is this PSU failure?

[KR0SSED0UT]

http://i.imgur.com/i5RuXiT.png

 

This has been happening for a couple months and I should have addressed it sooner. My EVGA GTX 970 4GB SSC drops to 0% usage in CPU + GPU demanding games (GTA V and, most recently, the SW:BF open beta) for about 10-30 seconds. You can see the three sudden drops in the graph and that's what those are illustrating. (this is while playing the SW:BF open beta at 1080p 60fps.) After that, it immediately recovers and stabilizes and goes back up to 60fps. To ME, it looks like a failing power supply (CX750M) but I'd like a second opinion before spending ~$100 on a new one.

[Farmall200]

Does it happen in less CPU demanding games?

[TheRandomness]

Just because it's a CX, replace it please. Get an EVGA B2/G2 750W, I think the B2 is on sale or something.

[Fate]

What is your CPU?

[Necrodead]

The game freezes at 0 fps for those 10-30 seconds? I have a PSU problem but my system shuts right down when it happens.

[KR0SSED0UT]

What is your CPU?

FX-8320 @4.5ghz. the overclock is extremely stable and I've never once had a problem with it, stability or temperaturewise. 

Does it happen in less CPU demanding games?

No, it only seems to happen in games like BF4, SW:BF beta, and especially GTA V. It's also been happening more and more lately.

[KR0SSED0UT]

The game freezes at 0 fps for those 10-30 seconds? I have a PSU problem but my system shuts right down when it happens.

No, it runs at about 7-15fps, frametimes jump from 15-17 to well over 100ms. Then it goes right back to normal. 

[KR0SSED0UT]

Just because it's a CX, replace it please. Get an EVGA B2/G2 750W, I think the B2 is on sale or something.

Do you think I need more than 650W? I've done some research and I should be able to get by on even 650w. I was looking at this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817438054

[TheRandomness]

Do you think I need more than 650W? I've done some research and I should be able to get by on even 650w. I was looking at this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817438054

Yeah that would be great I'm just saying 750W if you want to go SLI in the future.

[KR0SSED0UT]

Yeah that would be great I'm just saying 750W if you want to go SLI in the future.

but can we draw any conclusions from the attached image on a power supply failure? I really need to figure out what's going on here.

[TheRandomness]

but can we draw any conclusions from the attached image on a power supply failure? I really need to figure out what's going on here.

I'd says that the card is downclocking itself due to losses in power possibly due to a loose power connector or the PSU itself failing. Idk if the former can happen but it makes sense.

[KR0SSED0UT]

I'd says that the card is downclocking itself due to losses in power possibly due to a loose power connector or the PSU itself failing. Idk if the former can happen but it makes sense.

It was the PSU. Had a friend bring over his identical (sans newer) CX750M, plugged it in (using the same modular cables, obviously the mobo and CPU header were different) and it worked perfectly, absolutely no throttling issues. Pushed it for over two hours and we saw absolutely zero instances of the issue pictured, as opposed to it happening every 15 minutes or so.

 

I have ordered one of these. It will be here in two days. The moral of the story is that YES, power supplies can fail in such a way as to bottleneck the GPU and YES, it can be easily diagnosed by swapping power supplies.