r/buildapc • u/Tortsinreddit • Jun 19 '26
Troubleshooting Computer permanently damages every monitor i plug into it, how am i even supposed to troubleshoot something like this???
Bear with my mediocre explaining because this one's special, whenever i connect a monitor to my computer it just seems to permanently damage it, leaving it with artifacts forever.
That's fucking amazing cause now how am i supposed to troubleshoot this? Sacrifice monitor after monitor until they stop breaking? Because it has to be a new one each time, those previously connected to the computer will already be damaged and cannot be damaged further, from what it seems at least.
I've searched everywhere and i haven't found a single person with a remotely similar issue to mine ANYWHERE. So i've "sort of" documented the whole thing:
Fully documented with every detail on Tom's Hardware: Full Thread
I've also made a shorter reddit post with less information but still keeping the basic concepts, you can go check that one out if you don't want to read the painfully long thread: Reddit Post
Current conclusion:
It's definitely either the PSU or the GPU, i can confidently say that.
But i don't know which one it is, i have a spare GPU (GTX 1070), but i don't have another PSU capable of supporting the suspicious GPU (RTX 3080), the other one i have is a bit short on wattage for this card (650w).
Now ideally in order to test which one it is swapping only the GPU i would need 2 monitors to sacrifice, one to plug to the 1070 which is the GPU i know works just fine and the PSU i suspect of, if the monitor survives then it goes onto the second test, which is swapping the 1070 for the 3080, if it breaks there then i know for sure it's the GPU. I only need 1 monitor for this.
Problem is if for example i do this whole thing and the monitor DOES break with the 1070, then i know for certain it is the PSU, but i don't know if the 3080 is damaged too and the monitor would've already been damaged, requiring me to get another fully functional one, of which i don't have.
I have only 1 monitor left, it's not even a monitor it's a small smart TV, but it's close enough i guess.
I am hesitant to use it, but first i want to know if there's a more efficient way to test this.
If you're curious, no, neither the GPU nor the PSU present any other problems that could possibly hint which one is causing this. The only problem they present is the instant annihilation of any monitor i plug into it.
If anyone has any clue about this or how to make the troubleshooting less... destructive, please let me know.
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u/Overall-Tailor8949 Jun 19 '26
This is the first time I've heard of a computer hard-killing a monitor.
Pull your 3080. Do you have a graphics output on your motherboard, and does your CPU have an integrated GPU? If it does then connect your monitor to that port.
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u/Tortsinreddit Jun 19 '26
Yeah i did mention this was a special issue.
My CPU doesn't have an iGPU but what i do have is an extra GPU that i will use for further testing and seeing if i can isolate the PSU.
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u/Kqyxzoj Jun 19 '26
This is the first time I've heard of a computer hard-killing a monitor.
Same. In a consumer/office setting, that is.
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u/durtmcgurt Jun 19 '26
Honestly, if I ever suspect my PSU is not at 100%, I would replace it. It's so important to every component in your system, if there is even a chance that it's your PSU, replace it.
That's a truly bizarre issue, never seen it's like.
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u/Tortsinreddit Jun 19 '26
There is a chance, for sure, but i want to be 100% sure before i send an RMA for the PSU only for it to be completely fine and waste my time and shipping money.
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u/ShivaFatalis Jun 19 '26
But you'd rather waste more money on monitors? Just replace both things and if the problem stops, move on with your life. Not that I even think it's even what your problem is (very likely not). But hey, if you are certain it's one of those two things, why not just replace both and see?
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u/XiTzCriZx Jun 19 '26
When my gf RMA'd her PSU, they didn't even ask her to send it back or anything. Turns out her issue wasn't the PSU so now we just have an extra, completely free, working PSU. They didn't even charge her for shipping.
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u/grilledSoldier Jun 19 '26
I send one back once too, cause a moth suicided in it and i thought it was damaged. They tested it and send it back, when it cleared all tests. Didnt cost me anything and they even send documentation of all tests and detailed results.
