Why Is My GPU Throttling?

You finally load up your favourite game after a long day. The graphics look stunning... until the frames suddenly drop to a slideshow. If you are asking yourself "why is my GPU throttling?", you are not alone. South African summers can push your hardware to the absolute limit. Let us look at what causes this annoying dip and how to fix it.

What Does Thermal Throttling Actually Mean?

When your graphics card hits a dangerous temperature, it automatically reduces its clock speed. This built-in safety feature stops your expensive silicon from melting. However... it also ruins your frame rates.

Your PC essentially sacrifices performance to shed excess heat. This sudden drop in speed is the direct answer to why your GPU is throttling.

Common Culprits Behind Overheating ⚡

Dust buildup is public enemy number one. It clogs your heatsink and chokes your fans. Poor case airflow is another major factor.

If you recently picked up one of our pre-built PC deals, airflow is already carefully optimised. Older custom systems, however, might need a thorough clean.

Gaming on the go? Throttling is incredibly common in compact chassis. Elevating the back of your machine helps immensely if you use gaming laptops.

How to Stop the Stutter and Maximise Frames 🚀

Start by adjusting your fan curves. You can use free software to make your fans spin faster when temperatures rise.

You do not need to spend thousands of ZAR to keep things chilly. Grab some extra case fans from our weekly specials to boost fresh air intake.

Upgrading your entire setup? Look out for systems with premium liquid cooling in our best gaming PC deals.

Sometimes, an old card simply cannot handle modern titles. If your temperatures are fine but performance is terrible, your hardware is likely maxed out. When that happens, it might be time to browse new graphics cards to handle the heavy lifting.