{"id":14631,"date":"2021-12-16T19:12:16","date_gmt":"2021-12-16T18:12:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/g100.us\/?p=14631"},"modified":"2022-08-15T19:14:32","modified_gmt":"2022-08-15T17:14:32","slug":"lower-gpu-temperature","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/g100.us\/lower-gpu-temperature\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Lower Your GPU Temperature"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_39 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">TABLE OF CONTENTS<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-668443633b17c\" class=\"cssicon\"><span style=\"display: flex;align-items: center;width: 35px;height: 30px;justify-content: center;direction:ltr;\"><svg style=\"fill: #7f11e0;color:#7f11e0\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #7f11e0;color:#7f11e0\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\" \/><\/svg><\/span><\/label><label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-668443633b17c\" class=\"cssiconcheckbox\">1<\/label><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-668443633b17c\" checked><nav><ul class=\"ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 \"><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/lower-gpu-temperature\/#What_Raises_Your_GPU_Temperature\" title=\"What Raises Your GPU Temperature?\">What Raises Your GPU Temperature?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/lower-gpu-temperature\/#How_To_Monitor_GPU_Temperatures_How_High_Is_Too_High\" title=\"How To Monitor GPU Temperatures &amp; How High Is Too High\">How To Monitor GPU Temperatures &amp; How High Is Too High<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/lower-gpu-temperature\/#How_To_Lower_Your_GPU_Temperature\" title=\"How To Lower Your GPU Temperature\">How To Lower Your GPU Temperature<\/a><ul class=\"ez-toc-list-level-3\"><li class=\"ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/lower-gpu-temperature\/#Disable_Any_Overclocking_You_May_Be_Using\" title=\"Disable Any Overclocking You May Be Using\">Disable Any Overclocking You May Be Using<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/lower-gpu-temperature\/#Set_A_Higher_GPU_Fan_Curve\" title=\"Set A Higher GPU Fan Curve\">Set A Higher GPU Fan Curve<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/lower-gpu-temperature\/#Undervolt_Your_Graphics_Card_or_Set_A_Low-Power_Mode\" title=\"Undervolt Your Graphics Card or Set A Low-Power Mode\">Undervolt Your Graphics Card or Set A Low-Power Mode<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/lower-gpu-temperature\/#Set_An_FPS_Cap\" title=\"Set An FPS Cap\">Set An FPS Cap<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/lower-gpu-temperature\/#Use_Compressed_Air_To_Clean_Your_Graphics_Card\" title=\"Use Compressed Air To Clean Your Graphics Card\">Use Compressed Air To Clean Your Graphics Card<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/lower-gpu-temperature\/#Add_Case_Fans_To_Improve_Case_Airflow_Benefits_All_Components_Especially_Open-Air_GPU\" title=\"Add Case Fans To Improve Case Airflow (Benefits All Components, Especially Open-Air GPU)\">Add Case Fans To Improve Case Airflow (Benefits All Components, Especially Open-Air GPU)<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/lower-gpu-temperature\/#Replace_The_GPUs_Thermal_Paste\" title=\"Replace The GPU\u2019s Thermal Paste\">Replace The GPU\u2019s Thermal Paste<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/lower-gpu-temperature\/#FAQ\" title=\"FAQ\">FAQ<\/a><ul class=\"ez-toc-list-level-3\"><li class=\"ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/lower-gpu-temperature\/#Does_Undervolting_Decrease_Performance\" title=\"Does Undervolting Decrease Performance?\">Does Undervolting Decrease Performance?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/lower-gpu-temperature\/#Over_to_You\" title=\"Over to You\">Over to You<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p>If you\u2019re here, you\u2019re ready to learn how to lower your GPU's temperature.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ll walk you through several methods of doing exactly that, but first I want to go over what raises GPU temperatures, to begin with, how to monitor them, and <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/gpu-temperature-guide\/\">when to be concerned<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>You can use the Table of Contents to skip ahead to the temperature-reducing tips if you like, but otherwise, I\u2019m diving headfirst into this GPU Temperature Guide.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Raises_Your_GPU_Temperature\"><\/span>What Raises Your GPU Temperature?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>First, let\u2019s talk about what actually raises your GPU temperature:<\/p>\n<p>Most of the things you do on your PC- even things that might be tied to your graphics card, like watching high-resolution video- most likely isn\u2019t going to get your GPU to heat up.<\/p>\n<p>In order to get your GPU hot, you need to get its GPU utilization raised by a GPU-intensive application.<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-14643\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/GPU-intensive-Applications.jpg\" alt=\"GPU intensive Applications\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/GPU-intensive-Applications.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/GPU-intensive-Applications-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/GPU-intensive-Applications-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/GPU-intensive-Applications-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/GPU-intensive-Applications-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-14643 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"GPU intensive Applications\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/GPU-intensive-Applications.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/GPU-intensive-Applications-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/GPU-intensive-Applications-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/GPU-intensive-Applications-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/GPU-intensive-Applications-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/GPU-intensive-Applications.