My RTX 3060 reached about 93°C while playing Black Ops 7 and kept triggering temperature warnings. I lowered the graphics settings all the way to minimum, but the temperature barely changed. After cleaning the inside of my PC, tidying the room, removing unused apps, and freeing storage space, the GPU still sits around 92°C even when no programs are open. I also noticed that the GPU fans do not spin during a match. When I close the game and manually try to adjust the fan speed, they start spinning but make a rattling noise. What could be causing this, and what should I check first?
4 Answers
Check the fan settings first. Some graphics cards have a zero-RPM mode, but the fans should start once the card gets hot. If they stay stopped during a game, the fan curve may be misconfigured or the fans could be failing. The rattling sound makes a mechanical problem especially likely, so watch the fan behavior with a monitoring tool and avoid heavy gaming until it is resolved.
The thermal paste may have dried out, especially if the card is several years old. A repaste can help, but only after confirming that the fans are actually working. Replacing the paste will not fix a dead or obstructed fan, and opening the cooler may affect any remaining warranty.
Even under a heavy load, the cooler should normally keep an RTX 3060 well below the low 90s. Check that the heatsink is not clogged, the fans can spin freely, and the card is receiving proper airflow. Also check the GPU software for an accidentally enabled zero-RPM setting or an unusual manual fan curve.
It is worth checking GPU usage while the temperature is high. If usage is unexpectedly elevated while the PC appears idle, run a reputable malware scan and inspect background processes for anything using the GPU. If usage is low but the temperature remains around 92°C, that points much more strongly to a cooling or fan-control failure.
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