I've been using my MSI laptop, which has a 3070 graphics card and 16GB of RAM, without issues for a few years. Recently, though, it just shuts down unexpectedly when I start playing games. Initially, I thought it might be overheating, but my CPU and GPU temperatures look normal. The laptop runs fine for normal tasks, but as soon as I start a game, it powers off within seconds. I'm hoping someone can help me figure out what the problem might be or suggest a fix.
4 Answers
Does this shutdown happen only on battery power? If that's the case, it could mean the battery isn't providing enough power under load, and you might need to replace it. But if it shuts down when plugged in too, it points to a different issue.
Have you cleaned out any dust from the fans? Sometimes, dust buildup inside can cause overheating even if the temperatures look fine on your monitoring tools.
I’ve cleaned the inside and it’s dust-free.
If the shutdowns only happen during gaming, there's likely a power or hardware issue, even if your temps seem fine. On MSI laptops, this can often be due to a weak charger, an aging battery, or components that are overheating but not showing in regular monitoring. It might be a good idea to clean the fans, try a different power adapter if you have one, and check the Event Viewer for any Kernel Power errors since these shutdowns usually aren't software-related.
I found Kernel Power errors in the event viewer. It was working fine yesterday, so now I'm wondering if I need a new battery or what my next steps should be.
I did a stress test on my battery and had multiple errors pop up including some relating to my GPU. Sounds like you might be dealing with a failing battery.
Next time it shuts down, check the Event Viewer and note the exact moment it happens. Filtering for fatal errors will help you pinpoint the issue.
It happens both when it's plugged in and when it's on battery.