like this shutdown issue started around last summer with Helldivers 2, but did anything change in your system back then? Maybe look into whether any component recently got upgraded or if something got reconfigured.
It first popped up last summer when I was still using the Ryzen 5 3600 alongside the RTX 3080. I ignored it because other games worked fine. Now it seems to have gotten worse, especially with Fortnite lately.
This kind of shutdown usually links back to power or temperature issues. Have you ensured your PSU has good airflow? Sometimes just having it on carpet or facing the wrong way can restrict airflow. Even though your components are high quality, airflow can still cause unexpected shutdowns.
I’ve got some pictures of my setup but I don’t know how to share them. The PSU is on a wooden desk and seems to have some airflow. It’s just odd since this issue started happening recently.
I’m currently using one cable that connects to both 8-pin connectors. Do you think that’s a possible culprit?