Igor Wallossek from Igor’s Lab has conducted extensive testing on a range of GeForce RTX 40 Series graphics cards from NVIDIA partners like ASUS, Manli, PNY, and Palit. The results are alarming, revealing that many of these cards are using cheap thermal paste that quickly degrades, leading to significant overheating and potential failure. This issue could have massive implications for the current GPU market, as gamers report experiencing hot spot temperatures exceeding 100 degrees Celsius on cards like the RTX 4080 Gallardo and RTX 4080 TUF Gaming.
Igor’s Lab’s investigation and report, now live with video, provide compelling evidence of the thermal paste’s deterioration over time. The report highlights how the paste’s effectiveness diminishes within a few months, leading to the overheating issue. This investigation was sparked by reports from Igor’s Lab readers, and extensive testing confirmed the culprit to be the cheap thermal paste. The good news is that resolving this issue is straightforward. Repasting the cards with high-quality thermal paste immediately addresses the high-temperature issue, restoring thermal performance to its proper level.
Igor’s Lab discovered that several NVIDIA partners source and use the same thermal paste, which, upon microscopic inspection, reveals an oily mixture that dries up over time. The report also highlights the paste’s unusual composition, including thick particles that are unsuitable for thermal paste. Igor Wallossek also found that aluminum oxide particles were added to the paste, likely to improve thermal performance in the short term. This move, according to Igor’s Lab, is questionable at best and potentially actionable at worst, given the long-term degradation of the thermal paste.
We recommend checking out Igor’s Lab’s full report and findings for a deeper understanding of the issue. We will continue monitoring the situation closely, as this could potentially become a major GPU scandal. It is crucial for NVIDIA partners to address this issue, especially with the release of a new generation of graphics cards on the horizon. At the very least, we expect NVIDIA’s partners to cover repairs and investigate the problem thoroughly, ensuring the long-term reliability of their products.