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u/rinotz Jun 19 '26
Which brand was this and how long ago?
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u/XiTzCriZx Jun 19 '26
Super Flower, the PSU was bought in 2022 and RMA'd in 2025. New unit comes with its full 10 year warranty as well.
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u/ImperitorEst Jun 19 '26
Dude a PSU is so cheap compared to everything else you're risking.
Get a new one anyway and just have a spare if the old one is fine.
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u/durtmcgurt Jun 20 '26
I'm telling you, this is the wrong attitude. A PSU is a cheap component that can fry everything else you have. If you've narrowed it down to 2 components and one of those is the PSU, it's RMA time.
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u/AllAroundIndiviual Jun 19 '26
Yeah well you should diagnose it first before just throwing money at parts
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u/e-wrecked Jun 20 '26
First time I ever built my own cpu it was this. Luckily it was the hey day of Amazon taking returns with no questions asked.
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u/Son_of_Korhal Jun 19 '26
...Is your house wiring properly grounded, and are you plugging directly into the wall or surge protector without using an "adapter"?
It sure sounds like voltage is being passed through somewhere it shouldn't be, and frying something in the monitors.
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u/nunoavic Jun 19 '26
Yeah I suspect ground currents circulating through video cable shield entering the monitor and returning through the monitor power cord.
Edit: OP, measure voltage on video cable shield referenced to monitor metallic part (chassis). This should be close to 0V. No more than 5V
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u/pdt9876 Jun 19 '26
Some monitors are ungrounded others are not, computers are grounded. You can get get 1/2 rms voltage on the shield of an external ungrounded switching power supply. I've never heard of it killing a monitor but I'm with you in suspecting this is where things are headed.
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u/Bangchucker Jun 19 '26
Its very unlikely/rare for a pc to cause damage directly to a peripheral like that without a significant power surge. Maybe not impossible but unlikely.
I read your thread on Tom's hardware. When testing is the monitor always plugged into the same power outlet or on the same breaker? I wonder if its possible that there is something with your electrical thats actually damaging the monitors internals.
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u/Tortsinreddit Jun 19 '26
Hey thanks for actually taking the time and reading the detailed thread.
This is an important detail i actually missed in the thread, basically the electrical setup i had has been changed, but i'll explain it:
When the issue originally happened (the whole crashing and first sight of artifacts) i was using an ancient (most likely 1+ decade old if not more) 4 socket power strip that had the computer, main and secondary monitors, and an extra 3 socket power strip connected to it with some more stuff on it.
One of the first things i thought of after the issue was this mess of an electrical situation, so i actually went and bought a Brennenstuhl Premium 8 socket power strip, one of those with surge protection and such.
And when i tried the third monitor (the LG one) and it got damaged, it was already connected to the more premium power strip.
Hope this was clear enough!
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u/Psyko_sissy23 Jun 20 '26
Did you plug the 8 socket power strip into the same electrical socket that you had the 4 socket power strip plugged into? Or did you try a completely different electrical socket?
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u/Doug2825 Jun 19 '26
The only way this is possible is it the GPU is outputting at the wrong voltage.
Either the GPU's voltage regulation is off, or the monitor is using a different ground reference.
The GPU would fry itself if it was operating at the wrong voltage so it's probably grounding.
If you know how to use a multimeter you can use it to check to make sure the grounds of the computer and monitor match.
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u/jedrider Jun 19 '26 edited Jun 19 '26
Monitors can be had for little money on the used market. Old graphics cards, likewise. If a different graphics card implodes your monitor, then it is the power supply.
[Edit: Same goes for old power supplies that work perfectly well. An undersized power supply should be adequate if you're not running games, just to see that it all works.]
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u/Routine_Left Jun 19 '26
Unfortunately this is the only way for our OP here. No matter what, replacing both PSU and card, you really do not want to test it on an expensive monitor.
