[EVGA GTX 980 SC] Seemingly high temps even with 100% fanspeed

TooMuchStarbucks · Sep 17, 2016

My GTX 980 seems like it's having a heatstroke or something. With the fanspeed on 100% (something I don't typically do but I just want to illustrate the problem) my card idles at 40C and goes up to 74C load, again, with the fan speed fully cranked. With a more appropriate fancurve my card easily shoots up to the point of severely throttling.

Something worth noting is that this is the case even after my PC has been off for hours (just got back from work), so I'm not sure if this is a problem with the case's overall airflow.

Has it come time to replace the card or could there be something else at hand?

Below is the fan curve I'd typically use

Folterknecht · Sep 17, 2016

Reference or ACX cooler?

rtwjunkie · Sep 17, 2016

It looks like a very lazy fan curve. The first step is wasted, and the last point doesn't come into play until it starts melting. It needs to be at least a little more aggressive.

What is your case, and how is the airflow? Is it the Phanteks? What fans? What is the room temperature?

erocker · Sep 17, 2016

No need to replace the card.

What is your case airflow like?
Did you clean the card of dust, check thermal paste?

TooMuchStarbucks · Sep 17, 2016

Thanks for the quick responses guys. The cooler on it is EVGA's ACX 2.0.

My case airflow setup is as follows:

1x 200mm Intake fan in the front
2x 120mm Intake fans in the botton front
1x 140mm Exhaust fan in the back
1x Corsair H110i 140mm x 322mm radiator with 2x 140mm fans (if it matters)
All the fans are of Phanteks design except for the fans on the radiator, which are Corsair's.

The system barely had any dust in it but I have "dedusted it" only a few hours ago.

I haven't checked the thermal paste. Hell I've never done that with any card I've owned.

The room temp is actually pretty chilly.

Finally what fan curve would you recommend?

rtwjunkie · Sep 17, 2016

If it was mine, I. Would move the first one to about 35% at 35 degrees. The next 3 I would set at 10 degree and 10% intervals. Basically it attacks the heat early and evacuates it. You will have to arrange for you with a good compromise between heat dissipation and noise.

Me, I don't notice the noise. You might. For me tho, lower temps are a more important factor than noise.

Edit: based on all your other responses, a more aggressive fan curve may not actually help. It sounds like good air temps and good case airflow.

D007 · Sep 17, 2016

Clean the cooling fins on the card. The set an aggressive fan progfile in MSI afterburner.. Sometimes the fan just stops working on the 9 series.. idk why but I've seen it happen.. with msi afterburner, the fan does not stop working.

TooMuchStarbucks · Sep 17, 2016

The fins from what I could see looked pretty clear, though I did spray them with the compressed duster a few hours ago so that's probably why.

Regardless, I had Valley running for 10 minutes with the following fan curve and the card stayed at around 77C. Obviously a bit hotter than running it at 100% throughout but the noise issue is extremely more favorable. It is still a tad bit loud at that 70+ degree mark, but I can obviously tamper with the curve a bit more.

What're the "safe" temps for this card and is there much else I can do to optimize temps further?

TheGuruStud · Sep 17, 2016

Reapply thermal paste if it's ACX and not OCed. It's done like shit from the factory (cheap and too much). If you game a lot, it's probably dried out big time.

Your biggest issue is fan curve, no doubt lol

My profile with tri-cooler OCed 980ti

SnakeDoctor · Sep 17, 2016

You are setting a bad target temp, set it to the 70c mark . 85c-90 is way too high even the default fan curve should be better

TooMuchStarbucks · Sep 18, 2016

Currently on mobile since my pc is busy on Valley. I've replaced the thermal material on the gpu and so far the temps are at a staggering 57c during load and with a 75% static fan setting.

I'll be setting the fan curve following all of your advice, but I'd like to thank each of you for your advice. Especially those who suggested redoing the paste.

TooMuchStarbucks · Sep 18, 2016

One final question before I retire this thread. I typically like having my computer on at night to have noise from say, a stream on while I sleep. Just how I am. Could this have been a reason for the issues I was having, and degradation of the thermal paste on my hardware?

hat · Sep 18, 2016

Quality paste should never degrade like that. It sounds like a shitty application at the factory (either by shitty paste, shitty application, or both) was the culprit here. Any quality paste applied in a reasonable manner will serve you for years. I always use MX-2 (now MX-4 since that's the most recent) and I've never had to re-apply because the paste went bad. That's more about the MX-2 though, I don't think I've ever even used the MX-4 yet...

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[EVGA GTX 980 SC] Seemingly high temps even with 100% fanspeed

TooMuchStarbucks

Folterknecht

rtwjunkie

PC Gaming Enthusiast

erocker

*

TooMuchStarbucks

rtwjunkie

PC Gaming Enthusiast

D007

TooMuchStarbucks

TheGuruStud

SnakeDoctor

TooMuchStarbucks

TooMuchStarbucks

hat

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