Question Temps on my Zotac RTX 3060 Ti Twin Edge OC are higher than they used to be ?

[PratHat]

When I first got this graphics card 3 years ago, the temps under load where 74-75C. After some while the temps increased to 80C. I cleaned my filters on my cabinet and also the fans of the gpu and it got back to 75c. Now in the third year, even after cleaning all the dust, the temps under load are still 80-83C .

Have the thermal pads degraded ? Should I replace them and take the risk of losing warranty. Or should I just RMA it? Should I just leave it and stop worrying about the temps? I just want it to survive a year and a half more so that when the 5070 launches or 8800xt comes out I can replace my gpu. Any advice is appreciated.

 

[Phaaze88]

Have the thermal pads degraded ? Should I replace them and take the risk of losing warranty. Or should I just RMA it? Should I just leave it and stop worrying about the temps?

Just a repaste. There's no relation between gpu core temperature and thermal pads, save for when folks try replacing them and screw it up.

Or you can try the RMA route, but this is NOT a pad issue.

 

[PratHat]

Just a repaste. There's no relation between gpu core temperature and thermal pads, save for when folks try replacing them and screw it up.

Or you can try the RMA route, but this is NOT a pad issue.

Okayyy so I should try repasting the gpu only right, and not the pads on the graphics card memory. Any precautions I should take ? And also is there any guide you could recommend?

 

[Phaaze88]

Okayyy so I should try repasting the gpu only right, and not the pads on the graphics card memory. Any precautions I should take ? And also is there any guide you could recommend?

1)Right. If you have some MX-4 or NT-H2 lying around, those are good pastes for this; there are some pastes that don't work so well on bare die - by that, I mean, they'll have you repasting frequently.

2)Warm the card up for a least a few minutes.

3)

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fEYOIsfnBs
(You can watch from Chapter 5)

 

[PratHat]

Thank you for the video. Now I don't have the NT-H2 but instead the NT-H1. That should be fine right?

 

[Phaaze88]

Thank you for the video. Now I don't have the NT-H2 but instead the NT-H1. That should be fine right?

It's not great for bare die. That one's known to to get pumped out with heat cycles over time, making you reapply it over and over and over...

 

[PratHat]

It's not great for bare die. That one's known to to get pumped out with heat cycles over time, making you reapply it over and over and over...

Turns out one of my friends has the NH-2 so that part is covered. I would like to update something though. I hadn't cleared my chasis fans with compressed air till now. I just used a brush to get some dust off. I could see a thin line of dust on the fans but didn't think it would matter much. Turns out it did. I cleaned the chasis fans with a compressed air electronic duster after watching some videos on how to properly do it. Lo and behold my temps are back to 74-75C. Now I guess if I also disassemble the graphics card and repaste it, It would lead to even lesser temps. That's something that excites me lolz. Am I crazy for that or what....

 

[Phaaze88]

Turns out one of my friends has the NH-2 so that part is covered. I would like to update something though. I hadn't cleared my chasis fans with compressed air till now. I just used a brush to get some dust off. I could see a thin line of dust on the fans but didn't think it would matter much. Turns out it did. I cleaned the chasis fans with a compressed air electronic duster after watching some videos on how to properly do it. Lo and behold my temps are back to 74-75C. Now I guess if I also disassemble the graphics card and repaste it, It would lead to even lesser temps. That's something that excites me lolz. Am I crazy for that or what....

Well, look at that, you missed a spot, LOL!
But no, you're not crazy; there are plenty of cases where the solution has been 'right there' and was overlooked. Now you don't really have to do a repaste unless you want to.