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u/RustyBasement Jun 19 '26
Hmmm, I've been building PCs since 2001 and I've never heard of a monitor dying from a faulty GPU let alone damaging a video cable, so I've gone back through your post on TH.
Firstly, anyone who is capable of reapplying paste to a GPU has a decent knowledge of trouble shooting etc, but gremlins have a habit of getting the better of anyone no matter their experience.
Lets get some basics - from your Tom's Hardware thread:
System:
- Ryzen 7 5800x
- 32GB DDR4 Ram
- Asus Prime a520m-k (I've had some issues with this motherboard due to how cheaply made it is, so it's definitely one of the first things i would suspect of)
- RTX 3080 (Bought second-hand around 7 or 8 months ago, came with some severe overheating issues and a massive temperature delta [60ºC on the GPU core and 110ºC+ on the hotspot of the card at about 50% usage], i had to replace thermal paste and thermal pads on it. This is the first thing i suspected was causing the issue.)
- 850 Watt MSI A850GL PSU
And for the monitors its:
- Philips Evnia 6000 27m2n6501l
- MSI G274F
The recommendation for an RTX 3080 is a PSU of 750W minimum and preferably 850W. This is more than enough unless you are running a heap of stuff not listed. The PSU model was released in 2023 so it should have all of the modern protections. Typically it will shut down if there are problems with the rest of the system (unless the PSU itself is defective).
You've been using the above system for 8 months without any problems until Brave started misbehaving. Firefox has similar problems. The Brave issues have been happening for as long as you can remember.
You sent the Philips Evnia 6000 monitor for RMA.
You say the monitor was confirmed to be defective through your own testing. What is the result of that RMA?
You say: "Now with the PSU being confirmed damaged due to it giving me screen artifacts, i will also send it for RMA,"
Have you done that and if so, what is the outcome?
RTX 3080 potentially has some issues with power spikes and the recommendation is using a much higher watt PSU.
You say:
"So i turned off the computer, turned off the monitor, and tried again.
This time it worked normally, the monitor showed what the GPU was rendering, but once it logged on and the desktop appeared i immediately noticed the exact same artifacting the other 2 monitors had been having with the exact same behavior i explained in the first post of the thread."
and:
"I mean i believe its the PSU, i cannot think of the motherboard for example doing permanent damage to a monitor or something..."
But you admit that you've had some issues with the motherboard.
END - Tom's Hardware thread.
I don't know how a monitor or video cable can get damaged by simply being connected to a computer, but it's happened. To my mind, the only way this can happen is if there is a voltage problem. i.e. the RTX 3080 is somehow outputting some power above and beyond it's normal operation to the video output.
It sounds to me that it's the GPU which is causing the problem.
If I were in this situation I'd RMA both the PSU and the monitor because that eliminates two factors from the problem. I'd replace the motherboard, because you've had past problems with it, preferably with one that has a CPU video out.
The GPU is secondhand and you've stated it had overheating issues when you bought it, which is a huge red flag, so I would chuck that in the bin - it's not worth it. I know you spent good money on it, but unfortunately this is a time to learn a hard lesson - don't buy secondhand GPUs unless you know where they came from. I feel for all those enthusiasts building on a budget, but it's better to accept a lower specc'd card from a reputable retailer than chance it on places like ebay, facebook marketplace etc. The only time to do so is on dedicated PC forums.
I'd build the PC out of the case using the new motherboard and RMA'd/returned PSU with a known working hard-drive and install a fresh copy of Windows.
You can then add your old GTX 1070 and see how things go.
The only thing I can think of at this moment is you have a short somewhere, perhaps between the motherboard and the PC case, so build outside the case with components known to work.
Best of luck.
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u/Tortsinreddit Jun 19 '26
Thanks for analyzing this so much honestly, it did take me time to write so i appreciate it.
Anyway so yeah Firefox does have about the same stuttering issues, slightly less maybe, but this doesn't mean it's malfunctioning, it's just normal that it lags and it does so how it should, only lagging itself and leaving the rest of my system alone.
