What Causes Graphic Card Failure?

If your graphics card is not working properly, it offers serious difficulties, degrading your display’s visual quality and making activities like gaming or graphic-intensive apps more difficult.

GPU failure occurs when it experiences instability for a long period of time. Errors like faulty overclocking, faulty CPU fans, sudden voltage surges, excessive use of the GPU for heavy tasks, the accumulation of dust and debris, or any physical damage mostly cause this instability.

Some of these issues can be resolved quickly, but some are permanent, and you need to replace the entire GPU. GPUs are powerful components that can bear high temperatures and overburden. But keeping it in this situation constantly causes GPU failure. 

Faulty Overclocking

Overclocking is a method used to increase the clock memory speed of a component. GPUs also can be overclocked. You have to be cautious whenever you are increasing the clock speed, as both voltage and clock speed have to be maintained.

If you misconfigure your graphics card, it might face issues and ultimately fail to provide a display. Misconfiguration causes instability. Instability is the major cause of failure. Therefore, whenever you are considering overclocking your GPU, consider contacting professionals or doing so after thorough research.

Faulty Fans

One of the major problems GPU’s faulty fans create is thermal throttling. This phenomenon occurs when the GPU temperature exceeds a certain threshold; it will automatically reduce its clock speed and sometimes turn off. It causes severe damage to your graphics card. 

It means your card is facing an overheating problem. A faulty fan may be slow or not work at all. To avoid such issues, you can monitor the fan speed using applications like SpeedFan. It will let you know the exact speed and GPU temperature so you can take action on time.

Low or High Voltage Surge

A voltage surge, whether low or high, can cause damage to your GPU. This damage could be permanent in case of component failure or temporary, like thermal throttling. A low voltage occurs when the voltage drops below the required value. Various factors like power outages, electrical storms, or faulty wiring can cause this.

The low-voltage GPU fails to provide the necessary voltages, and as a result, your GPU faces instability. On the other hand, high-voltage surges can also be dangerous for your GPU. These high voltages cause power spikes and excessive power supply to the components, leading to overheating and damaging the GPU.

Excessive Burden

When you put too much strain on any component, it underperforms. This underperformance leads to instability and, ultimately, component failure. The same is true for the GPU. Excessive burden on your GPU can occur when a GPU is used to handle graphics-intensive tasks that require a lot of processing power, such as video editing and mining. 

In such a case, your GPU undergoes stress. This stress is bad for the lifespan of your GPU. Therefore, always avoid putting more stress on your GPU than it can handle, so you can take advantage of it longer.

Dust Accumulation

Dust accumulation is one of the most common problems with PC fans, including GPUs. It causes various issues, including GPU failure. When dust or debris accumulates on your GPU fan, it slows its rpm, restricting the GPU’s ventilation and leading to overheating. When your GPU cannot properly dissipate heat, it will fail to perform tasks and undergo thermal throttling. 

Dust can also cause corrosion on your GPU and its components on the circuit board. When the dust and humidity combine, it creates a conductive layer. This layer can cause a short circuit in your GPU and cause it to fail. Therefore, proper cleaning periodically is a must. 

Physical Damage

GPU is a delicate component and should be handled carefully. A slight mistake can cause physical damage to it. If you accidentally drop or move it when connected to the motherboard, you will most likely face permanent GPU damage, as it will break a piece of your GPU. 

Excessive heat can also lead to physical damage to your GPU. It is because excessive heat weakens the connection between the GPU components. It causes the degradation of components and ultimately leads to GPU failure.

Tips To Prevent GPU Failure

When producing images on a computer, the GPU is indispensable. Games, video editors, and other power-hungry programs rely heavily on GPU. Like any other hardware component, GPUs are not infallible and can malfunction, resulting in freezes, visual artifacts, or even a complete system crash.

The GPU needs to be cooled properly because it produces a lot of heat when running. Therefore, it is crucial to guarantee that your GPU has adequate cooling. Adding more fans or enhancing the cooling system will accomplish this. Dust buildup can reduce cooling efficiency, so cleaning your computer’s internal components regularly is a good idea.

