Audible gentle pop followed by a burning scent after setting up the new GPU
Audible gentle pop followed by a burning scent after setting up the new GPU
I recently purchased a brand new 4070Ti (Gaming X Trio) along with a matching case for PC upgrades. After spending eight hours setting everything up, plugging in the components, turning on the system, and pressing the power button, I heard a quiet pop sound. Then came a louder pop, followed by a strong burning odor that spread throughout my room after a few minutes. I immediately turned off the PC, as it didn’t shut down properly. I haven’t tested for smells yet, so I went to bed thinking I’d handle it tomorrow.
Specs include an RM750x, 4070Ti Gaming X Trio, Ryzen 7 5800X, and a 32GB Corsair Vengeance (3200) with Wi-Fi. I only used one PCiE Type 4 cable for the 16:12 pin converter, which both support up to 150W per unit. My main concern now is what should come next? I own an older 2060 and don’t want it to fail or damage the PSU. Should I upgrade to an RM850x for two separate cables to the GPU? Is there a risk the GPU itself could be the issue, potentially affecting my PSU? I’m really anxious about this situation—please advise me as much as possible. Thank you all.
Smells really bad from the death smell. I’m trying to understand, maybe PSU was the issue and cheaper to swap? I’d wait until you can check all components with different gear before turning it back on. If it’s the PSU, it’s not too bad compared to replacing the GPU. Probably a PSU, but it could also be a MOBO or another part that needs fixing.
Sure, I’ll check it out when I get back in a few hours and let you know. If the GPU stops working, I can probably swap it out since it’s brand new. But if the PSU fails, I’ll have to replace or upgrade it myself until I find a solution from Corsair support.
It was just my idea after taking a breath. Most people online mentioned the sound of capacitors going was pretty noticeable—like a clap—but for me it wasn’t really loud.
Iv experienced fizzing, popping, and crackling sounds on the GPU after it fired a component, often accompanied by visible sparks or smoke. It usually smells like the GPU was the new part, possibly a PSU or another component, but it’s likely the GPU itself. I’d also verify that your PCIe socket is still intact.
So after some investigation and checking for damaged components, I decided to remove the GPU to test its behavior without it. I brought it to a safe location—preferably where fires are less likely—to be prepared. When I powered it on, everything functioned correctly. I then tried it with my own GPU to confirm compatibility. It worked perfectly. Later, when I moved it upstairs and booted into Windows, I noticed the front fans were running at full speed. Checking iCUE revealed none of them were enabled, which also meant no RGB control. I considered that one or both of the new case hubs might have failed, possibly causing the lack of noise and absence of smoke. I ran stress tests and benchmarks afterward, and the results indicated stable performance—around 600 FPS in FurMark looks reasonable. I reinstalled my fans into an older RGB hub and Commander Pro, and all six fans operated normally (though the RGB display was erratic, as it sometimes tries to apply settings to another fan). I also played NFS Heat at maximum settings; my GPU stayed cool, around 55-60°C, with the CPU handling the workload efficiently. It seems everything is working well now. If anything fails in the future, I’ll let you know—just kidding about the cable mess!