Weird graphical glitches on my laptop screen, is my GPU failing?

Understanding and Troubleshooting Graphical Artifacts on Your Laptop Screen

If you’ve noticed unusual visual anomalies such as screens displaying strange squares or artifacts while using your laptop, it can be a concerning experience. This guide aims to help you understand potential causes and steps you can take to diagnose and resolve the issue.

Common Causes of Graphical Glitches

Graphical glitches, like visual artifacts or corrupted images on your display, often stem from hardware or software problems. The primary suspects include:

• Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) Failures: Over time, GPUs can develop faults, especially if they are subjected to high loads or heat, leading to visual artifacts.
• Driver Issues: Corrupted or outdated graphics drivers can cause display anomalies.
• Hardware Connectivity Problems: Loose or damaged display cables or connections internally can manifest as artifacts.
• Display Panel Defects: Physical issues with the screen itself can produce visible glitches.
• Overheating: Excessive heat can impair GPU or CPU performance and stability.

Your System Configuration

Based on your provided details, your system includes:

• Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 5600H with Radeon Graphics
• Graphics Card: NVIDIA RTX 3060 6GB
• Operating System: Windows 11

This hybrid setup suggests your laptop relies on both integrated AMD Radeon graphics and a dedicated NVIDIA GPU, which could influence how graphics are rendered and managed.

Diagnostic Steps

To identify whether your GPU is failing or if the issue originates elsewhere, consider the following steps:

1. Update Graphics Drivers
2. Ensure that both your AMD and NVIDIA drivers are up to date.

3. Visit the official websites for AMD and NVIDIA, or use your device manufacturer’s support tools.

4. Monitor Temperatures and Usage

5. Use software like HWMonitor or MSI Afterburner to check GPU and CPU temperatures.

6. High temperatures (above 85°C) during normal operation can lead to instability.

7. Run Visual Tests

8. Use built-in Windows tools or third-party applications to check the display.

9. Boot into Safe Mode to see if glitches persist; if not, a driver or software conflict might be the culprit.

10. Check for External Display Artifacts

11. Connect an external monitor to determine whether the artifacts are visible on the external display.
12. If artifacts appear on both screens, it suggests a GPU or driver issue.