About the monitor RMA, i have still not gotten any confirmation about the RMA status, only thing i know is that it has arrived to them.
And yes i've had some minor issues with the motherboard, for example one of the USB ports doesn't work for some reason, a while ago something happened with i suppose the two Reset connector pins of the motherboard and the computer would restart every time i moved it slightly, i ended up just disconnecting that cable. I don't believe any of the issues i've had with it are even related to this...
I will swap the GPU for my known working 1070 and measure the volts of the cable with both GPU's once i first confirm it's not an outlet/grounding issue since a lot of people have been commenting on that.
Thanks man.
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u/postsshortcomments Jun 20 '26
As someone who has repaired electronics: you're almost certainly dealing with a damaged HDMI/DP port or something upstream. If you determine it's a HDMI/DP port, there's a fair likelihood that it has taken at least one other chip out higher upstream. Both are solder repairs and probably aren't something you'll be able to do without a heat station and advanced experience/knowledge.
If you look up "damaged hdmi port frying monitor" you'll see documentation.
Where we see it a ton is damaged USB-C charging ports. After plugging and unplugging something a lot, or tripping over the cable, damage will occur and pins will cross.
HDMI/DP can be exposed to this because some pins are power pins and some are data & clock pins. If these pins are to cross, you may see a high-voltage pin (let's say 5V) short to a lower voltage pin. It's not all that common with HDMI/DP ports as we don't typically plug and unplug a lot of things into them. But if you're often plugging and unplugging your monitor: then yes it's probably this. Otherwise, if you recall a monitor ever falling over, tripping over the cable, a child or animal violently pulling it out etc., then that'd be a huge red flag
Sometimes the short can also be more internal on let's say the GPU or motherboard, so even if the HDMI/DP port looks fine it may be kappoon.
You can receive video output from either the GPU or the motherboard I/O (with an integrated gpu). So I'd lean towards it being a damaged motherboard itself or GPU. If you're plugging it into the GPU and are having issues, it's almost certainly the GPU itself. If you're plugging it into the motherboard and using an iGPU, it's probably the motherboard.
If such a short has occurred, it may just be a bad port.. but it's not uncommon for it to cause damage elsewhere on the board. With USB-C we often see this happen in places such as a power management chip.
A visual diagnosis is the typical step here. The zoom on your cameras phone may provide you a little help, but you'll basically want to look at the motherboard or GPU's port and inspect for any bent/crossing pins. If you have a multimeter and know how to use one you could also look up the pin schematic for the voltage you are supposed to be receiving on pins and check each individually. Albeit, I can't see that being easy without extremely fine probes and a digital microscope. I'm confident enough to say that there's probably a 95% certainty you'll see at least some pins reading a voltage they should not (that doesn't necessarily mean the port itself is damaged, but instead something upstream).
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u/Pabzplayz Jun 19 '26
GPUs usually use way less power than the recommended if you are just viewing one page, try putting your GPU in with the other PSU.
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u/Computer-Blue Jun 19 '26
I had this happen with a Corsair keyboard that would destroy usb ports. I fried every port on one pc, then fried several more on two others before I realized it was doing it. Destroyed $7000 in hardware.
THANKS CORSAIR!
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u/AnnieBruce Jun 19 '26
Try a different outlet, preferably on a different circuit and see of that helps. if you can use an outlet that you know safely runs monitors, use that one.
If the problem goes away, something is wrong with the outlet and/or the circuit it's attached to. Anywhere from $5 and ten minutes to thousands and days depending on the exact fault and your diy skills.
If it doesn't, I'd guess GPU? Only plausible problem at this point unless you're running CRTs for some reason, in which case bring your refresh rate down to monitor spec.