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p>Examples of GPU-intensive applications include the majority of PC games, as well as many video editing, photo editing, and 3D rendering software tools.<\/p>\n<p>If you have a particularly powerful graphics card, you\u2019ll need to throw cutting-edge modern games at high settings or heavy productivity loads to see your temperatures rise significantly.<\/p>\n<p>Even in these cases, your temperatures will most likely fall off pretty quickly once the intensive task in question is no longer being run.<\/p>\n<p>Where issues are more likely to arise is when a GPU is forced to run a sustained, heavy workload over a much longer period of time than a few hours. This can be <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/best-hardware-for-gpu-rendering-in-octane-redshift-vray\/\">for particularly long renders<\/a>, crypto mining, and so on.<\/p>\n<p>In these cases, your GPU temperature will only rise until it begins to thermal throttle.<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-14644\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/What-is-Thermal-Throttling-1.jpg\" alt=\"What is Thermal Throttling\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/What-is-Thermal-Throttling-1.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/What-is-Thermal-Throttling-1-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/What-is-Thermal-Throttling-1-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/What-is-Thermal-Throttling-1-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/What-is-Thermal-Throttling-1-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-14644 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"What is Thermal Throttling\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/What-is-Thermal-Throttling-1.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/What-is-Thermal-Throttling-1-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/What-is-Thermal-Throttling-1-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/What-is-Thermal-Throttling-1-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/What-is-Thermal-Throttling-1-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/What-is-Thermal-Throttling-1.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p>Once thermal throttling starts, crashing becomes a higher possibility, and performance across the board will be reduced until temperatures are under control.<\/p>\n<p>So, how do you monitor this and know when too high is too high?<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_To_Monitor_GPU_Temperatures_How_High_Is_Too_High\"><\/span>How To Monitor GPU Temperatures &amp; How High Is Too High<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Fortunately, <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/reinstall-windows-upgrading-cpu-motherboard\/\">Windows 10 and newer Windows OSes<\/a> have a GPU utilization and temperature monitor built right into the Task Manager\u2019s Performance Tab (CTRL + SHIFT + ESC).<\/p>\n<p>The temperature will be displayed in degrees Celsius, like with other hardware monitoring applications.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_14632\" style=\"width: 689px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-14632\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-with-border wp-image-14632\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/word-image-8.png\" alt=\"Task Manager's Performance Tab showing GPU's temperature\" width=\"689\" height=\"178\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/word-image-8.png 879w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/word-image-8-300x77.png 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/word-image-8-768x198.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 689px) 100vw, 689px\"><\/noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-14632\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-with-border wp-image-14632 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20689%20178%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Task Manager's Performance Tab showing GPU's temperature\" width=\"689\" height=\"178\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20689%20178%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 689w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 689px) 100vw, 689px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/word-image-8.png 879w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/word-image-8-300x77.png 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/word-image-8-768x198.png 768w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/word-image-8.png\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-14632\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Task Manager's Performance Tab showing GPU's temperature<\/p><\/div>\n<p>This is an easy way to check the temperature and utilization of your graphics hardware at any given time.<\/p>\n<p>In the screenshot above, my card is more-or-less idle, with my CPU doing most of the heavy lifting for my productivity and writing workloads.<\/p>\n<p>However, if I boot up Devil May Cry 5 and start running around for a bit, those temperatures will quickly rise:<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_14633\" style=\"width: 407px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-14633\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-with-border wp-image-14633\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/word-image-9.png\" alt=\"GPU's temperature quickly rising when playing Devil May Cry 5\" width=\"407\" height=\"197\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/word-image-9.png 490w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/word-image-9-300x145.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 407px) 100vw, 407px\"><\/noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-14633\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-with-border wp-image-14633 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20407%20197%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"GPU's temperature quickly rising when playing Devil May Cry 5\" width=\"407\" height=\"197\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20407%20197%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 407w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 407px) 100vw, 407px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/word-image-9.png 490w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/word-image-9-300x145.png 300w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/word-image-9.png\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-14633\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">GPU's temperature quickly rising when playing a high-end PC Game<\/p><\/div>\n<p>So with that being said and demonstrated, <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/gpu-temperature-guide\/\">what level of GPU temperatures should be considered too high<\/a>?