Warning: Overheating Video Cards

Hi, this may or may not be a FFXIV thing, but figured it couldn't hurt to share information:

TL;DR, Update fried my dated video card, almost fried wife's.

TL version:

So, as soon as the update dropped, I started it up on my main PC and the video card FRIED. Overheated, burned out capacitors, electrical burn stink. The works. Maybe 15 minutes in game.

It's an older Geforce card (20xx series), so low-end-but-should-work. The Benchmark said we were well within "average".

I figured, hey, it's old.

Then, my wife's overheated (She also has a similar 20xx series card, slightly better than mine). It hasn't burned out, but it got blazing hot and eventually blue screened.

No other games give us this issue, and we have several that are comparable to FFXIV or run at higher settings no problem.

Be advised, but also it could just be coincidence. If anyone else is having similar problems feel free to add it here. Solutions if any, are welcome!

Note: I updated mine to a 4060 and it's running fine.

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Originally Posted by kaynide

TL;DR, Update fried my dated video card, almost fried wife's.

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Depending on resolution, your card will run at maximum powerlevels.
My 3080 runs 100% @ 385W in 4K.

Make sure to keep your coolers clean, set your fan curves to something appropriately aggressive during summer and monitor your hardware's temperatures.

This is computing 101. You just learned this the hard way.

I have my 7900XTX for a years now, and I can confirm this is the very first game that kick the fans into a override.

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Originally Posted by Granyala

Depending on resolution, your card will run at maximum powerlevels.
My 3080 runs 100% @ 385W in 4K.

Make sure to keep your coolers clean, set your fan curves to something appropriately aggressive during summer and monitor your hardware's temperatures.

This is computing 101. You just learned this the hard way.

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I mean this is a lot of assuming;

2 regularly cleaned/maintained PCs run FFXIV fine at mid-low spec, install DT Update, video cards overheat at low-low spec.

We have cats; we clean out our PCs like once a month for dust. It's not an issue of lack-of-knowledge.

There were zero problems pre-DT.

There ARE zero problems running other games at medium-low spec (I would say the "newest" being Horizon Forbidden West).

We are not running anything even remotely high-spec'd or 4k.

-that said I'm not saying this isn't my fault- it could 1000% just be old hardware and bad timing. It could just be we were hanging on by a thread pre-DT, and now the old cards are just not minimum spec.

This is why despite having a really high end PC, I still limit my fps to 100 only. Don't need anymore than that. The more you overwork your PC, the faster your components will die.

Watch out for your CPU, because FFXIV demands a lot on congested zones. Isn't that heavy GPU.

I've a 3070 at 2k resolution and in main cities it drops to 55 fps because my cpu it's an i7 8700.

Hopefully they look into this. In the end we also have to put card manufacturer's in this equation; a lot of them have really bad cooling designs; looking at you EVGA (though they no longer make cards). I personally recommend Gigabyte cards, those dudes over there really know how to make quality stuff.

I agree with OP, make sure to monitor your GPU temps; not just in xiv but in all games. But even more important than that, make sure to update your graphics drivers before you play any new game or new expansion; that will usually prevent some weird GPU operations in specific games as well.

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Originally Posted by Edelgarde

This is why despite having a really high end PC, I still limit my fps to 100 only. Don't need anymore than that. The more you overwork your PC, the faster your components will die.

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Specially with xiv with all the particle effects.

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Originally Posted by Granyala

Depending on resolution, your card will run at maximum powerlevels.
My 3080 runs 100% @ 385W in 4K.

Make sure to keep your coolers clean, set your fan curves to something appropriately aggressive during summer and monitor your hardware's temperatures.

This is computing 101. You just learned this the hard way.

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Alternatively, limit the gpu's power level. Had some issues with coil whine on mine which was resolved by gutting it's power consumption by... 40%. And now i can still play most game in a fairly silent fan system without any issues.

3060 with i5-10600k.

You should also check your power supply. It may not be able to provide all of the power your GPU is now asking for. People tend to forget about power supplies. Pro-tip: You can always go big on a P/S. It never hurts to have one bigger than you need, but it'll always hurt to have one that's not big enough.

Also for people who have heat issues, dont forget to cap the fps to 60. It helps with heat for faster GPU. Mine could run up to 90 fps+ and my GPU temp would reach 90+. After I capped it to 60 FPS, it never went above 80, on average its around 65-75. Also the game physics are broken once you get into high FPS anyway...

