Understanding and Troubleshooting GPU Crashes Under Load: Is Your Power Supply the Culprit?
Experiencing graphical crashes can be frustrating, especially when your system seems otherwise stable. Recently, I encountered persistent issues with my Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2070 Super Windforce OC 3X, which would unexpectedly crash during demanding tasks. Despite thorough investigation, the root cause remains elusive—so I want to share my experience and insights to help others navigate similar problems.
The Issue at a Glance
My GPU would randomly crash during intensive gaming sessions. The symptoms included:
- Screen going black but audio continuing briefly before cutting out entirely.
- The need for a full system reset to recover.
- Occasional blinking power LED indicator on the power supply, hinting at potential power issues.
These crashes happen under load but not during idle or light tasks. Notably, less demanding games run smoothly, indicating the problem is tied to higher GPU stress levels.
Initial Suspicions and Troubleshooting Steps
Given that the GPU shows no signs of artifacting or overheating—temperatures are well within safe limits—I initially suspected overheating. To address this, I replaced thermal paste and pads, successfully reducing hotspot temperatures from around 85°C down to 70°C during load. I also adjusted fan speeds to achieve a more aggressive cooling profile, bringing temperatures down to approximately 62°C, which temporarily alleviated the problem.
Despite these efforts, crashes persisted whenever launching graphically intensive games. Interestingly, the crashes occur immediately upon starting such games, regardless of the GPU temperature at that moment (sometimes as low as 40°C). This suggests that immediate load, rather than thermal stress, might be involved.
Further Diagnostic Efforts
I also took the step of reinstalling GPU drivers using Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU), aiming to eliminate driver-related issues. Yet, the problem remained unresolved.
Why the Power Supply Unit (PSU) Might Be the Cause
One conspicuous detail is the occasional blinking power LED indicator on the PSU, which can signal abnormal power delivery. Given that my PSU is over 10 years old, it’s plausible that its performance has degraded over time. Power supply units are critical for stability, especially with high-performance GPUs like the RTX 2070 Super.
Key considerations include:
- Age-related degradation: Capacitors and other components can weaken over time, leading to inconsistent power delivery.
- Peak load handling: During demanding games, sudden power demands may cause instability if the
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