Question Possible faulty GPU

Mar 1, 2019
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Let me start off with my rig.

CPU: R5 2600
MOTHERBOARD : Asrock B450m Steel Legend
RAM: 32gb GEIL Super Lucce 4x8gb
GPU: Rx 480 Sapphire Nitro+ OC 8gb
PSU: Rosewill 750W Photon 80+ Gold
CASE: Fractal Design Define Mini C TG

I haven't overclocked my CPU, just a very mild overclock on my GPU 1350 from 1342, so yeah, none impacting. Like all Amd GPU, I have undervolted my card about -70 and power slider to +50%. This has been completely stable since I got this back in 2016. GPU load temps hover between 70c-78c depends on game.

So, my issue started about a few weeks ago. I started noticing temps going up to the 80s so adjusted my fan curve to cope up with the temps.

Well yesterday, after booting up my PC, I noticed artifacting upon windows login screen, restarted pc and all went back to normal.

Played a game and noticed my GPU clocks were over the place(it used to stay 1350 the entire gaming session). Multiple reboots done, same issue. Repasted my card(didn't change my thermal pads), same issue, although I noticed my pads a little bit melting. DDU drivers and reinstalled, same issue. Fresh installed windows, nada.

So I have a few questions:

1. Will bad cooling to GPU vrms affect GPU clock stability? And will changing thermal pads help fix the issue? I heard that artifacting is a memory issue.

2. Anything else I have been missing that I haven't done to fix?

3. Or is this an underlying issue not pertaining to the GPU?
 
Maybe I completely missed something, but most gamers don't undervolt their GPUs. Undervolting was for crypto-mining to save on energy costs and heat buildup. Undervolting usually ends up with instability. That still wouldn't explain the higher temps. Do you use a custom fan curve? Are you using MSI Afterburner? Have you tried using regular power settings?
 
Mar 1, 2019
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Maybe I completely missed something, but most gamers don't undervolt their GPUs. Undervolting was for crypto-mining to save on energy costs and heat buildup. Undervolting usually ends up with instability. That still wouldn't explain the higher temps. Do you use a custom fan curve? Are you using MSI Afterburner? Have you tried using regular power settings?

Undervolting works for both mining ang gaming when it comes to AMD. It has been stable for the last 3 years until now. I have tried Sapphire Trixx and now MSI Afterburner, same results. And yes, I am now on an aggressive fan curve to keep my temps 75c. Also tried using the default GPU settings, same results as well.
 
  1. Yes, if your VRMS have insufficient cooling, they will throttle limiting cards performance. Artificating is usually caused by memory corruption. You could underclock the video memory to see if the issue goes away. If so, vram is either faulty or hot.
  2. I would reset clocks and card voltage to stock and see what happens.
Is the card particularly dusty? and do you know for sure the fans are spinning properly? Sapphire is somewhat known for using particularly goey thermal pads, but you could replace them if they seem to be compromised
 
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3 years means your GPU is out of warranty with Sapphire. (2 years)

Undervolting causes instability. I'm still wondering why you would do this unless you had heat issues, in which case you should still increase case airflow and fan speeds before you undervolt. If heat was that big of an issue with proper case cooling then you should have RMA'd the card when you realized this instead of undervolting for 3 years.
 
Mar 1, 2019
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  1. Yes, if your VRMS have insufficient cooling, they will throttle limiting cards performance.
  2. I would reset clocks and card voltage to stock and see what happens.
Is the card particularly dusty? and do you know for sure the fans are spinning properly?

It isn't actually, since I clean my system as well as the card every month or so. It had a good cleaning too after I had repasted. So yeah, dirt isn't the issue. But you really think that VRM cooling affects GPU clock stability? Like I said, i did notice some melting from the thermal pads. I have just ordered replacement pads off Newegg and will be replacing them when they arrive. For the meantime, still scratching my head off.

3 years means your GPU is out of warranty with Sapphire. (2 years)

Undervolting causes instability. I'm still wondering why you would do this unless you had heat issues, in which case you should still increase case airflow and fan speeds before you undervolt. If heat was that big of an issue with proper case cooling then you should have RMA'd the card when you realized this instead of undervolting for 3 years.

I don't know if you completely read my post but let me reiterate. This has been stable for the last 3 years. And issue just started a few weeks ago. I never said I had problems with the cooling a few years back. And going to the default settings doesn't help too currently.
 
Mar 1, 2019
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I see now why some people would want to undervolt. I wouldn't think the Sapphire Nitro+ would require that, I have an RX 580 Nitro+ and it runs nice and cool at full speed.

You can try to troubleshoot by overvolting and/or underclocking.

I also tried that one. Still no go. Yeah, undervolting is a thing for AMD GPUs for gaming too.

Memory usage in what program? Vram usage varies depending on workload.

Mostly games. I played Dota2, CSGO and DIABLO3. All at ultra settings. Should eat up quite a few VRAM and not just 1700.
 
Mar 1, 2019
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I noticed just right now early in the morning, when ambient is 14c that GPU clock speeds are able to hold up 1350 all the time without drops. GPU temps stay 65c for core. But I don't have any way to monitor my VRAM temps. Also, it is using 2.5k-3k Video memory and not the aforementioned 1.7k.

Once GPU clocks start dropping tho, GPU core clocks were still within the limit, so I couldn't understand the dips in GPU clock.

I sure hope this is a VRAM coolibg issue.
 
Mar 1, 2019
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Update:

New thermal pad hasn't arrived yet.

Been playing a few hours today. Just after boot up, FPS and Core Clocks are stable which is 1342(Reverted all settings to default on my GPU).

Maybe after 2 games is when I start noticing the Core clock fluctuations, which, didn't seem to happen before like I mentioned in the original post.

And also for display, I am using an LG34UC79G-B 144hz.