Are you making a mistake with undervolting, or is it simply bad luck with the silicon?
Are you making a mistake with undervolting, or is it simply bad luck with the silicon?
If you place the radiator on the side and use the fans for exhaust, it could actually help. The GPU would release heat through the radiator, and the fans would direct it to the exhaust, preventing the coolant temperature from rising too much.
Basic setup: Temperature stays near 80-82°C on the latest MSI Suprim X RTX 3080 Ti when playing at high settings.
This is due to a weak chassis with inadequate CPU cooling and inefficient fans.
I really question their stability, given how the GPU Boost algorithm functions. Corsair QLs are all flashy but lack real performance. They don't generate much airflow, even at full capacity, and any slight resistance only worsens their efficiency. Even if you could open the Dynamic XL to see the air flow, it doesn't matter because opening the chassis alters the air movement patterns. When you're just browsing, watching videos, or idling on the desktop, the system isn't generating much heat. However, when the powerful GPU starts up and power use rises, faster air circulation becomes necessary, but the QLs can't meet that demand—they're already at their limits. Only the fans on the H150i Elite Capellix can increase airflow significantly; the other models are clearly insufficient. The 360mm AIO is quite rigid as well. Mounting it at the sides might be better for noise and durability, but it won't last long due to air leakage over time and the growing volume of air causing more noise at the radiator's inlet.
Consider switching to higher-quality fans if you're concerned about performance. You might want to look into options that maintain the RGB feature while improving efficiency.
Should you? That decision is entirely yours. The present situation presents this issue:
"Temperatures rise during gaming, and the ventilation isn't sufficient enough."
Improved cooling will also contribute to faster heating of the space. It can't be contained—heat needs to escape. A PC sits at its core, a space heater.
What’s the best way to tackle this?
1) Lowering the GPU voltage is a viable option, though it offers limited benefit.
https://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/2339...8-210511-1
This model caps at 440 watts on board power, excluding the sudden power surges RTX 30 tends to produce—software might not even register them.
You can reduce it slightly with UV settings, but still around 400 watts from this component. Not great.
The 3900X is already quite efficient, so modifying it won’t be very effective.
2) Faster fans? Of course, but how much noise do you tolerate? It’s similar to the trade-off between performance and sound—higher fan speeds mean more noise.
Lian Li recommends their UNI fans... Well, not Corsair, but Corsair RGB options don’t significantly boost performance from the QLs either, given the price.
Corsair does offer 2200rpm LL120 models, but only in white; compatibility with your theme might be uncertain.
3) If you have an air conditioner, run it longer. Obviously, power costs vary by location, so this isn’t a clear choice for everyone.
4) Build a custom air duct from the PC’s exhausts to the window or outside.
This seems unlikely unless you’re willing to get creative—maybe there’s another way to direct the heat away?
5) A mesh chassis, such as Lian Li’s Lancool 2 Mesh, could help. It lets the QLs perform better, at least compared to solid cases.
The QLs work best with minimal restrictions, and open bench is the closest alternative.
It’s a tough choice, but you can try mixing methods if you must.
Simpler solutions might work too—combine points 1 and 3 if feasible, or opt for a fan box/pedestal instead of a full duct.
Thank you for the ideas, but right now I can only do one thing—open the case. The next step isn’t possible. Also, I don’t have a functioning AC at home, so I’m stuck. The only option I have is to lower the GPU voltage to 0.8mV while running at 1710MHz, which keeps performance stable and keeps the GPU temperature around 64-65°C under load with the custom fan curve.
You can adjust that by changing the frequency at that voltage point in the Curve Editor, but it's almost impossible to determine how far you can push it due to the GPU Boost algorithm.
The system constantly changes frequency and voltage according to the GPU's settings (mainly power use and temperature). For instance:
- In Game A, the frequency stays fixed at 1949.
- In Game B, it reduces to 1936 from 1949 and remains there until you stop playing.
- In Game C, it fluctuates between 1949 and 1831.
This is what I meant by the two 3090 undervolts you referenced: it's hard to confirm if those settings are truly stable, especially excluding the ones the GPU uses automatically—otherwise, the frequency can't stay constant for all games.
Nvidia has broken GPU OC for most users, but undervolting these cards still offers some benefits.
I would enhance your case and keep the expensive GPU in standard configurations, allowing you to benefit from its performance without extra cost.
3080ti needs to be a monster to achieve that level of power and heat.