I've been struggling with a frustrating issue where my PC turns off unexpectedly while I'm gaming, specifically when the game is loading new levels, assets, or checkpoints. Here's a quick rundown of my setup: I've got a B650 GAMING PLUS WIFI motherboard, an AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D CPU, a Gigabyte NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti GPU, and a be quiet! Pure Power 12 M 850W PSU. My RAM is a G.SKILL 32GB (2x16GB) set at 6000MHz, and I run everything in a be quiet! Pure Base 500 case with adequate cooling.
I first built this PC last August, and since October, I've experienced these random crashes, often when loading certain game elements. The crashes seem to spike during colder months but have happened occasionally in the summer, too. I've ruled out software issues, as there's nothing in the event viewer, and previous crashes were due to Nvidia drivers that I've since resolved. I even tested a new 1200W PSU, but the issue persisted.
When it crashes, it happens in games like The Quarry and Sifu as new locations load, and sometimes during checkpoints or cutscenes. Although I've managed to play demanding games like Cyberpunk without issues, I suspect overheating could be the culprit. My GPU temps can reach up to 82C, and my CPU has pushed past 90C at times. I've tried undervolting my CPU but hit a wall with the BIOS settings. I'm considering upgrading my cooling system and would appreciate advice on that, as well as any insights on what might be causing these shutdowns.
Has anyone else faced something similar? What could be causing my PC to shut down specifically during game loading?
5 Answers
If you have a second monitor, try running HWinfo64 while playing. It can show you real-time thermals and may help confirm if your CPU or GPU is getting too hot. I suspect it might be a power supply issue if it's been so unpredictable; you could try a different one to see if that helps.
That’s tough! If everything else checks out, perhaps the PSU could still have issues despite being rated high.
It could be a loose power connection somewhere, either to the GPU or motherboard. Have you checked the RAM too? Sometimes a faulty RAM stick or slot can cause issues like this. If you're using software like Core Temp, it’d be good to check your CPU and GPU temps as well.
I tried testing out my RAM, and I found no issues with it. I also switched the sticks around and still had crashes. Right now my CPU is around 55C, and the GPU fans seem to be working fine.
That's good to know! But it sounds like something else may be off if you're still crashing.
Sounds like it could be an undervolting problem if you attempted it but couldn’t find the right settings in the BIOS. Even minor adjustments can help with cooling, but don't overlook potential cable problems either—they're sneaky!
I tried to undervolt but didn’t have much luck there. I thought I could rule out cable issues since I had a new PSU and the right cables, but maybe I'll check them again.
Have you used the event viewer to look for critical errors around the times your PC crashes? Sorting through events might help pinpoint if it’s a thermal issue or tied to a specific hardware failure. Sometimes checking for swollen or leaking capacitors on the motherboard can reveal underlying problems too.
I checked the viewer but only saw "system shutdown unexpectedly" errors. No clues on what triggered it, unfortunately.
Make sure your CPU cooler is correctly seated and that the fan is functional. If you're worried about the CPU, checking the thermal paste might be a good idea.
It was installed by a tech shop, so I hope that's not the issue! I'd rather not poke around unless I have to.
I noticed some high temps on the CPU, but not super far above 90C. It's frustrating since I thought a 1200W PSU would cover my setup, but the crashes continued.