The 60 fps cap doesn't work for me, the game still goes full force T4rdis to 200 fps on my rtx 4070, it only goes to 30 if i cap it to 30, 60 fps cap is broken, it still goes to max fps, at least, on my end it is.

Looking through google, and bug reports, I'm seeing a lot of problems on XBox, PS5 starting up, in addition to others having other weird issues. I'm not convinced it's all related or SE's fault, but it's something to keep in mind. Very likely it's just the minimum spec requirements have gone up and some devices might not be doing well with that, for whatever reason.

I would say, if anyone is having issues go through the above and/or google. There's a lot of good advice here!

Worst case, maybe wait for the first patch I assume to be inbound this week as the expac launches "for reals".

I think your setups must be wrong or you're cases need a good cleaning. I'm running an old 1080TI. max graphics no issue, GPU temp 84C max and CPU 60C.

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Originally Posted by Katt_Felista

The 60 fps cap doesn't work for me, the game still goes full force T4rdis to 200 fps on my rtx 4070, it only goes to 30 if i cap it to 30, 60 fps cap is broken, it still goes to max fps, at least, on my end it is.

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You should use GeForce control panel to set fps cap.

I have set it to 60 so my 3070 never goes above 60C and fans are quiet enough not to be audible through headphones.

Did you monitor your GPU temperature before that including hot spot?
Most probably it was overheating due old thermal paste/pads. Just cleaning dust may not be enough for old GPUs. Last year I repasted my old MSI RTX 2080 bought in 2018 and it dropped temps by about 15-20 degrees.
No GPU should die from continuous 100% workload (unless it overclocked that can cause early degradation) if it being maintained properly and has no hardware defects.
DT is demanding and sometimes can use 100% of 20 series GPU.

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Originally Posted by Somnolence

You should use GeForce control panel to set fps cap.

I have set it to 60 so my 3070 never goes above 60C and fans are quiet enough not to be audible through headphones.

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Thanks, i will try this.

I see, so that's why my GTX 1060 was being so loud to the point it made me feel concerned. Limiting in game FPS to 60 lowers the noise and temperatures immediately.

The thing people in these situations don't want to hear, is that there is simply no way for a properly cooled and well ventilated PC to overheat. Components are designed to run at 100% load for prolonged periods of time. The game is more taxing than it has ever been, yes but that is very much a user issue.

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Originally Posted by Rekh

Hopefully they look into this. In the end we also have to put card manufacturer's in this equation; a lot of them have really bad cooling designs; looking at you EVGA (though they no longer make cards).

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Nah, this is just a sign of old and/or poorly made "factory OC" GPU's. The same complaints popped up on the switch to DX11 the first time. "My GPU stopped working" / "my computer BSOD's playing the game"

If the GPU was built properly and kept clean, then it should be fine. If it wasn't built well (like many cheap cards) then when it gets a load it will sweat under, it's going to have issues. I've also seen the same kind of complaints when Neir Automata was released. People with GTX xx50/xx60 parts would just just have the cards die on them. The keyword here is "factory OC", as many of these cards are basically built to cheat benchmarks, but absolutely fold when it has to do that load for hours.

If it would really be doing this, we would see FAR more reports than just a couple comments on the forum.



Also, I am running Dawntrail in 3440x1440 on medium to high settings with 40-60 FPS on a RX 6600 and no heat issues.

Hihihi, that's the reason why i love the FF14 benchmark as an instability test. Because it can spoil issues, which other tests don't.

And if the GPU overheats then replace the thermal paste/pad. If it still overheats then your air circulation in your computer case is very bad.



Cheers

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Originally Posted by Somnolence

You should use GeForce control panel to set fps cap.

I have set it to 60 so my 3070 never goes above 60C and fans are quiet enough not to be audible through headphones.

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Yeah always cap it to monitors cap in the GPU's setting directly. Had certain cases (Crash 4 ) where the LOADING SCREEN of all things would tell the gpu to go full force netting me 400 fps 100% gpu usage and massive coil whine...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Somnolence

You should use GeForce control panel to set fps cap.

I have set it to 60 so my 3070 never goes above 60C and fans are quiet enough not to be audible through headphones.

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You should cap the fps around 3 fps under the monitor refresh rate. So if you have a 60 hz monitor then set the fps cap to 57 fps. It is a reliable method to prevent tearing without enabling vsync.





Cheers

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Originally Posted by kaynide

I mean this is a lot of assuming;

2 regularly cleaned/maintained PCs run FFXIV fine at mid-low spec, install DT Update, video cards overheat at low-low spec.

