Got a newish pc with 5090, but for some reason monitors flicker off and stay off until I hard reset my entire pc

Troubleshooting Monitor Flickering and Connectivity Issues on a New Gaming PC with RTX 5090

Building a high-performance gaming or creative workstation often involves assembling top-tier components, such as the latest graphics cards like the NVIDIA RTX 5090 and powerful CPUs like the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K. However, even with sophisticated hardware, users can encounter peculiar issues—such as monitors flickering and failing to reconnect, which can be both frustrating and disruptive. In this article, we’ll explore a common problem faced by a recent PC build, analyze potential causes, and suggest practical troubleshooting steps to resolve such display anomalies.

The Issue at a Glance

A user with a three-month-old system equipped with an RTX 5090 graphics card reports that their monitors intermittently flicker off and remain disconnected until a full system reset is performed. Sometimes the problem occurs once or twice daily; other times, it may not appear for up to a week. During these episodes, the user also notices the PC’s fans spinning wildly, accompanied by audio glitches, suggesting a possible hardware or driver-related anomaly.

System Specifications Overview

• Processor: Intel Core Ultra 9 285K (3.70 GHz)
• Memory: 64 GB DDR4 RAM
• Graphics Card: NVIDIA RTX 5090
• Operating System: Windows 11 Pro (Version 24H2, Build 26100.6584)
• System Age: Approximately 3 months

Symptoms and Observations

• monitors flicker and stay off until a hard reset
• occasional surge in fan activity during display issues
• audio glitches concurrent with display problems
• temperature levels generally stay below 70°C under load

Potential Causes

Several factors might contribute to this issue, including:

1. GPU Driver Problems: Outdated or corrupt drivers can cause display flickering and disconnection issues, especially with cutting-edge hardware like the RTX 5090.
2. Power Supply or Connection Issues: Insufficient power delivery or loose cables can lead to intermittent GPU performance and display loss.
3. Hardware Compatibility or Faults: Occasionally, newly assembled systems might face compatibility issues or hardware failure.
4. Software Conflicts or Windows Bugs: System updates, software conflicts, or bugs in Windows 11 may also contribute to unstable display connections.
5. Overheating or Thermal Throttling (Less Likely Here): Temper