<\/p>\n<p>Fortunately for me, 82 degrees Celsius is a perfectly safe range for a GPU under heavy utilization to be running at.<\/p>\n<p><strong>A dangerously high GPU temperature starts at about 95 degrees Celsius. This temperature zone is dangerously hot for most GPUs and an actual problem that will force thermal throttling for any GPU being pushed past this temperature<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>If the overheating is severe enough and the thermal throttling isn\u2019t enough by itself, you may even experience a crash.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Below 90 degrees Celsius is generally considered an ideal zone for a GPU under heavy load<\/strong>. If you can get below 80 degrees Celsius at load, you may even have some extra overclocking headroom.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_To_Lower_Your_GPU_Temperature\"><\/span>How To Lower Your GPU Temperature<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Disable_Any_Overclocking_You_May_Be_Using\"><\/span>Disable Any Overclocking You May Be Using<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>If you\u2019re overclocking, you\u2019re definitely running your GPU with more power and, as a result, more heat.<\/p>\n<p>If your overclock is stable despite running hotter, then that\u2019s okay, but you should still make sure that a GPU overclock isn\u2019t pushing you into that danger zone of 90-95 degrees Celsius!<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-14645\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/GPU-Overclocking.jpg\" alt=\"GPU Overclocking\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/GPU-Overclocking.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/GPU-Overclocking-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/GPU-Overclocking-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/GPU-Overclocking-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/GPU-Overclocking-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-14645 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"GPU Overclocking\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/GPU-Overclocking.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/GPU-Overclocking-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/GPU-Overclocking-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/GPU-Overclocking-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/GPU-Overclocking-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/GPU-Overclocking.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p>Even if it somehow isn\u2019t causing your card to crash, it\u2019s definitely raising your temperatures and can even have a long-term impact on your hardware if it\u2019s constantly in the danger zone.<\/p>\n<p>Moving past this point, I\u2019m going to assume you\u2019re running your GPU at stock clocks.<\/p>\n<p>You can still consider these other options, but your overclock is most likely to be the culprit in this scenario.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Set_A_Higher_GPU_Fan_Curve\"><\/span>Set A Higher GPU Fan Curve<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>With modern GPU monitoring software, setting and controlling fan speeds has become extremely accessible.<\/p>\n<p>With my Gigabyte GTX 1070 and Gigabyte\u2019s \u201cXTREME Gaming Engine\u201d, I have a few buttons that let me set my Fan Speeds easily.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_14634\" style=\"width: 635px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-14634\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-14634\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/word-image-10.png\" alt=\"GIGABYTE Monitoring Software\" width=\"635\" height=\"480\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/word-image-10.png 973w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/word-image-10-300x227.png 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/word-image-10-768x581.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 635px) 100vw, 635px\"><\/noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-14634\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-14634 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20635%20480%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"GIGABYTE Monitoring Software\" width=\"635\" height=\"480\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20635%20480%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 635w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 635px) 100vw, 635px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/word-image-10.png 973w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/word-image-10-300x227.png 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/word-image-10-768x581.png 768w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/word-image-10.png\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-14634\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Gigabyte Xtreme Engine GPU Tool - Image-Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gigabyte.com\/Support\/Utility\/Motherboard\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Gigabyte<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p>If you want the most seamless experience, find your GPU manufacturer\u2019s support page for your specific graphics card and download the compatible utility.<\/p>\n<p>If that sounds like too much work or you aren\u2019t sure you have access to the information, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.msi.com\/Landing\/afterburner\/graphics-cards\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">try to download and install MSI Afterburner instead<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Within MSI Afterburner, you should be able to set your own Fan Speed curve with any graphics card, even for GPUs from <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/gpu-brands-amd-nvidia\/\">other Graphics Card brands than MSI<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Setting your Fan Speed to kick into high speeds around the 50 degrees Celsius mark is a good way to keep your temperatures down, should you opt for this route.