PC with RTX 3080 is too noisy when playing Elden Ring

[trojanfoe]

I recently bought this PC and have been delighted with it:

Case
CORSAIR 5000D AIRFLOW TEMPERED GLASS GAMING CASE
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 9 5900X 12 Core CPU (3.7GHz-4.8GHz/70MB CACHE/AM4)
Motherboard
GIGABYTE X570S AORUS ELITE AX : ATX (USB 3.2 Gen 1, PCIe 4.0, CrossFireX) - ARGB Ready!
Memory (RAM)
32GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 3600MHz (2 x 16GB)
Graphics Card
10GB ASUS ROG STRIX GEFORCE RTX 3080 - HDMI, DP, LHR
1st M.2 SSD Drive
2TB SAMSUNG 980 PRO M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 7000MB/R, 5000MB/W)
1st Storage Drive
4TB SEAGATE IRONWOLF PRO 3.5", 7200 RPM 128MB CACHE
Power Supply
CORSAIR 850W RMx SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Processor Cooling
Corsair iCUE H115i RGB PRO XT Hydro Series High Performance CPU Cooler
Thermal Paste
ARCTIC MX-4 EXTREME THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY COMPOUND

However when playing some games it's gets pretty hot. I have been using the Nvidia built-in monitor (Alt-R) to keep an eye on GPU temperature and configured ASUS GPU TweakII to turn the fans more aggressively to keep the GPU under 70C.

The games I play are Cyberpunk 2077, Baldurs Gate 3 and Elden Ring. Balurs Gate is good-as-gold using DX11 and my issues with Cyberpunk were solved by limiting it to 60 FPS so it's just Elden Ring, which has a terribly optimized renderer given the heat it generates for the visuals it produces.

There are other circumstances to take into consideration however as the PC is under my corner-desk so doesn't get a massive amount of air flow.


So I would like to discuss options and wonder if anyone could chime-in on these questions:

1. What is the maximum temperature I should allow the GPU to reach?
2. Is there a better and quieter GPU cooler I could buy to solve the issue?
3. I suppose I could test this myself, but should the PC come out from under the desk (this would be a problem given the desk is in the lounge due to WFH).

Cheers,
Andy

 

[B4zookaw]

Generally the default fan curves set on cards ramp up fans up to 100% sooner than what is needed. Assuming you're connecting that 3080 to a 4K monitor, what temp is the GPU at while playing Elden Ring, and what RPM or % are the GPU fans running at that temp?

You say you've used TweakUI to set a custom fan curve, can you post a screenshot of that curve?

I wouldn't ruleout the placement of the system as an issue, but it's less likely, unless you have it absolutely rammed into the corner with lots of items all around it. But let's look at the GPU fan config first

 

[trojanfoe]

All three fan settings (L&R, Mid and Ex) are all set like this to hit 100% at 65C. When monitoring Elden Ring in the open world, with the settings on Maximum except for FSAA & Motion Blur turned off, I am seeing about 65C with the fans at 2900RPM.

Oh and here is the PC and desk:v

 

[B4zookaw]

That curve is too agressive. I wouldn't look to hit 100% rpm until you get to 85C. My 3070TI sits comfortably at ~70C with fans around 60% RPM.

Does Tweak allow you to have more than three points on your fan curve? I'd favour ditching it and using MSI Afterburner instead, it allows up to 8 data points, allowing greater flexabiltiy in your curves.

Edit: My fans only start when temp gets to 50C also, as a comparsion.

 

[trojanfoe]

OK, thanks I'll try that. So what's the maximum temperature I should allow the GPU to reach before pulling the plug?

 

[Scott]

It's designed to run around 80°C. Max at 85°C would be my preference too. You just don't want to see it sitting in the 90s (a blip is fine).

 

[B4zookaw]

Yeah I can see that build getting a bit toasty under that desk. Any hot air exhausting will be trapped somewhat under the desk. Could you move the build to one side of the desk?

Expert mockup below.

 

[B4zookaw]

Switched to the gaming PC to grab a screenshot of my Afterburner fan curve:

Temp C	Fan RPM %
50	30
60	45
70	55
80	65
85	75
90	90

It gets steeper above 80C, but shouldn't ever get to that point, and hasn't to date.

 

[trojanfoe]

I moved the fan curve to hit 100% at 85C and it's much quieter. Yes I could physically move the PC, but not sure how rubbish that will look. I will give it a try though.

> It gets steeper above 80C, but shouldn't ever get to that point, and hasn't to date.

Give Elden Ring a go - that will test it

Thanks for your help guys.

Cheers,
Andy

 

[RichardL]

The computer probably isn't necessarily at fault here - Elden Ring is a janky PC conversion. People struggling with frame rates with 3090's.