4 Common GPU Issues and How to Troubleshoot them

The GPU is probably the most expensive part of your computer.Therefore, you need to take good care of it.After all, it will determine how well the game will run on the computer.However, it's still possible for it to malfunction at some point.That's how electronics work - they have a finite lifespan.However, you still need to learn how to deal with problems with the GPU.

Here are the most common problems with GPUs and how to properly troubleshoot and, where possible, fix them.

1. Overheating and thermal throttling

First of all, this problem affects all GPU users sooner or later and is one of the most common GPU problems.Of course, we're talking about overheating and its immediate consequence, thermal throttling.

GPU overheating occurs when a hardware component, such as a GPU, operates significantly above its design or safe operating range.Any hardware component can overheat, but GPUs and CPUs are especially prone to overheating.This happens because of improper ventilation - basically, if the GPU is not cooling properly for some reason, it will overheat. Overheating a GPU can cause a variety of issues including performance degradation, instability, and in extreme cases, permanent damage to the hardware.

To mitigate this, GPUs employ a self-protective measure called thermal throttling, which drastically reduces performance and clock speed to avoid permanent damage from overheating.Eventually, if the chip can't take it on itself, it shuts down and crashes to protect itself.You don't want the latter, so if the GPU is thermally throttling, it should be dealt with immediately.

To rule out thermal throttling as the cause, you need to check the ventilation going to and from the GPU.First, the fan may be bad, or the fan may need to be removed and the thermal paste replaced.If you're not sure why your GPU is thermally throbbing, you may want to take it to a technician before it ends up causing permanent damage.

2. FPS drops and performance drops

One of the worst GPU problems is slow performance for no reason.Think about it - you've just opened Steam and opened a game, and it's not running at its normal speed.It may experience severe frame drops or substandard performance.In this case, you need to find out the cause and take appropriate measures.

There's a big difference between a poorly functioning GPU and an insufficient GPU to run a program.You might try out a new game and notice that the game is running slowly, but in reality, it's just because the particular game is demanding too much from the GPU.A good way to find out if your GPU is performing up to spec is to run benchmarks like PassMark or AIDA64 Extreme.If you haven't run benchmarks on your computer before, you should look up Google and see what your average GPU score is.If you get a lower score than you should, you should probably take steps to fix it.

If it's running poorly, the first thing to check is the GPU's operating temperature.If the GPU is running too hot, you should go back to point XNUMX, where we'll cover how to deal with thermal throttling.You can also monitor GPU usage, not just temperature.A bottleneck may occur if the GPU usage is high.

You can also try updating your GPU drivers.In the end, if nothing can be done, maybe physically taking it out and reinstalling it, along with the power cord, will fix the problem.

3. Black screen

This problem can be particularly annoying.You open a game and instead of the actual game, you end up with a black screen.A black screen can even appear mid-game or in other applications, ruining your gaming experience and causing crashes.Fortunately, the culprit here isn't too hard to find.

This condition may not be related to thermal issues.However, you need to check a few things.First, you may want to check to see if you can update the driver, as this means the driver is either outdated or corrupted.Reinstalling or installing the latest version of the driver may do wonders.You can also uninstall any recently installed hardware and check the physical connection between the monitor and the computer.Also, check that the GPU is properly connected to its PCI Express slot and is getting proper power.

This might not even have anything to do with the GPU.It could also be a memory problem, so check your memory.

If you haven't found the culprit yet, try putting your computer in safe mode.This will rule out any software related issues.If the problem persists, the GPU may be physically damaged and need to be replaced.

4. Graphics defects and artifacts

In the end, this is one of the less obvious problems we've mentioned here, but one that many people encounter on a regular basis.You go to play the game, only to find annoying glitches and weird artifacts appearing.

First, check for corrupted game files, which happens a lot more often than you might think.Your game or launcher (e.g. Steam) may have a file integrity verification tool, use it if it does.

If the problem persists, you should check the steps and tips in the second and third parts, because this may also be one of the reasons.

GPU Troubleshooting Isn't Hard

There are several possible causes of GPU problems.Many of these causes are interrelated and are caused by the same kind of problem, which is why the same overall steps are usually recommended, but it is not difficult to troubleshoot and find the problem.If you really can't troubleshoot it yourself, get a technician to check it out for you.