5 Ways to Prevent Your GPU From Degrading

GPUs are the most expensive part of a gaming rig. Well, the price of DDR5 RAM isn’t dropping either, but this article is about graphics cards. It’s more important than ever to ensure GPUs are properly maintained, especially with the features that come with Nvidia GPUs, because over time they can degrade and eventually stabilize. This argument can be made with any PC component, but a GPU is taking over gaming systems thanks to overclocking and AAA games consuming more and more VRAM.

A GPU typically lasts around five to eight years and most are replaced before they die. This is about to change, as memory shortages due to the rise of AI data centers and so-called memory cartels mean that extending the life of a graphics card is a smart choice. In a market where gamers are turning to AM4 motherboards and DDR4 RAM, the writing is on the digital wall.

There are five simple habits users can adopt (some of which I also do) that will extend the life of a graphics card and help avoid high temperatures, artifacts, crashes under load, slow frame rates, and the dreaded BSOD. In fact, many of these tips are about temperature control, because electromigration and heat degradation are the real causes of your GPU failing.

The best advice I can give anyone about a graphics card is: “Stay cool, little bird.” Not only do I have Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1997’s “Batman & Robin” to thank for this quote, but it’s seriously the best advice for GPU longevity. Sustained high temperatures accelerate wear and tear on the GPU chip and VRAM, so keeping the card below 85°C (and not above) generally helps with thermal throttling as well.

A large housing and sufficient intake/exhaust airflow help considerably. Personally, I opted for the MainGear Rush Artist series with a total of ten case fans. That’s three inlets, one rear exhaust, three top exhausts attached to the CPU’s liquid cooling radiator, and three air fans under the GPU.

Large GPUs like the higher Nvidia RTX 40 and 50 series, alongside the AMD Radeon 9070XT, need fans blowing towards them to help the three onboard fans properly dissipate heat through their giant heatsinks. Another great way to keep things cool and get surprising performance is to underpower a GPU. Also known as underclocking, this is a way of setting lower voltage limits, which keeps temperatures low and performance high.

Dust is a silent killer of graphics cards. Clogged fans and heatsinks act as insulation, increasing temperatures and putting strain on the GPU and VRAM. This is easy maintenance if the user stays on top of it, as dust and microparticles will inevitably enter any gaming PC over time. I think it’s like trying to run while wearing a snowsuit; the wearer will eventually overheat. This can cause GPUs to reduce their internal clock speed to keep temperatures low (if they are configured to do so automatically), which reduces thermal performance and can seriously affect the longevity of a graphics card.

Once a month, take the PC case to a well-ventilated area and use an air blower, such as the Hoto Air Duster and Vacuum, to blow away dust; use soft brushes and a microfiber cloth to remove anything stubborn. If the fans are stained with dirt, a drop of isopropyl alcohol on a microfiber cloth should remove the remainder. When checking a GPU or components for microparticles and trapped dust, use something like the Olight Arc Pro for its powerful flashlight and UV settings to catch anything that was missed on the first pass.

I would also recommend removing the graphics card from the PC case once a year to keep the fans and heatsink properly blown and clean. Personally, I always keep my HOTO SnapBloq set on hand for every screwdriver bit and polishing head I’ll need.

The search for maximum clock speeds is best left to those who want to install a custom liquid cooling block on their GPU or use a graphics card that comes with an AIO liquid cooling system. This ensures that the GPU and VRAM get the best heat dissipation possible, even if a solid air-cooled PC can handle it, as mentioned above.

Running a card at stock settings or undervolting is much less stressful on graphics cards, helping to avoid erratic behavior from an overheated GPU and VRAM. Underclocking limits the maximum voltage a GPU can draw, which keeps temperatures lower because the GPU and VRAM aren’t working as hard. For those concerned about performance, research shows that a good degree of underclocking has little to no impact on performance and, in some cases, can even improve performance by lowering temperatures.

The easiest way to power up a GPU is to download MSI Afterburner, software that allows users to adjust the voltage and clock speed. Once installed, run a benchmark like MSI Kombustor to get the GPU’s base clock and voltage, then open the Voltage/Frequency Curve Editor by pressing Ctrl+F. The curve has a series of small boxes and a light gray cross indicating your clock-to-voltage speeds. Now it’s basically a case of dragging a box up to the gray line to match the clock speeds you want, but with lower voltage. Lowering the voltage in 50 mV increments until MSI Kombustor crashes is a good way to find the sweet spot for your GPU to undervolt.

Software updates protect the health of hardware, especially when it comes to drivers. That’s why Nvidia releases driver updates every time a major game drops, ensuring that graphics cards are running at peak performance. Outdated drivers can cause instability and crashes, as unfixed bugs can mimic hardware issues like display crashes. Malware can also cause similar problems. A clean and updated system therefore really pays off in the long run. As for the best Malware software, I can only speak from personal experience. Avast Premium Security doesn’t cost a ton and keeps my gaming PC and laptop clean. The free version gets the job done, but the paid version also focuses on scam protection and general online safety.

Updating graphics drivers is quite simple and can be set to update automatically for most models. For Nvidia, update via Nvidia app. Radeon uses AMD Adrenalin, while Intel uses its automatic software and driver application, etc. In the program settings, there should be an auto-update option in the driver update section, but I always like to check once a week just in case. Ultimately, a bad driver won’t break a GPU, but it can cause issues that look like a GPU failure.

If you’ve had your GPU for a year or two, like me, or are considering a used graphics card, replacing the thermal interface material (TIM) is one of the best ways to help your GPU last as long as possible. As with a processor, thermal paste and pads degrade and lose effectiveness over time, meaning the graphics card also heats up over time.

This process requires patience though, but it’s not ridiculously difficult. This involves removing the backplate screws that hold the heatsink, fans, and case together, taking care to watch out for any cables that need to be unplugged. Use isopropyl alcohol or specialized alcohol wipes to remove the old paste or thermal pad, then apply the recommended amount according to the manufacturer’s directions. Even the same GPU quality can differ by manufacturer, so seek advice on the exact make and model of your card.

All of these tips are intended to help users manage their graphics card’s thermal levels, as this is ultimately the main factor that degrades GPUs and VRAM over time. Of course, graphics cards can also come with warranty-covered defects, like the RTX 4090’s power connector issue, so be sure to take a physical look at the card and make sure there’s nothing out of the ordinary, like melted connectors and ports, in case something goes wrong.