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Videocards don't overheat out of nothing, though what worries me is that you described a burnt smell.
That usually does not happen when a card dies to overheating (especially newer models that just clock themselves down).

You should assess the health power supply as well. It's possible that it was overtaxed, if it was a cheap one and doesn't have the proper protective circuitry.

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Originally Posted by GrizzlyTank

Alternatively, limit the gpu's power level.

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FPS cap is easier to implement for the average user and pretty much achieves the same result.
Provided you do not choose a resolution/FPS scenario that maxes out/overtaxes your card.

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Originally Posted by Eluvyel

The thing people in these situations don't want to hear, is that there is simply no way for a properly cooled and well ventilated PC to overheat. Components are designed to run at 100% load for prolonged periods of time. The game is more taxing than it has ever been, yes but that is very much a user issue.

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Technically: yes.
Practically: no.

I don't think monitoring the temperatures during full screen 3D applications is something the average user does. Also: repasting a card, while not difficult to do for the people so inclined is WELL beyond what is reasonable to expect of the average joe.

If a card turns non-functional because the manufacturer skimped on 2$ worth of heat transfer compound... that's not a user issue.

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Originally Posted by GrizzlyTank

Yeah always cap it to monitors cap in the GPU's setting directly. Had certain cases (Crash 4 ) where the LOADING SCREEN of all things would tell the gpu to go full force netting me 400 fps 100% gpu usage and massive coil whine...

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IIRC New Worlds from Amazon could actually REALLY fry GPUs due to no FPS limit in the menus. :'D

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Originally Posted by Shiin

Did you monitor your GPU temperature before that including hot spot?
DT is demanding and sometimes can use 100% of 20 series GPU.

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Not just 20 series. My 3080 is taxed 100% in 4K 60FPS and reaches Hot-Spot temperatures of 80°C on a custom loop setup.
Granted, it's summer and my room ambient is at 30°C as well but still.

FF-XIV now needs to be taken more seriously on the hardware front.

Except VRAM.... 4GB usage in Tuliyollal, lul.

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Originally Posted by Granyala

Videocards don't overheat out of nothing, though what worries me is that you described a burnt smell.
That usually does not happen when a card dies to overheating (especially newer models that just clock themselves down).

You should assess the health power supply as well. It's possible that it was overtaxed, if it was a cheap one and doesn't have the proper protective circuitry.

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That's a good call;
We've had the two PCs since ARR launch and kept them in good condition, although obviously they're not tip top condition because wear and tear.

The actual power supply interior is a place I can't easily clean so it could very well have cat hair or whatever from 10+ years of use. I'll be looking into that. Thanks!

Not sure about the heat transfer compound as it was put together by a local PC shop...but with10 years good I'd like to think they did right, but I'm also leaning towards it doesn't matter how clean I think I'm being because there will always be random bits of hair/dust that I just couldn't see/notice.

What you describe doesn't just happen out of nowhere, a game isn't going to make your components blow up and melt. Modern components are made in a way that they will downclock themselves if they begin to hit temps that are too high, it doesn't just keep getting hotter until it melts. This is more in the realms of an electrical fault. Even if you had one of those teeny tiny zoomer cases that are popular right now that cram everything into a tiny space it'll downclock or shut down long before it bursts into flames even in a hotbox like that. Locking framerate to your display in the settings is a good way to reduce heat as the GPU doesn't have to work as hard to maintain that framerate instead of going full power to give you 300fps for no reason. You can also undervolt with Afterburner or a program that allows you to do so if it's toasty. My 3080 in game running my 144hz display at a constant 144fps gets to about 65 and it's summer here so the room is pretty warm alone.

If your temps are out of control somethings either very old and full of dust or fixing framerate lower will fix it.

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Originally Posted by kaynide

Then, my wife's overheated (She also has a similar 20xx series card, slightly better than mine). It hasn't burned out, but it got blazing hot and eventually blue screened.
Note: I updated mine to a 4060 and it's running fine.

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RTX20 is a 2018-2019 video card. Not THAT OLD.

Probably you were using DLSS + high level of shadow softening + perhaps NO lod. In short the AI part was working like crazy, and a entry level GPU card has not enough tensor core.

My advice is to let geforce experience decide the best for you, add a FPS limit (always a good idea) and if it is still overheating remove the other shadows.

Always cap your frame rate through your GPU’s software. I have a MSI 3080 and have kept cool temps with an fps capped through the NVidia control panel. After seeing New World and Diablo 4 kill cards, it’s just a good practice to have.

