High GPU Temps With New 144Hz Display

[KyBr14]

Hi
I just bought a new 144Hz monitor and have noticed that my GPU idle temps are very high when I set the monitor's max refresh rate in the Nvidia control panel to 144Hz. When I set it to 60Hz the GPU idles at about 40C (I will be upgrading to a case with better airflow soon). At 144Hz it bounces between ~55C and 65C. It's an ASUS Strix and that's when the fan speed increases and decreases. Have I set this up wrong? If I set it to 60Hz in the contro panel will it switch up to 144Hz in games? I'm worried about my card constantly idling at those temps. If you need any more info please let me know.
Thanks

Asus Strix GTX 970
Intel core i5 4690
Asrock Fatal1ty Z97 Killer
16 GB 1866 Kingston RAM

 

[meowmix44]

Sounds like your card is being starved of air 😛
You should try removing the side panel and telling us what happens

 

[KyBr14]

I just started the back up after giving it a breeak and there is no change with the side panel off. everything else in my system is sitting at it's normal temp. for some reason the core clock of the GPU is constantly at 899MHz (which I don't remember being the case previous to the new monitor) and it will not go lower unless i take it off the 144Hz setting in Nvidia control panel.

 

[XxMongermaniacxX]

this is what could be happening. because you were using a 60 hz panel before, your gpu may have been just using the power itneeds to push 60 fps, which could cause the temps to be lower. now, it may be getting hotter because it is not having to only use a certain smaller percentage of the full power of it. since it is above that 60 hz threshold, your gpu might be getting hotter because of that. (this would only really apply on games that a gtx 970 could play over 144 fps, like csgo, bf4, tomb raider, or something like that)

 

[Ahmedivx]

This is normal and common with Nvidia cards, I have a 980 Ti and Just got an Asus ROG PG279Q, overclocking the monitor from 60Hz to 165Hz made the idle temps on a hot day goes from 40c to 48c (fans don't spin in idle it's the G1 Gaming Model) I have searched everywhere and all people who used to have 60Hz and went up to high refresh rate monitors face the same issue

 

[bystander]

You might try 120hz at the desktop, and save 144hz for gaming. I believe I recall that at 120hz, the temps are much lower than anything above.

 

[Ahmedivx]

You might try 120hz at the desktop, and save 144hz for gaming. I believe I recall that at 120hz, the temps are much lower than anything above.

Great I will try that for sure and post the results

 

[Ahmedivx]

You might try 120hz at the desktop, and save 144hz for gaming. I believe I recall that at 120hz, the temps are much lower than anything above.

So again after some extensive monitoring, it all came down to idle voltage hence idle GPU power, monitored the states while the Power Management Mode is set to Optimal Power in Nvidia Control Panel, tested three refresh rates 165Hz, 120Hz and 60Hz, in every case having a higer refresh rate leads to higher idle voltage and GPU Power hence higher idle temps, but the idle core and memeory clocks stayed the same across all refresh rates, so may be driving high refresh rates require more voltage, I'm not sure it's something physical related to the hardware itself or it's an issue that can be adjusted through drivers, whether it affects the max boost clock that the card can reach while gaming is another issue that needs to be tested as well

 

[bystander]

That make sense. I remember with my HD 5870, if I hooked up two monitors, some of the drivers did not up clock the cards, and the monitors would flicker, but it wouldn't happen with 1 monitor. With Nvidia, they must deal with it by upping voltage.