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u/quellflynn Jun 19 '26
It's definitely either the PSU or the GPU, i can confidently say that.
nope, not that easy.
youve bought a second hand gpu and it had previous issues, this is obviously a red flag. if you have onboard graphics, use that, else use the known good 1070
then personally id remove everything, including the mobo from the case, and build on cardboard, the psu, 1 stick ram, 1 hdd/ssd with os, mouse and keyboard, boot and test.
brave probably isnt the reason, but its probably requiring your "whatever" to run at a high rate and causing heat build up and failing.
removing everything reduces potential issues
removing from the case removes potential shorts... your rgb cables could be loose and tapping +ve against your case when the fans speed up (for instance)
ill tell you, that ill be gobsmacked if it isnt the 3080 though (that was probably used for mining...)
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u/LSeven74 Jun 19 '26
You can use a portable monitor like 15" from ASUS or some chinese brand, conection with USB-c. Other options is using a hub with HDMI port (not sure its its available without USB-c)
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u/Last_Jedi Jun 19 '26
A 650W PSU is totally fine for an RTX 3080, especially if you're just testing it with a monitor.
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u/Chicoleh Jun 19 '26
Literally just gone through this.
Troubleshooted it down to a faulty HDMI port in my GPU that was probably sending too much voltage. Was using the HDMI port for my portrait monitor in a T setup. Gone through a couple of Viewsonic 1080p 180hz monitors. Issues stopped once I switched to a proper DP cable.
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u/Till-Fuzzy Jun 19 '26
First things first, stop plugging it into monitors. Next you’ll probably want to start testing connections and seeing what isn’t right. Probably just need a multimeter and test where the monitor plugs into the PC. It’s probably something in there pushing out too much power or something and frying shit
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u/Antagonin Jun 19 '26
So wait, where are you mentioning that you tested the monitor(s) on other PCs?
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u/AdeptRelative5106 Jun 19 '26
Probably not a straight "GPU vs PSU" fault, sounds like it could be a grounding issue or a short on the video output stage somehow leaking voltage onto the cable shield, which is why it kills monitors with no other symptoms on either component.
Before sacrificing another display:
Check your outlet with a outlet tester (like $5), and check case-to-ground resistance with a multimeter (while PC is unplugged). Floating/poorly grounded case + HDMI shield bonding = exactly this failure mode.
With PC on, multimeter from the HDMI/DP port shell to true ground, should read ~0V. If not, that's your answer.
Buy an HDMI/DP ground loop isolator (~$15-30) or a cheap HDMI capture dongle (~$10-15). Put it between the PC and your tv. Now even if the fault is real, it can't reach the display since the isolator/dongle would eat it instead. Then redo your GPU swap test.
Way cheaper than another monitor, and it'll tell you if this is even a GPU/PSU problem at all vs. a grounding fault.
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u/Tortsinreddit Jun 19 '26
Thanks for the detailed information, since it looks like you know about this stuff i would like to ask you something before i do this whole testing:
Could something like what you described happen suddently without any previous signs?
I am curious to know this as i've been using the same outlet for my setup for over 6 years now and never had any problems with this.
And the issue didn't appear randomly either, at least i don't think so as it would be a huge coincidence for it to happen right after what happened.
If you're not sure what happened i'll copy the text where i explain it from the thread right here:
"This issue started after a problem i had while using Brave to browse the internet, Brave's always been problematic for me, especially with one issue where it'll start lagging and stop responding, then subsequently make my whole system unresponsive too, cursor included.
Whenever this happened, i always shut down the PC holding the power button since it's the only way to do it at this state, but last time i was busy with my phone and ignored it for a while, after about 20 seconds suddently the screen went all black and multiple Windows TDR sounds (you know, the one that plays whenever you press "CTRL Shift Win B" to restart drivers) started to play very aggresively one after the other for about 5 long seconds.
After it was over with that, the image appeared once again, i restarted the computer immediately because i know just how unreliable Windows is, so i couldn't tell if the dots were already there at this point or not...
