Hardware failure ?
Hardware failure ?
Testing the GPU in the second system is enough; doing it on the third would be unnecessary. It’s reasonable to suspect a problem with the GPU.
It could be because your older Tt PSU is the reason.
When the PSU sends voltages outside the acceptable range to the hardware, it causes damage and wear, which eventually leads to failure. Continuing this process will accelerate hardware breakdown, often much faster than normal. Low-quality PSUs are especially likely to send incorrect voltages.
In a similar way, consuming contaminated food can cause stomach discomfort and even vomiting. If you keep eating such food, the consequences will be severe.
Therefore, I emphasize that the PSU is the most critical part of the PC.
Regarding Nvidia GPU brands, EVGA has ceased operations (unfortunately), while the major players are Gigabyte, Asus, and MSI. There are also newer entrants like Zotac, PNY, Colorful, Galax, and Palit.
Personally, I rely only on MSI GPUs, which are known for quiet operation and superior cooling. I’m skeptical of the newer brands because they typically offer cheaper GPUs compared to the top three (now the top three). With lower quality, Zotac might be an option outside the main lineup. Colorful, however, is the worst among them.
I thought it could be a card for Aeacus, as sometimes swapping components causes issues that were previously resolved. This has happened to me multiple times. It might simply be due to changes in power consumption affecting the system.
Well, PNY declined the RMA—claiming everything tested fine and returning the card. After testing it on multiple systems, I’m convinced they didn’t conduct a proper test. Since they didn’t replace the card, I opened it up and noticed the thermal paste was nearly gone from the chip, with only a small amount remaining that felt hard. I applied fresh thermal paste, tweaked the fan curve, and ran 3D Mark, which gave a score of 3.998 compared to the card’s average around 3.7. So far, everything seems okay. If I leave the fan curve at its default setting, temperatures rise quickly compared to keeping it at a minimum of 40%.
Additionally, this situation began after leaving a game that stayed on overnight with the card mounted vertically. I’m curious whether using low-quality paste, combined with the card being placed sideways and running extremely hot, caused the paste to wash off the chip, or if the factory’s workmanship was insufficient.