Question 2080 Super permanently at 88c???

[Fox0r]

So, my 2080 Super is about three years old. Suddenly, whenever I run games it goes up to 88c and just stays there. If I underclock/set a temperature limit in the 70s using MSI the framerate of my games goes to crap and the core clock drops to like 550-660 from 1650. I took it into a repair store and they took all the dust out of it, but said due to the design it'd cost too much to check the thermal paste and replace it (They think the paste is most likely fine, but said something about the card being glued together in a way that makes changing the thermal paste a huge pain and time-consuming).

They basically said I should just use the card until it stops working, and that running it at 88, since the max temp is 89c should be fine.

When I set custom fan speeds at 100% on MSI Afterburner, it doesn't impact the temperature at all. It just stays at 88c no matter what. In Windows it's at 39c before I boot up a game. As soon as the card starts rendering anything it is almost instantaneously at 88c. No ramp up, whatsoever.

The ambient temperature in my room is very cold as I run AC in a small room.

I guess I have three questions:

1) Any ideas what might be causing this? The fans work. There's zero dust in the card anymore. If I run the card at 88c, there is no frame drop, it doesn't appear to be throttling at all.
2) If I do run it at 88c how long can I expect the card to last? Is this something where that temperature is going to destroy the card in weeks/months?
3) Is it possible the GPU temperature sensor has become faulty?

 

[Phaaze88]

I guess I have three questions:

1) Any ideas what might be causing this? The fans work. There's zero dust in the card anymore. If I run the card at 88c, there is no frame drop, it doesn't appear to be throttling at all.
2) If I do run it at 88c how long can I expect the card to last? Is this something where that temperature is going to destroy the card in weeks/months?
3) Is it possible the GPU temperature sensor has become faulty?

1)Going by the clues in the post, this concerns the FE model. Therefore:
The not-so-well thought out design of the 20 series FE coolers. The shroud is the weak link.
It doesn't allow for enough air to pass through - that's why nothing changed after the dusting and the 100% fans.
If the shroud sat a little higher off the rest of the cooler, it'd be better.

2-A)Impossible to predict.
2-B)No. If the protections weren't in place, likely so, but your card is around 3 years old, so they're doing their job.

3)Not enough info.
A screenshot of the Gpu-Z general tab, and the sensors tab(with the parameters set to MAX) would help - under a game load, of course.

 

[Fox0r]

Not sure if I got the parameters to max thing correct, but here are two screenshots:

https://imgur.com/a/GaAJXhf

View: https://imgur.com/a/GaAJXhf

 

[Phaaze88]

Looks like Gpu-Z hasn't been updated in some time. Please update and post new shots of the general and sensor tabs.

For the second screenshot, click on settings(the triple bars at the top right of the window). Click the sensor tab in the new window.
Next to sensor display mode, click highest, and then click ok. All the parameters should then have a green MAX next to them.

 

[Fox0r]

You're right. I do have a Founder's Edition card.

Here is an updated screenshot.

https://imgur.com/a/mPqRZSz

View: https://imgur.com/a/mPqRZSz

 

[Phaaze88]

What about the main tab that you posted previously? It had 5 specs marked 'unknown' that should have read as something else.

The gap between core and hot spot is really good(only 10C)...
Power draw looks normal, clocks are boosting, I can see fan speeds, voltages, gpu load...
Doesn't look like faulty sensors to me - just a card running toasty.

 

[Fox0r]

What about the main tab that you posted previously? It had 5 specs marked 'unknown' that should have read as something else.

The gap between core and hot spot is really good(only 10C)...
Power draw looks normal, clocks are boosting, I can see fan speeds, voltages, gpu load...
Doesn't look like faulty sensors to me - just a card running toasty.

https://imgur.com/a/7lSkM3o

View: https://imgur.com/a/7lSkM3o


Here you go. Sorry about that.

I have a MSI Gaming Trio Z 3080 New in Box that I'm keeping for when this card craps out. Do you recommend a specific case? My current case won't fit it. I was thinking the Lian Li Lancool III or possibly the Corsair 4000D. Do you have any suggestions? I'm not a computer expert by any means.

 

[Phaaze88]

View: https://imgur.com/a/7lSkM3o

Nothing wrong with that now. Card just normally runs hot is the conclusion I've come to.

I have a MSI Gaming Trio Z 3080 New in Box that I'm keeping for when this card craps out. Do you recommend a specific case? My current case won't fit it. I was thinking the Lian Li Lancool III or possibly the Corsair 4000D. Do you have any suggestions? I'm not a computer expert by any means.

I used to recommend cases but stopped, as I believe one's personal tastes come first and foremost, then be willing to live with any shortcomings that might come with it. That said, cases with more open front ventilation are going to be more favorable.

Personal opinion: Lancool 3 is too large - for being classified as a mid, it's as big as some full towers - and I have back problems as it is, so lugging that outside for dusting/maintenance would be more of a pain than the 4000D would be.
The 4000D is more compact, it's not as flexible on the cooler(cpu/gpu/fan) options in comparison. That's a compromise I can work with though.