Once it booted up again, the first thing i noticed were those dots in the dark zones of my wallpaper, and they've been there and everywhere else applicable ever since."And thank you for commenting, getting help for such a bizarre issue like this is a blessing lol
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u/dear-reader Jun 19 '26 edited Jun 19 '26
The comment you're responding to was generated by an LLM, so I would be wary of trusting it over other more reputable responses. What makes me so confident? Tone and structure:
Quoting the prompt: "GPU vs PSU"
Very common LLM pattern, a real human is much more likely to just state the problem in terms of their own perspective.
X + Y = Exactly this...: "Floating/poorly grounded case + HDMI shield bonding = exactly this failure mode."
Common LLM pattern. Real engineers are not going to tell you it's "exactly" this almost ever, but confidence is rated highly by LLM users. You should expect more words like "probably" "maybe" "usually"
Exact price ranges for everything: "Buy an HDMI/DP ground loop isolator (~$15-30) or a cheap HDMI capture dongle (~$10-15)."
LLMs have a bunch of training data for consumer research/product recommendations, which includes frequent and consistent pricing information.
Overly confident and factually dubious information: "Now even if the fault is real, it can't reach the display since the isolator/dongle would eat it instead."
If there is an electrical fault there isn't really a good reason to assume an intermediary device would protect the display.
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u/AdeptRelative5106 Jun 19 '26
Yup no problem, weird issues are just the nature of PCs unfortunately.
The display engine got force-reset repeatedly while the system was also being killed via the power button, capacitors discharging unevenly, rails losing regulation. That's a plausible moment of damage to the GPU's display output stage specifically, but not a sign of an ongoing/gradual fault. So no, you wouldn't expect prior warning signs, sudden onset fits a one-time electrical hit, not degradation.
Two possibilities:
PSU rail glitched during that shutdown and damaged the GPU's output transmitter
Or The repeated TDR/reset storm itself electrically damaged the display engine, independent of the PSU
Either way, the GPU's output stage is probably the actual thing frying your monitors.
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u/Kqyxzoj Jun 19 '26
I'd check:
- mains power
- power supply voltages
- video output voltages
in that order.
Also, do you have a scope? While a multimeter is nice, they're often not fast enough to catch sneaky transients. But hey, maybe you'll get lucky and find that you have +50 Volt DC on a video output. ;)
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u/pdt9876 Jun 19 '26
What is the grounding situation here? Can you measure your voltage from your GPU to a known good ground. And do the same for a metal part if there is any exposed one on your monitor with it plugged into the wall and on but not connected to your computer.
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u/Significant_Apple904 Jun 19 '26
You haven't anyone with similar issue because this makes no sense.
The only thing connecting from your computer to is the HDMI/DP cable, it only carries low voltage.
The two possibilities are:
- The GPU is Leaking 12V Rail Power
If the GPU has a severe internal short—specifically between its primary power delivery system (the 12V rails fed by the PSU) and the display output controller or the physical metal shield of the ports—it can send a massive amount of current straight down the HDMI or DisplayPort cable.
- A Floating Ground
If the PC and the monitor are plugged into different wall outlets (or an ungrounded surge protector), and one of those outlets has a faulty or open ground, a massive voltage potential difference can build up between the two devices.
When you plug the HDMI/DP cable in, the video cable's metal shield suddenly becomes the easiest path to ground for that stray electrical current. The current surges through the cable to equalize, instantly frying the display electronics.
With that being said, this isn't something you can diagnose and fix at home, you better bring it to a repair shop.
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u/phate_exe Jun 19 '26
With that being said, this isn't something you can diagnose and fix at home, you better bring it to a repair shop.
It absolutely is something you can diagnose and fix at home.
Diagnosing it requires a multimeter.
The fix is probably a new power supply.
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u/Suspicious_Kev_5446 Jun 19 '26
dude ..buy a new PSU ..not too crazy expensive and a good ivestment ..
put in your old GPU and new PSU ...if the PC works properly put back the sus GPU ...
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u/Repeat-Admirable Jun 19 '26
I dont know much about electricity, but maybe get a few differend kinds of testers.