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Undervolt_Your_Graphics_Card_or_Set_A_Low-Power_Mode\"><\/span>Undervolt Your Graphics Card or Set A Low-Power Mode<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Using a GPU tweaking utility like MSI Afterburner (linked in the above section), you don\u2019t just have to overclock your GPU.<\/p>\n<p>You can also do something called <em>undervolting<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Undervolting<\/strong> is similar to setting a low-power mode, except with the goal of maintaining all stock clock and memory frequencies.<\/p>\n<p>If you can do this with your graphics card, you can effectively stabilize its performance and lower its heat exhaust by having it do mostly the same thing, but without actually stressing its components.<\/p>\n<p>This is an especially valuable option for laptop users, who don\u2019t have as many options for achieving higher performance via raw cooling.<\/p>\n<p>If you want an <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/fix-coil-whine\/\">easy option to reduce coil whine<\/a> and don\u2019t care about possible performance reduction, set your Windows Power Plan to Balanced or even Power Saver.<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-14646\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/Power-Saver-Mode.jpg\" alt=\"Power Saver Mode\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/Power-Saver-Mode.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/Power-Saver-Mode-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/Power-Saver-Mode-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/Power-Saver-Mode-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/Power-Saver-Mode-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-14646 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Power Saver Mode\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/Power-Saver-Mode.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/Power-Saver-Mode-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/Power-Saver-Mode-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/Power-Saver-Mode-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/Power-Saver-Mode-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/Power-Saver-Mode.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p>This should reduce power consumption across the board, but especially prevent your GPU from reaching its maximum limits. This will help prevent coil whine, but you will lose performance as a direct result.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Set_An_FPS_Cap\"><\/span>Set An FPS Cap<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Did you know that uncapped FPS increases the likelihood of coil whine?<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s true- especially if you\u2019re running a game at hundreds or even over a thousand FPS. This can happen surprisingly frequently with older 3D games being run on cutting-edge modern hardware, as well as a lot of eSports titles.<\/p>\n<p>Setting an FPS Cap of 60 should prevent this from happening in nearly anything unless there are titles you already don\u2019t reach 60 FPS in. (In which case maximum GPU utilization may still result in coil whine, and you\u2019ll want to lower settings or your cap.)<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-14647\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/How-to-Limit-FPS.jpg\" alt=\"How to Limit FPS\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/How-to-Limit-FPS.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/How-to-Limit-FPS-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/How-to-Limit-FPS-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/How-to-Limit-FPS-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/How-to-Limit-FPS-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-14647 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"How to Limit FPS\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/How-to-Limit-FPS.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/How-to-Limit-FPS-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/How-to-Limit-FPS-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/How-to-Limit-FPS-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/How-to-Limit-FPS-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/How-to-Limit-FPS.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p>Even if you use a high-refresh rate monitor, setting an FPS cap to somewhere that is consistently reachable should result in a smoother overall gaming experience, even if you have to opt for something like 100 or 144 FPS instead of 100+-but-jumping-around-constantly FPS.<\/p>\n<p>There are a few different ways to go about capping FPS. The best way by far is to do so within the engine of the game you\u2019re playing, usually by finding an in-game setting or console command.<\/p>\n<p>If the game you\u2019re playing doesn\u2019t support this feature, the next-best option is to use <a href=\"https:\/\/www.guru3d.com\/files-details\/rtss-rivatuner-statistics-server-download.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">RivaTuner Statistics Server<\/a> to set an FPS cap on that specific game.<\/p>\n<p>You can even choose to make Global or Game-Specifics profiles in RivaTuner to streamline or customize this process as you choose.