Playing a game using a dedicated GPU separately
Playing a game using a dedicated GPU separately
If you aim for technical accuracy, repeated thermal cycling during everyday operation accelerates wear more than continuous full-load operation. This happens because the silicon expands and contracts, leading to physical stress that damages both the silicon and solder connections. Many mining GPUs failed due to VRAM being constantly overworked at high temperatures, causing the die to perform minimal tasks. In typical setups with multiple cards in a warm environment, components approached or surpassed their maximum temperature ratings, significantly shortening their lifespan. Most mining cards handle this well, but those prone to issues include models like the RTX 3090, where half of the VRAM is poorly cooled and prone to failure. VRM components also vary widely; basic, inexpensive cards often have inadequate cooling, making them vulnerable during prolonged heavy use. Generally, VRM failures are more common in these cases, though they remain relatively rare overall.
I understand your point completely... it's true that excessive wear doesn't necessarily extend a component's life. I don't share the concern, since it definitely does. However, if a user can reduce the wear—through better cooling or regular upkeep—I support that approach. In operational scenarios, though, it mostly comes down to selecting components that can handle the stress best, and there aren't really too many strong choices.
It's accurate, though it doesn't change much. Keeping the GPU in a box shortens its life due to oxidation. Storing it in a vacuum would help, but otherwise it's not a major concern for your situation. In the bigger picture, it's not something to worry about or affect your use case.
in everyday situations you'll likely swap the GPU before it fails due to additional tasks, the cooling component will degrade faster, but this should mainly occur if you plan to replace it or you can simply install standard fans without affecting performance, otherwise you might need to handle the wiring yourself, which could wear out connections more quickly
To AFK, set all visual options to minimal and opt for the lowest quality. Keep FPS at 30 or below whenever possible.