Why is my GTX Graphics Card Overheating when Idle (Surfing the Web)

[Poppet 703]

Hello

A small tip for anybody wondering (Like Me)   Why your GTX Graphics card is over heating when Idle just surfing the Web.  

I have a 980ti and noticed with EVEGA Precision opened my Temps were heating to 75 C just browsing the web really.   Initially I couldn't figure out why my card was getting so hot,  It should Idle at 39 C with no fans running at all.

It turns out I had  "Preferred Maximum Performance" turned on in the NVidia Control Panel  (Gaming Mode)  This was set in Global Settings and not to an Individual Program,  Meaning my card was always running on Maximum Power (Maximum heat)

I turned this back to the default  "Optimal Power" and restarted my computer and my Temps Immediately fell back to 39 C even with no fans running

And that's was it,  Just a small Tip but made me worry my Graphics card was on its way out

 

Right click on your Desktop click into NVidia Control Panel > Manage 3D Settings > Global   and scroll down to "Power Management Mode"  Click  "Optimal Power" and click Apply  (Bottom right)

When finished, Restart your computer

 

 

 

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If you have a Program you want to run on Maximun Power,  Like Prepar3D,  You can set this up in the Program Settings and not in Global Settings

Note Ensure you also Adjust your fans for the extra heat ,  Or set up an Automatic Fan Curve In EVEGA Precision to kick in when the heat rises

[Guest JustanotherPilot]

Elaine,

I can't thank you enough, I have been plagued with over heating from my GTX1060 when running P3dv4, so much so that my PC would boot in bios mode next start after shutting down after P3D. After applying your settings...no more overheating! What other little gems  can you offer us from within the Nvidia Control Panel to optimize P3D performance.

Thanks again

 

steve

Edited April 6, 2018 by JustanotherPilot
grammar

[Slayer 190]

Why not use adaptive mode for global. I switch from Videos to browsing or maybe streaming. I think adaptive seems to be the best bet as it adjusts on the fly.

[vortex681 806]

On 7 April 2018 at 2:48 AM, Slayer said:

Why not use adaptive mode for global.

Just like Adaptive, Optimal also allows the GPU to select different power states when required. However, to save even more power, the Optimal setting apparently stops the GPU rendering any new frames while the computer is idle and nothing is changing on the screen (such as on the desktop). The driver just gets the frame that's already been rendered from the framebuffer and outputs it directly to monitor. The Adaptive setting continues to re-render the same frame even if it doesn't change, using slightly more power in the process. The only puzzling thing is why we need both options as Optimal seems to be the better (more efficient) of the two. It may be that Optimal only works with more recent graphics cards.

I used to set Adaptive in the global settings but have used Optimal now for about a year and have seen no difference in performance.

Edited April 9, 2018 by vortex681

[steve310002 1,198]

My PC Nvidia 1080 GPU and i7 6700K start going bonkers when I run Google Maps in satellite view or street view to the point where the browser starts stuttering and running really slowly. Yet I can run X-Plane 11 almost maxed out in 4K and Battlefield 1 in 4K at 60fps. I have it set to optimal power management. Maybe this is why.