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Originally Posted by angienessyo

Always cap your frame rate through your GPU’s software. I have a MSI 3080 and have kept cool temps with an fps capped through the NVidia control panel. After seeing New World and Diablo 4 kill cards, it’s just a good practice to have.

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In their defence however, some of those cards weren't properly attached so the pins for the power melted.

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Originally Posted by kaynide

The actual power supply interior is a place I can't easily clean so it could very well have cat hair or whatever from 10+ years of use. I'll be looking into that. Thanks!

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DO NOT OPEN YOUR POWER SUPPLY unless you are an engineer and know what you are doing!
Even plugged out it has rather large capacitors and there is still a possibility of electric shock.

Random dust/hair will always be present and should not be the culprit. Even my computer has some dust bunnies in there.
As long as the fins of the coolers / intake filters aren't clogged and the fans are spinning appropriately, you are good.

There is the possibility of HTC degradation, in order to find out, grab Hardware info and Furmark. Stress the system for a while and observe the temperatures. Both CPU and GPU should stay below 80°C at all times.

I know modern stuff can reach 100°C safely but I have never been comfortable with that for extended use.

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Originally Posted by Larirawiel

Hihihi, that's the reason why i love the FF14 benchmark as an instability test. Because it can spoil issues, which other tests don't.

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Wouldn't Furmark be a lot easier? It can even test stability of power delivery by maxing out CPU & GPU at the same time.

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Originally Posted by Mr_Gyactus

RTX20 is a 2018-2019 video card. Not THAT OLD.

Probably you were using DLSS + high level of shadow softening + perhaps NO lod. In short the AI part was working like crazy, and a entry level GPU card has not enough tensor core.

My advice is to let geforce experience decide the best for you, add a FPS limit (always a good idea) and if it is still overheating remove the other shadows.

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Again: a GPU should not overheat even if it is pegged at 100% use. Just employing arbitrary limits is a band-aid fix. He needs to assess the root cause of the instability.

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Originally Posted by Granyala

Wouldn't Furmark be a lot easier? It can even test stability of power delivery by maxing out CPU & GPU at the same time.

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No. Furmark is basically an overheating test. And it is throttled down in AMD- and Nvidia drivers to prevent overheating. The FF14 benchmark however is a good memory- or "did i undervolt/overclock too much"-test. I know one case, that a guy undervolted his GPU. All games but the FF14 benchmark ran stable. He undervolted the GPU a little bit less and it also worked with the FF14 benchmark. The FF14 spoiled a semi stable system.



Cheers

I've got a Ryzen 5, it's older but plays Baldur's Gate 3 smooth as butter on max graphics. I started up the benchmark and my fans went into overdrive. I've never even heard my fans running before since I've owned this machine, and they're clean as a whistle.

You know, stuff works until it doesn't. A 20 series with this graphics update, that's a heavy lift. I'm in a higher end 30 series and I'm feeling the strain, going to upgrade PC when Win10 goes EOL next year. Hopefully 50 series will have dropped by then and had a couple nice refreshes.

Definitely should have turned those settings\resolution\etc down down down. And keep an eye on your fans, possible it just gave up the ghost and it didn't matter which game you happened to be playing at that moment.

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Originally Posted by AnnRam

Watch out for your CPU, because FFXIV demands a lot on congested zones. Isn't that heavy GPU.

I've a 3070 at 2k resolution and in main cities it drops to 55 fps because my cpu it's an i7 8700.

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To be fair this game has always been CPU heavy and up until Endwalker it didn't even properly utilize 64-bit code and ran on only a single core. It still demands really fast IPC to get stable frame rates in towns and cities.

A video game should not be causing your graphics card to overheat unless you're overclocking or have modified your card in some way. A GPU at 100% power load will give off a certain amount of heat that the engineers should have designed a cooling solution to dissipate. In the vast majority of cases, an overheating graphics card is due to dust, a bad case, or buying the cheapest version of the card you can find.

Modern graphics cards also have an emergency shutoff temperature. OP's case should never, ever happen. It actually sounds to me like a power supply failure.

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Originally Posted by dullneedles

I've got a Ryzen 5, it's older but plays Baldur's Gate 3 smooth as butter on max graphics. I started up the benchmark and my fans went into overdrive. I've never even heard my fans running before since I've owned this machine, and they're clean as a whistle.

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Cool story. I wonder if there could be a difference between these two games. But probably not. Games are games and every game has the same graphic. /s