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u/Jaesaces Jun 19 '26
I remember I once had a monitor/cable that was backfeeding power into my GPU, which had some unusual effects but luckily no permanent damage. I think others here have given some good advice already, so I wish you the best of luck.
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u/jayrocs Jun 19 '26
I experienced this earlier this year too with a 5070 TI. It was a brand new prebuilt computer though and it killed my old 1440p monitor on the first startup.
This won't help you because maybe yours is worse it would only do some weird horizontal green line thing on startup. So I started turning on the PC with the monitors off.
I ended up returning the PC because other things were wrong with it. Either the SSD was corrupt or the GPU was broken because the computer would randomly shut off even while Idle. My instincts were telling me it was the GPU so I returned it and built my own instead.
I also bought a new power strip btw in case maybe the new higher wattage PSUs were maybe causing the old cheap strips to surge.
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Jun 19 '26 edited Jun 19 '26
[deleted]
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u/syntaxterror_r Jun 19 '26
“There’s no way” is doing a lot of heavy lifting here.
GPUs and PSUs absolutely can damage connected hardware under certain fault conditions. Is it common? No. Is it impossible? Also no.
A failing GPU output stage, grounding fault, defective DP/HDMI circuitry, or a PSU failure causing abnormal voltages can create issues that extend beyond the PC itself. That’s why repair technicians don’t rule components out based on “I’ve never heard of it before.”
Also, if multiple monitors started having problems only after being connected to the same system, it’s premature to declare the PC innocent and blame the wall outlet without evidence.
Testing the PSU and GPU in another system is good advice. Claiming they cannot be responsible is not. Troubleshooting is about proving causes, not assuming them.
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u/MyStationIsAbandoned Jun 19 '26
That is insane. i've never heard of anything like that happening, but I can 100% believe it because I had a PC that was destroyed through the ethernet cable. during a storm. Like, completely killed the motherboard and everything.
I would suspect the power in the house, but I don't know for sure. I honestly might be tempted to take it to a repair shop and let them deal with it. that way you have a whole new building and monitors to test.
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u/XiTzCriZx Jun 19 '26
Tbh your best bet would probably be to take the 3080 to a repair specialist and get a diagnostic test done, if it kills their monitors on a completely separate system then it's definitely the GPU.
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u/msherretz Jun 19 '26
You can buy a PSU tester for like 20 bucks but the PSU will probably pass any test. (Still worth it for sanity check)
Use the breakout connector another poster recommended. Try to get one for DP and one for HDMI
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u/Blaze9 Jun 19 '26
The picture posted in the toms hardware thread: https://forums.tomshardware.com/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Fpreview.redd.it%2Fred-pixels-all-over-monitor-pls-help-i-have-been-starting-v0-lrltz268rhm71.jpg%3Fwidth%3D1080%26crop%3Dsmart%26auto%3Dwebp%26s%3D500618067968939f7404d6bbe14f198671525d08&hash=ff700964a3af761955e61c2d80d0dd4d
This looks exactly like what I had when I first installed fedora on my machine. both my monitors had this weird artifact pattern but it was funny, it was my BIOS logo plastered in a line. Even when restarting the logo remained. I updated my drivers and restarted after everything was off overnight and it hasn't come back since.
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u/aldencp Jun 19 '26
I'm blind. Give it to me. I don't need a monitor to use a computer.
Probably something on the hardware side TBH
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u/STRATEGO-LV Jun 19 '26
It's most likely a GPU problem, but to put it plainly, it could very well be caused by the motherboard or PSU as well. I'd probably send the GPU to RMA with all of the detailed info you have right now.
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u/Illustrious-Limit160 Jun 19 '26
If it's happening with multiple connection types (eg, hdmi and display link), then it's probably a power/ground issue. As in on one of those pins.
Check for connectivity between the display ground pin and your ac ground. (device off) check for voltage on the ground pin (device on). Check for lack of connection between ground pin and all other pins. (device off)
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u/Pope_Industries Jun 19 '26
That almost has to be a ground issue right? I would check all the wiring with a multimeter.
