PC Graphics

[XFXDenier]

Like, 108-110 °C hot. This happens when playing the early-access game Shatterline with mid-to-high settings under a stock configuration (no overclocking has been done to my system), or when running the UNINGINE Heaven benchmark all at 2560x1440 resolution. I'm thinking this could all be down to the hardware I've chosen, a Ryzen 7 5800x paired with an XFX Speedster SWFT 309 in a Thermaltake "The Tower 100" small form factor case but I've come across plenty of folks on here, and elsewhere, who bemoan the hot JT temps with the 6700 series. XFX's own website even claims, that, "some models may run into the 100's Celsius safely." And while the side panels of the case aren't completely open, the mesh panel is sitting right next to the GPU. So, I'm... confused about what exactly is going on, here.

I've taken the advice I've come across on this forum while researching the problem, such as running a custom fan profile in the Radeon GPU suite which does seem to help (keeping temps around the 85-88 range while I ran a 30 sec stress test, so fingers cross this helps keeps things in line) but I'm curious as to what you guys think is going on, here.

• System specs
  • AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
  • be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4 CPU cooler
  • be quiet! Silent Wings 4 120mm case fan
  • XFX Speedster SWFT 309 RX 6700XT
  • 32 GB Corsair DDR4 SDRAM
  • ASRock B550 Phantom Gaming-ITX/ax
  • Thermaltake Toughpower 850-watt PS
  • Windows 11

My first PC build, so I apologize if any of the parts seem completely ill-fitting (I know they are), I... kinda just bought everything to suit the case. I really dig it!!

[MADZyren · Accepted solution]

What PC case do you use and you have like 1x120mm case fan? I'd say a minimum of three to start with. Also if your case is small, they tend to run hot. You can increase fan speed from BIOS.

Get more fans, set minimum speed to highest where the noise level is tolerable. Can also leave side panel of.

A common thing is to undervolt GPU to bring temps down. You can google whay settings people use, but something like 2500MHz and 1100mV should get you started. 

[XFXDenier]

Oh, believe me, if The Tower 100 and my CPU cooler could accommodate the extra case fans, I'd throw 'em in there. As it stands, the space is fairly limited - I even have my PSU pulling double-duty as a chassis cooler by flipping it upside down, oi vey! Great solutions, and I'll implement those voltage standards on-top of the more aggressive fan profiles. Daniel Owens of YouTube suggested much the same when he detailed how he dealt with his hot 6700 XT.

Thanks for the input!

[MADZyren]

By looking at this picture, I think you could swap that 120 mm to 140 mm

Think you could fit one of these narrow fans to roof: 

140 mm x 13 mm	120 mm x 15 mm

 http://www.thermalright.com/product-category/system-fan/ 

Also I would leave dust filters off (I have stopped using them in regular ATX cases asthey hamper airflow and dusting insides of a PC a couple of times a year is not that difficult.

[DimkaTsv]

GPU requires airflow to their cooler from outside so they can keep that thermal difference between heatpipes and die for better thermal transfer. Junction temperature is a hotspot, and it can be up to 25 degrees hotter than edge of die. 

With poor airflow, air around GPU stagnates in recycling itself heating it up every time and reducing efficiency in removing heat. Less efficient heat removal = hotter die = hotter hotspot

[avendorz]

honestly, no matter what the manufacturer says, i dont deem any component inside your case safe above 100 degrees.

if you still can, get a replacement and check again. or RMA it and get your money back to buy something better, might save you a lot of headaches with current amd drivers.

[MADZyren]

There is nothing wrong with GPU just because it runs hot inside a small, poorly ventilated case. It isn't broken ir defective. What you need to do is improve cooling and/or reduce produced heat (or buy a different case).

[avendorz]

obviously

but if the gpu doesnt clock itself down way before 100 degrees to avoid exactly that, im not having none of that.

so yes, but actually no. my point still stands.

[MADZyren]

Maybe let engineers deside that. Electronics doesn't use water so unlike car engines, they don't boil when temperature reaches 100 C. 

Designed thermal limit of 6700XT is 110 C. It is not supposed to throttle below that just because someone has a gut feeling it should.

Junction temp or hot spot temp is different from traditional temp.

CPU's and GPU's also do not have electrolytic capasitors inside them, so heat does not affect how long they last the same way as in PSU's or motherboards. As an example "high temperature" for ceramic capacitor is 150 C and then there are capasitors designed to work at up to 260 C temperatures.

100 C is where water under normal pressure let's out steam, not where electronics let's out smoke.

[avendorz]

whatever you say, champ.

[XFXDenier]

Maybe you can help me out a bit more, avendorz, I'd greatly appreciate it! A bit more context: this set-up is my first gaming PC in about 17 years, when all things are considered - I'm a newbie. So, in point-of-fact, my whole conundrum could be self-induced!

Do GPU temps generally skyrocket when pushed past their limits? My frame of reference is old AGP cards, when you played something beyond their bounds, they wouldn't fry themselves out so-much-as not achieve a playable framerate. But is it wrong to apply that same concept to today's graphics cards?

My 6700XT has shown me it can play Shatterline at 1440p, at 165hz (as well as a multitude of other games) but not without thermal throttling. So, I'm thinking that maybe the problem isn't so much the GPU itself, maybe I'm just pushing it past what it, as a whole, is capable of?

I ponder this because I've found out since I posted, that limiting my framerate works at negating these higher temps. Take my earlier experience with Shatterline: I immediately hit those 110 Celsius JP temps when booting in under those settings. There's no ramping up, it just goes straight from 58 degrees to 110. But when I cap the FPS to 100, there's no problem.

What throws me off is hearing from other folks who say they run their 6700 XT's under load without so much as kissing 90 degrees, however. That is... annoying to hear, lol

[DimkaTsv]

Well you always can UV and UC your GPU or set bit less power limit. 

But hitting 110 degrees at stock isn't very good, imo. Even if it is hotspot temps. Maybe thermal interface layer that was layed on in manufacturing process wasn't enough? 
I do have 6750 XT with all sorts of OC enabled... Maximum i ever hit is 70/90 degrees or around so. Usually it is around 64/88 degrees. Without OC and +15% power limit it will be much less. But i do bit higher priced type of GPU basically, it is 3 fan and more robust overall than most of 6700XT do have

How good of an airflow your case have?

[avendorz]

hi xfx,

sorry, im not really checking here anymore.

under normal circumstances a gpu shouldnt run into thermal throttling at all. case, case fans, gpu cooler design and gpu fans all play a role in that.

since you said you only had one 120mm fan installed. quickly googling said you can have a 140mm top and rear exhaust (and a fan near the PSU, not sure didnt understand this one).

definitley replace your current fan with two 140mm. since you have a BQ SW4, you can just buy the BQ SW4 140mm if you fancy. SW3 will be nearly identical, but maybe cheaper (go with the PWM version if your motherboard has 4pin fan support). Noctua will be fine as well, but more expensive (for example NF-A14 CHROMAX BLACKSWAP).

do some googling or check for yourself if you can place another fan (thermaltake just states: Top of the PSU Cover: 1 x 120mm, 1 x 140mm).

this is for step one, getting proper airflow inside the case. please report back if you have any questions and I'll try to check here from time to time.

[XFXDenier]

Will do! I believe you can place a case fan (up to 140mm) at the bottom of the bay, too.

[avendorz]

if it's possible, get another fan for the bottom and make it an intake.

140mm too, if possible.