Issues with graphics on gaming PCs
Issues with graphics on gaming PCs
I'm facing some difficulties here and was hoping someone could assist me, thank you in advance.
The system I have includes an Intel® Core™ i7-8700 CPU running at 3.20GHz and 3.19GHz.
PRIME B360-PLUS
Asus Turbo GeForce RTX 2060
32 GB of RAM
Windows 10 Pro
Iiyama GB3466WQSU
Second HDMI monitor
I started noticing problems a few weeks ago when certain websites began to flicker, but I didn’t pay much attention until recently.
Until then, everything seemed normal while playing Wolfenstein 2. Once I started the game, my graphics displayed as if at low resolution, with some textures flickering and shimmering. I adjusted the usual settings but nothing improved. Later, when launching Anno 1800, similar issues appeared—textures loading slowly or not appearing at all. My desktop remains functional except for occasional black textures that don’t look quite right.
If these glitches were severe, I’d have considered replacing my GPU card.
What I attempted:
- Standard Nvidia updates and Windows patches
- Changing the RTX 2060’s PCIe slot
- Cleaning dust from the card and ports
- Using different display cables and ports
- Running benchmark tools like Superposition/Furmark, OCCT, Memtest
- Applying MSI afterburner
None of these tests produced major errors except for occasional shimmering. The GPU stays cool enough, though increasing fan speed with Afterburner helped Anno 1800 slightly. Wolfenstein 2 still shows significant problems.
It might just be a coincidence, but I’ve received messages in Wolfenstein 2 indicating insufficient RAM and Anno 1800 crashing twice due to the same issue.
I wasn’t planning to replace my GPU yet, so any advice would be greatly appreciated.
What is the model of your power supply unit?
Does the system's behavior alter when the second display is disconnected?
If the PSU functions correctly, the setup is acceptable. It might be useful to detach the second screen and observe any differences. You could also eliminate a Windows-related cause by starting the system from a Live Linux distribution and checking for the issue there.
It doesn't appear that turning off the second monitor makes a difference. It seems the issue is more related to MSI afterburner, and there are still many textures not loading or loading slowly. When purchasing this PC, I assumed the 550w PSU would suffice, but now I'm questioning whether it's sufficient. Could these problems develop over time? I plan to use the Live Linux distribution and appreciate your assistance.
I was quite sure my GPU was failing, so I bought a replacement... but the problem continues.
My desktop still has static issues (and games), and both monitors are affected.
I've replaced all RAM modules, reinstalled Windows. Linux Mint on a flash drive had the same problems. Tests on RAM, CPU, GPU, and SSDs look normal, though I'm not entirely confident.
Some observations I've made:
In EventViewer, I encounter many errors or warnings, usually related to COM-server CLSID or other system services.
When zooming in or out in Google Maps, my PC makes a ticking sound near the CPU.
If I had to guess, it might be a problem with the power supply unit or motherboard. The CPU issue is still on my mind, but I hope that's not correct.
Do you know of any steps to help identify which component is causing the problem? It would be really helpful.
Your PSU is quite old, the VS-series Corsair power supplies are low-tier components and tend to fail easily, as I've observed. You might also consider updating your BIOS to the latest version if one exists. Resetting the CMOS or disabling overclocking for RAM could help, and you can check if the problem continues. I experienced similar issues but with a different setup; my RAM was running at higher speeds than the motherboard supported. Adjusting it down to 3200MHz resolved the issue for about a year before problems arose again.
The PSU is 4 to 5 years old. I updated the BIOS but didn't reset the CMOS. I'll check to see if the RAM is the problem. Thanks.
It seems some units begin having problems or fail after a couple of years, possibly due to reaching the end of their lifespan. I suggest getting another power supply soon to avoid similar issues. Good luck!