How to Stop Games From Randomly Shutting Down Your PC

There are few things more annoying (or alarming) than having your PC randomly shut down mid-game. If you’ve ruled out other solutions to the problem — like updating your GPU’s drivers or motherboard BIOS, or repairing improperly installed hardware — the culprit is most likely your PC’s power supply unit (PSU). It’s either too weak to power your hardware, or it’s not properly connected to power-hungry components like your graphics card. Luckily, there are several ways to prevent these sudden PSU-related crashes.

Upgrade your PSU

There are a few possible reasons your GPU is overpowering your PSU, but the most likely is simply that your PSU isn’t powerful enough. For example, while a 750 watt PSU is technically enough for most GPUs, including high-end cards like RTX 3080 and 3090, some games can cause power spikes that exceed the limits of your PSU and crash your PC.

As the answers in show this Reddit thread, many users confirm that switching from a 750 watt PSU to a 1000 watt PSU (or higher) solved their random shutdown issues. For some users, simply upgrading to a better quality 750-watt PSU was enough – although increasing the wattage is more likely to fix the problem.

However, as with any PC parts upgrade, swapping out your power supply for a 1000-watt model will cost you money. You also need to make sure that the new power supply is compatible with your PC case and other components before buy and install. In some rare cases, you might not even be able to upgrade to a new model if you bought a pre-built gaming PC with a custom case that requires a proprietary power supply, such as the B. Certain Alienware “console” PCs with external power supplies.

It’s also possible that a larger power supply is unnecessary anyway. Sure, upgrading the PSU is almost guaranteed to solve the problem (barring some unforeseen issues with another component), but the Reddit thread above offers plenty of other solutions to try before spending money on upgrades.

Make sure your PC components are properly connected to the power supply

The other possible cause is that your GPU’s power cables are not properly connected to the power supply. Your GPU will need dedicated cables for each available connector it plugs into. Turn off and unplug your PC, then open the case and make sure everything is wired correctly.

What is undervolting?

You can also try lowering your GPU’s performance limit, also known as “undervolting”. This is only possible on the latest Nvidia and AMD graphics cards, but it’s a safe and relatively simple process that will reduce your GPU’s power consumption and heat output, with minimal (if any) impact on performance. This is especially helpful for pre-overclocked GPUs. Undervolting is done via your GPU manufacturer’s software, e.g. B. Afterburner from MSI or Adrenaline Radeon app from AMD. However, the exact process depends on your specific hardware this guide from PC World is a great overview.

Reduce the in-game graphics settings

Finally, if the above solutions don’t work for you (and you can’t afford a better CPU), try reducing the game quality for everything you play. The easiest way is to select a lower graphic preset, e.g. B. from High to Medium or Low and see if that resolves the issue. Limit frame rates or set the FPS cap lower than what you currently have. Do not play with “unlimited” framerates enabled. You can also tweak other individual settings in-game if you want to preserve as much graphical fidelity as possible, although this can take a lot of trial and error.