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_14635\" style=\"width: 485px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-14635\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-14635\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/word-image-11.png\" alt=\"RivaTuner Statistics Server\" width=\"485\" height=\"656\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/word-image-11.png 530w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/word-image-11-222x300.png 222w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 485px) 100vw, 485px\"><\/noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-14635\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-14635 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20485%20656%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"RivaTuner Statistics Server\" width=\"485\" height=\"656\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20485%20656%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 485w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 485px) 100vw, 485px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/word-image-11.png 530w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/word-image-11-222x300.png 222w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/word-image-11.png\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-14635\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A 120 FPS limit set for hl2.exe- Team Fortress 2\u2019s version, specifically. My Global cap is a 144 FPS fallback for games where I can\u2019t set an in-game limiter. - Image-Credit: RivaTuner<\/p><\/div>\n<p>You can also use V-Sync in your games to cap your FPS and reduce screen tearing, but doing so will come at the cost of increased input latency and more drastic decreases to FPS when they do occur, most noticeable with double-buffered V-Sync.<\/p>\n<p>Triple-buffered V-Sync alleviates this since its frame drops are usually two-thirds of full FPS rather than one-half of full FPS like with double-buffered V-Sync.<\/p>\n<p>In general, I would recommend using an in-game limiter or RTSS to cap your frame rate and use a FreeSync or G-Sync Monitor from there to eliminate screen tearing.<\/p>\n<p>The added input latency from V-Sync and its more direct impact on FPS drops when they occur leans me against recommending its usage outside of games where it\u2019s explicitly recommended.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Use_Compressed_Air_To_Clean_Your_Graphics_Card\"><\/span>Use Compressed Air To Clean Your Graphics Card<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Owned your graphics card for a few years, bought it used, or just think it could use a good dusting? You can use a can of <a class=\"thirstylink\" title=\"Falcon Dust, Off Compressed Gas (152a) Disposable Cleaning Duster, 1, Count, 3.5 oz Can (DPSJB),Black\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/recommends\/falcon-dust-off-compressed-gas-152a-disposable-cleaning-duster-1-count-3-5-oz-can-dpsjbblack\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener noreferrer\">compressed air<\/a> to accomplish this with safety and precision.<\/p>\n<p>First, completely shut down your PC. Then, switch off the power supply and unplug the system. Press the power button a few times to clear any excess power that might be lingering in your system, <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/ground-yourself-when-building-pc\/\">then ground yourself<\/a>. (Use an <a class=\"thirstylink\" title=\"Anti Static Wrist Strap, Strap Anti Shock Wristband Bracelet with Grounding Wire, Alligator Clip, Extendable Long Cord\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/recommends\/anti-static-wrist-strap-strap-anti-shock-wristband-bracelet-with-grounding-wire-alligator-clip-extendable-long-cord\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener noreferrer\">anti-static wristband<\/a> if you\u2019re worried about static discharge!)<\/p>\n<p>Once grounded, safely remove your graphics card from your PC and take it somewhere, preferably outdoors, for dusting.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a fairly straightforward process to dust something with compressed air, you\u2019ll just want to hold your fans still when you\u2019re cleaning around them to prevent them from being propelled by the compressed air. <strong>Skipping this step can break the bearings on your GPU fans, so don\u2019t skip it!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If you feel your PC, in general, has a lot of dust buildup, it can be helpful to dust the entire thing, not just your graphics card.<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-14648\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/Setting-up-your-PC-Maintenance-Workspace.jpg\" alt=\"Setting up your PC Maintenance Workspace\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/Setting-up-your-PC-Maintenance-Workspace.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/Setting-up-your-PC-Maintenance-Workspace-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/Setting-up-your-PC-Maintenance-Workspace-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/Setting-up-your-PC-Maintenance-Workspace-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/Setting-up-your-PC-Maintenance-Workspace-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-14648 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Setting up your PC Maintenance Workspace\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/Setting-up-your-PC-Maintenance-Workspace.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/Setting-up-your-PC-Maintenance-Workspace-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/Setting-up-your-PC-Maintenance-Workspace-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/Setting-up-your-PC-Maintenance-Workspace-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/Setting-up-your-PC-Maintenance-Workspace-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/Setting-up-your-PC-Maintenance-Workspace.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p>In this case, my advice is largely the same, but to keep the fan point in mind for your various case and cooling fans, not just your GPU fans.<\/p>\n<p>Plus, if you\u2019ll be dusting your entire PC, the can will freeze up fairly easily- if this happens, just take a short break before returning to dust again.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Add_Case_Fans_To_Improve_Case_Airflow_Benefits_All_Components_Especially_Open-Air_GPU\"><\/span>Add Case Fans To Improve Case Airflow (Benefits All Components, Especially Open-Air GPU)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>If you\u2019re using a large Mini ITX or most Micro ATX and ATX cases, <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/how-many-case-fans\/\"><strong>chances are you have room for a few extra case fans<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Improving the airflow in your entire case will also improve the performance of any coolers and heatsinks present inside, thanks to the presence of cooler air and proper airflow helping encourage intake and exhaust.<\/p>\n<p>This especially applies to graphics cards with open-air style cooler designs, which just kind of exhaust heat in every direction without strong case airflow.