GPU Issues

[MahdiTaher]

My 390X (secondhand) hasn't been working as I expected:

The VRAM isn't being used when I game, GPU is at 99% in Fortnite and it overheats too much.

Does anyone have any solutions?

Basic Specs:

FX 6300

R9 390X

16 GB 1866mhz DDR3

 

[Crunchy Dragon]

Re-apply your thermal compound on the GPU core. This will require taking off the GPU heatsink.

 

What settings do you play Fortnite at?

[mxk]

Also, what resolution do you play at?

[MahdiTaher]

7 minutes ago, Crunchy Dragon said:

Re-apply your thermal compound on the GPU core. This will require taking off the GPU heatsink.

  

What settings do you play Fortnite at?

1280x1024

All high settings

[MahdiTaher]

6 minutes ago, mxk. said:

Also, what resolution do you play at?

1280x1024

[Crunchy Dragon]

Just now, MahdiTaher said:

1280x1024

All high settings

Weird, that shouldn't max out a 390X.

 

Turn off post processing and see if usage goes down.

[MahdiTaher]

8 minutes ago, Crunchy Dragon said:

Weird, that shouldn't max out a 390X.

  

Turn off post processing and see if usage goes down.

Is heatsink removal necessary?

[2SidedPolygon]

1 minute ago, MahdiTaher said:

Is heatsink removal necessary?

It depends on what temps you're getting. What threshold is it hitting to be "overheating"?

[MahdiTaher]

2 minutes ago, 2SidedPolygon said:

It depends on what temps you're getting. What threshold is it hitting to be "overheating"?

60 C at idle 

80+ During gaming

[Crunchy Dragon]

Just now, MahdiTaher said:

Is heatsink removal necessary?

Not for turning off Post Processing.

 

For reapplying the thermal compound, there is no way you can do that without taking off the heatsink. Go watch a GPU teardown video. Once you've seen one, you've seen them all. They basically all come apart the same way, in essence; take off the screws on the back and on the I/O bracket, slowly pull/twist the heatsink off, unplug the fans and LEDs from the PCB, boom. Done.

 

Then grab a washcloth and some ispropyl alcohol, wipe the thermal past off of the GPU core and the heatsink(leave the pads, those are fine), put new thermal paste on the GPU core, plug fans and LEDs back in, slap the heatsink back on, screw it down.

[2SidedPolygon]

Just now, MahdiTaher said:

60 C at idle 

80+ During gaming

That's not really enough to cause throttling. When you say "VRAM isn't being used", do you mean it's not being used at all or that it's just not using that much? I mean, I wouldn't expect Fortnite to be terribly demanding of the stuff.

[MahdiTaher]

Not being used in CSGO at all

Fortnite is using barely 1.5GB

[MahdiTaher]

4 minutes ago, Crunchy Dragon said:

Not for turning off Post Processing.

  

For reapplying the thermal compound, there is no way you can do that without taking off the heatsink. Go watch a GPU teardown video. Once you've seen one, you've seen them all. They basically all come apart the same way, in essence; take off the screws on the back and on the I/O bracket, slowly pull/twist the heatsink off, unplug the fans and LEDs from the PCB, boom. Done.

  

Then grab a washcloth and some ispropyl alcohol, wipe the thermal past off of the GPU core and the heatsink(leave the pads, those are fine), put new thermal paste on the GPU core, plug fans and LEDs back in, slap the heatsink back on, screw it down.

I was asking whether I really need to tear down my GPU to solve my problems

[MahdiTaher]

6 minutes ago, 2SidedPolygon said:

That's not really enough to cause throttling. When you say "VRAM isn't being used", do you mean it's not being used at all or that it's just not using that much? I mean, I wouldn't expect Fortnite to be terribly demanding of the stuff.

Not being used in CSGO at all

Fortnite is using barely 1.5GB

[Crunchy Dragon]

24 minutes ago, MahdiTaher said:

I was asking whether I really need to tear down my GPU to solve my problems

That will solve the overheating issue, yes.

[MahdiTaher]

23 minutes ago, Crunchy Dragon said:

That will solve the overheating issue, yes.

Is there any other option?

[Crunchy Dragon]

16 minutes ago, MahdiTaher said:

Is there any other option?

Unless you run the fans at 100% every second, and even that's not guaranteed to work.

[circeseye]

2 hours ago, MahdiTaher said:

60 C at idle 

80+ During gaming

yea redo your thermal paste...of all the 300 series ive owned it throttles after going over 80....keeping it in the 70s ive found best

every 300 series card ive had i had to redo the thermal paste...
another thing is your fan profile...are the fans ramping up at all