Overclocking, in which the GPU’s clock speed is increased to improve performance, should be avoided. However, the GPU’s reliability can be compromised by overclocking. Avoid GPU overclocking unless you know the process and your cooling setup can handle the increased temperature.

A high-quality and stable power supply is essential for the GPU to function properly. Your GPU is vulnerable to voltage fluctuations that a poor-quality power supply can cause. As a result, a high-quality power supply of the appropriate wattage must be used to run your GPU.

Always use the most recent drivers, especially for the device’s graphics processing unit (GPU). As a result, it is crucial to always use the most recent GPU driver version available. Bug fixes, performance boosts, and other optimizations are commonplace in driver updates, all working together to reduce the likelihood of a GPU failing.

How Do I Check My Graphics Card’s Health?

Wear and tear on your graphics card can reduce its performance or even cause it to stop working entirely over time. This could be because of wear and tear. Therefore, you should regularly check your graphics card’s status to ensure it is in good working order.

Graphics cards can get quite warm when in use, so it’s important to monitor the temperature to ensure it doesn’t rise above the safe threshold. MSI Afterburner, HWMonitor, HWinfo64 and GPU-Z are just a few of the software programs available for keeping tabs on your graphics card’s temperature.

Stress testing your graphics card can reveal any performance issues you may be having. Software like Furmark, 3DMark, and Unigine Heaven Benchmark can be used to put your graphics card through its paces and see if it’s up to snuff.

Examine your screen for artifacts, which can include things like flickering or distorted graphics. A malfunctioning graphics card may cause these issues. Your graphics card can be put through its paces and checked for artifacts with the help of software like OCCT or Furmark.

Your drivers’ health should be monitored, as they are responsible for your graphics card’s functionality. The drivers can be checked for updates and installed if needed. To see if there are any new driver releases, you can use programs like Nvidia’s GeForce Experience or AMD’s Radeon Software.

Make sure your graphics card is getting enough power by checking the power supply. Make sure your graphics card is getting enough juice from your PSU.

Can Graphics Card Be Repaired?

Yes, there is a possibility of repairing graphics cards. However, it is important to identify the graphics card problem first. Sometimes the problem is just with the software, but we focus on the hardware. Both scenarios require special skills to resolve the issue.

If your graphics card is malfunctioning, the first step is to identify the cause of the issue. Artifacting (displaying incorrect or distorted images), crashes or freezes, overheating, and hardware damage are typical issues. If the issue is caused by faulty software or drivers, you may be able to resolve it by updating or reinstalling the drivers or by running diagnostic software.

However, if the problem is caused by hardware damage, such as a burned-out capacitor or a malfunctioning fan, it may be possible to repair the graphics card, but it will require expertise. Attempting to repair the card without the necessary knowledge and tools may cause additional damage or render the card permanently unusable.

 

How Long Do Graphics Cards Last?

Graphics cards can last up to 10 years if used with proper care. Extending the life of a graphics card also requires regular maintenance. Overheating and dust buildup can cause component failure, but these problems can be avoided with regular cleaning of the card’s fans and heat sinks. 

Maintaining up-to-date drivers and firmware for your graphics card is another way to guarantee peak performance and avoid incompatibilities. The graphics card’s lifespan is heavily dependent on the manufacturer’s quality and the card’s specifications. 

Premium graphics cards from established manufacturers are built to last longer than their budget counterparts and come with more robust guarantees. 

Conclusion

GPU failure is a serious problem that can make your computer act up in several ways. The main things that cause GPUs to break our bad overclocking, broken CPU fans, sudden voltage spikes, using the GPU too much for heavy tasks, dust and dirt buildup, and physical damage. 

Some problems can be fixed, but you may need to replace the GPU for other problems. To keep your GPU from breaking down, keep an eye on its temperature, keep dust and other debris away, use the right power supply, and keep your drivers up to date.

You should also keep your cooling system in good shape and be careful when overclocking your GPU, as this can make it unstable. Lastly, you should know that taking good care of your graphics card can last up to 10 years. 

You can use stress testing and diagnostic software to determine your GPU’s health. By following these tips, you can keep your GPU from breaking down and make it last longer.