<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-14649\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/Blower-style-vs-open-air-GPU-1.jpg\" alt=\"Blower style vs open-air GPU\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/Blower-style-vs-open-air-GPU-1.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/Blower-style-vs-open-air-GPU-1-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/Blower-style-vs-open-air-GPU-1-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/Blower-style-vs-open-air-GPU-1-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/Blower-style-vs-open-air-GPU-1-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-14649 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Blower style vs open-air GPU\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/Blower-style-vs-open-air-GPU-1.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/Blower-style-vs-open-air-GPU-1-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/Blower-style-vs-open-air-GPU-1-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/Blower-style-vs-open-air-GPU-1-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/Blower-style-vs-open-air-GPU-1-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/12\/Blower-style-vs-open-air-GPU-1.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p>Comparatively, a blower-style GPU devotes its fans to the job of rapidly sucking air in and exhausting it outside of the case.<\/p>\n<p>This can be done with a more low-profile design than with open-air cards, and actually makes the blower-style cards ideal for use in an HTPC or Mini ITX PC build.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Want to learn more about the difference between Blower-Style and Open-Air Graphics Cards? Check out Alex\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/open-air-vs-blower-style-gpus\/\">detailed guide on the topic<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Replace_The_GPUs_Thermal_Paste\"><\/span>Replace The GPU\u2019s Thermal Paste<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>I\u2019ve put this option at the end of the list because it\u2019s the most severe option, but it\u2019s also the one that\u2019s most guaranteed to help, especially if you\u2019re using an older graphics card.<\/p>\n<p>It turns out that most thermal paste is destined to start degrading after <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/how-long-does-thermal-paste-last\/\">about two or three years<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The compound used in hardware that\u2019s never meant to be opened up by the end-user (like laptops or GPUs) is commonly estimated to last about five years, but your mileage may vary when it comes to PC hardware.<\/p>\n<p>When thermal paste degrades, its ability to transfer heat from the GPU chip to the attached cooler is reduced. This results in abnormally high temperatures, even when fans are being run at full throttle, and as a consequence will decrease performance when the card begins to throttle.<\/p>\n<p>Replacing your GPU thermal paste will require it to be professionally taken apart and the original paste cleaned off safely.<\/p>\n<p>If you aren\u2019t comfortable doing this or don\u2019t know-how, definitely let a professional do it for you!<\/p>\n<p><strong>If you want somewhere to start looking for a good Thermal Paste, <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/the-best-thermal-paste-for-your-needs-beginners-guide\/\"><strong>check here for our top recommendations<\/strong><\/a><strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQ\"><\/span>FAQ<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Does_Undervolting_Decrease_Performance\"><\/span>Does Undervolting Decrease Performance?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>No. Undervolting can\u2019t be done alongside overclocking (which requires more power to drive higher clocks), but in most scenarios should be easy to get working with a GPU running at stock clock speeds.<\/p>\n<p>By intelligently lowering the voltage, you can effectively stabilize GPU performance at stock while generating less heat and consuming less power.<\/p>\n<p>As a bonus, it should also reduce coil whine.<\/p>\n<p>While undervolting poses no permanent risk of any kind to your hardware, you may still experience crashing if you try to push your voltages too low.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re interested in undervolting your graphics card and aren\u2019t sure where to start, this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=zUkPAVcb9Xc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">YouTube guide<\/a> from Optimum Tech can help you out.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Over_to_You\"><\/span>Over to You<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong><em>Have any other questions about GPU Temperature? Feel free to ask us in the <\/em><\/strong><a href=\"#comments\"><strong><em>comments<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong><em> or our <\/em><\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/forum\/\"><strong><em>forum<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong><em>!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you\u2019re here, you\u2019re ready to learn how to lower your GPU's temperature. I\u2019ll walk you through several methods of doing exactly that, but first I want to go over what raises GPU temperatures, to begin with, how to monitor them, and when to be concerned. You can use the Table of Contents to skip...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2339,"featured_media":14636,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[74,303],"tags":[118],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14631"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2339"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14631"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14631\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17115,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14631\/revisions\/17115"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14636"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14631"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14631"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14631"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}