Hey everyone! I'm experiencing a frustrating issue with my PC that seems to occur exclusively when I'm trying to game. Instead of a blue screen or a restart, my computer just turns off completely, like someone pulled the power cord. It's strange because the RAM lights stay on even after the shutdown. Initially, I thought overheating might be the culprit, but after stress testing it with OCCT and Furmark, the temperatures all look normal. I share this PC with my dad, who uses it for rendering videos with Premiere and After Effects, and he hasn't had any issues. However, when I try to play games like Helldivers 2 or Fortnite, it just gives up on me immediately.
I've tried a bunch of things to fix it: lowered graphics settings, tweaked my power plan, reset the CMOS, limited power usage using MSI Afterburner, and even reinstalled both drivers and Windows. Yet, the problem persists. Some folks are saying the PSU might be to blame, but I can't test that directly. I've also seen reports of others with similar issues where replacing the PSU didn't help.
Does anyone have suggestions or troubleshooting tips before I consider sending it to a tech? I'm really at my wit's end here! 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
-x6 Aerocool fans
-Seasonic Focus GX 850W Gold PSU
3 Answers
Do you have any pictures of your setup? This type of shutdown is usually related to power or temperature. Make sure your PSU has good airflow; it shouldn’t be on carpet or facing the wrong way in the case. You've got quality components, so it might be tricky to pinpoint the exact issue.
How many individual cables are you using for your GPU? The RTX 3080 can have transient spikes that lead to crashes, but an 850W PSU should typically handle it without issues. Just check that you're using enough power connectors for it!
I'm using a single cable that connects to both 8 pins.
Have you changed any components recently? This all started happening after you switched to the Ryzen 7, right? Often, these issues can trace back to recent changes in the hardware setup.
It first started during the last Summer while I was still using a Ryzen 5 3600 with the RTX 3080 while playing Helldivers 2. I didn’t think much of it at that time, and then it came up again in May when I upgraded my CPU and started getting shutdowns in Fortnite after about two hours of gameplay. I really can't make it past the lobby now!
I took some pictures but I'm not sure how to share them. I think it has decent airflow since it's on a wooden desk and not congested.