Question 4090 only stable when downclocked

[Ziftos]

Hi all, I recently upgraded to a 4090 and for the first few days it was perfect and destroying everything I could throw at it with ease. However, today It began to crash to desktop when playing almost any game after a copious amount of trouble shooting (clean installs of drivers, registry editing, bios updates, etc.) the only way I found to maintain the stability of the system was to downclock the GPU by almost 100mhz. My question is is this normal or is it worth just RMA the card? Also maybe there is something I missed along the way that is causing this issue but I am stumped there I feel like I tried everything.

 

[SkyNetRising]

What model 4090. Is it factory overclocked?
What model PSU are you using?
What pc case? Does it have enough air flow for high power gaming parts?
What cpu and gpu temperatures are you getting during load? Use MSI afterburner to monitor temperatures.
Can you show a photo of your system with side panel removed?
(upload to imgur.com and post link)

 

[Ziftos]

What model 4090. Is it factory overclocked?
What model PSU are you using?
What pc case? Does it have enough air flow for high power gaming parts?
What cpu and gpu temperatures are you getting during load? Use MSI afterburner to monitor temperatures.
Can you show a photo of your system with side panel removed?
(upload to imgur.com and post link)

4090 Zotac Trinity ( I think it its factory OC)

Brand New NZXT c1000

Fractal Torrent

Under Load no more than 70 C on GPU and CPU maxes at around 85 C (was using 3dMark)

I cannot take a picture right now but I will as soon as able.

 

[Avro Arrow]

Hi all, I recently upgraded to a 4090 and for the first few days it was perfect and destroying everything I could throw at it with ease. However, today It began to crash to desktop when playing almost any game after a copious amount of trouble shooting (clean installs of drivers, registry editing, bios updates, etc.) the only way I found to maintain the stability of the system was to downclock the GPU by almost 100mhz. My question is is this normal or is it worth just RMA the card? Also maybe there is something I missed along the way that is causing this issue but I am stumped there I feel like I tried everything.

This can't be normal. Cards are supposed to run perfectly at stock settings. I would definitely RMA it if I were you.

 

[Ziftos]

This can't be normal. Cards are supposed to run perfectly at stock settings. I would definitely RMA it if I were you.

Now I am extremely confused - I reset the card to stock and stress tested it in 3dMark, played several demanding games (VR/Flatscreen) and it was stable I am not quite sure why I guess I will just contact Zotac at this point.

 

[sitehostplus]

Now I am extremely confused - I reset the card to stock and stress tested it in 3dMark, played several demanding games (VR/Flatscreen) and it was stable I am not quite sure why I guess I will just contact Zotac at this point.

It's overheating. RMA asap.

 

[Ziftos]

It's overheating. RMA asap.

According to afterburner it was not - in Flight Sim VR the max temp never hit above 70c either way I am just going to take it back to micro center I think. Im starting to think it maybe has to do with the quality of the 12 vhpwr splitter.

 

[sitehostplus]

According to afterburner it was not - in Flight Sim VR the max temp never hit above 70c either way I am just going to take it back to micro center I think. Im starting to think it maybe has to do with the quality of the 12 vhpwr splitter.

Maybe not at that point, but I'm pretty sure it was overheating when your performance declined. That's why the downclock made it stable.

 

[sitehostplus]

According to afterburner it was not - in Flight Sim VR the max temp never hit above 70c either way I am just going to take it back to micro center I think. Im starting to think it maybe has to do with the quality of the 12 vhpwr splitter.

OTOH, if you do think it's the splitter, there are several tutorial videos explaining how to install it correctly. Watch those, and try a reinstall of the splitter.

 

[Ziftos]

OTOH, if you do think it's the splitter, there are several tutorial videos explaining how to install it correctly. Watch those, and try a reinstall of the splitter.

You know what I think you are exactly right I just opened the system up and I had (incorrectly as I discovered after watching some vids) used one of the pigtail connectors on two of the splitter female slots. Think I am just going to order the corsair cable and I should be all good thanks a lot for the suggestion.

 

[Avro Arrow]

You know what I think you are exactly right I just opened the system up and I had (incorrectly as I discovered after watching some vids) used one of the pigtail connectors on two of the splitter female slots. Think I am just going to order the corsair cable and I should be all good thanks a lot for the suggestion.

I don't think that you need to order another cable as long as the one that you have works. I mean, sure, you can, but if the splitter was installed incorrectly, that was the problem, not the splitter itself.

I would give it a week or two to see how it is before possibly throwing more money away on something I probably don't need. I'm willing to bet that all of your problems will now be gone.