The GPU functions properly, but the cooler is faulty.
The GPU functions properly, but the cooler is faulty.
Hello! I bought a Founders Edition GTX 980 marked as faulty. I wasn’t sure what the issue was, but it was showing an image, so I thought about flashing the VBIOS. If that didn’t help, I’d have had a functional GPU. Actually, it’s working well, but when even a small load is applied, the core temperature rises to around 90°C. I’ve already tried re-pasting the card and checked the PCB for damage. In Afterburner, the base clock reaches 1216MHz and it runs smoothly, suggesting the cooler might be the problem. (The photo shows it was underclocked to stay operational.) Anyone else had a similar experience with a graphics card?
Are there any missing springs on the four screws that attach directly to the GPU core? It’s definitely cooling well at 42°C idle, which is right around the mark for a ref design, though it usually stays under 85°C most of the time. It could be that the card was used too long and the PCB flexed, causing poor contact now. The ASUS Strix 980 and 970 often experienced this problem.
Yes, everything seems fine. I tightened them as much as possible, but there might be an issue. At idle it works decently for a reference cooler, though opening YouTube (with hardware acceleration) caused it to heat up to 65°C—definitely not normal. I've repositioned the cooler twice already without success.