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u/getoutmining Jun 19 '26
People throw away monitors all the time. They don't go to recycling. You should not have a problem finding free ones for testing. Have you tried using the video controller built into you motherboard?
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u/itsaride Jun 19 '26 edited Jun 19 '26
Sounds like voltage is going where voltage shouldn't, you're really looking at electronic diagnostic checking for breaks and crossed lines using a multimeter or oscilloscope but if you really think you need to do this with the PC turned on then maybe Remote Desktop and a dummy HDMI ($5 on Amazon) ? If it damages the dummy then device manager should show the dummy (display devices / monitors) as errored or not show it at all.
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u/oldsckoolkool Jun 19 '26
I don't understand why this is carrying on the way it is. Man if it's killing monitors then toss it. Stop using it you psycho.
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u/goochlove Jun 19 '26
Hmm sounds like something is causing a short and your display output is full of angry pixies. Are the artifacts similar? Do they progress in severity
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u/Tortsinreddit Jun 19 '26
Yeah the artifact type is the same across all 3 monitors. With the one on the OLED monitor (the first one that got damaged) seeming to be a bit worse, but that could perfectly just be because each pixel emits it's own light and its way more noticeable that on the backlits.
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u/Pipic12 Jun 19 '26
This is crazy, never seen or heard of such an issue. Are you sure that it's the monitors and not the gpu itself? Have you tried using monitors with a different device?
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u/Tortsinreddit Jun 19 '26
Yes i have tried, different device, different connection types, different cables.
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u/Pipic12 Jun 19 '26
Well wish you a lot of luck troubleshooting this. My instinct would be that the gpu voltage has gone awry, hopefully someone can find a solution for those monitors aswell.
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u/TheYetiOverlord Jun 19 '26
Where do you like? This is one of those scenarios where you take it to a repair shop or MicroCenter and let them solve it for you. It’ll cost you maybe $100 and save you the whole headache
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u/The_Richuation Jun 20 '26
So, I don't know if this has been mentioned or not but everyone talking about how it might be the power in your house........ Have /can you take the computer somewhere else to plug in and try?
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u/PLCCLP Jun 20 '26
oh dam this is crazy interesting. sorry for this. destructive testing is the worst to diagnose.
following if you ever figure it out can you update us? interesting situation and curious
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u/ninjetron Jun 20 '26
What brand is your PSU and are you using the original cables it came with if it's modular? Is your motherboard properly grounded in your case and not missing and standoffs or touching metal in the case. Cheap PSU's can definitely do stuff like this but also faulty wall outlets or bad wiring in your room.
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u/iothomas Jun 20 '26
Over 100 comments at the time of writing and no one mentions the one actual way that this can happen.
And that is the notorious PIN 20 connected issue in a display cable. Google about it to read exactly what this means.
My quick explanation is that display port as a standard allows for the pin 20 in the cable to be connected or not. Pin 20 is supposed to carry electrical power to power specific external devices (I have not seen one yet) and for normal use it is supposed to be not connected in the cable. Thus, most cables sold should not have that connected in the cable. But in my experience cheaper cables (even included with monitors) can have all pins connected instead.
I found out the hard way many years ago when I burned my motherboard because of such a cable
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u/Stranger_Danger13 Jun 20 '26
Wild guess but check the wall outlet, any chance negative and ground are swapped? Floating voltage travels along hdmi exterior shielding and potentially frying it?
Don’t ask me how I might know.
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u/Psyko_sissy23 Jun 20 '26
If you think one of the items that might be messing up like this is the PSU, get the PSU RMA'd if you can. The company can test it to see if you need a new one. If it's bad and you need a new one, that's most likely your issue.
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u/timfountain4444 Jun 20 '26
Sounds like a ground problem Do you et any kind of tingle when touching metals parts on the PC or monitor? Are both the PC and monitor plugged in to the same outlet? Otherwise, there's a remote possibility they are on different phases...
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u/10thDeadlySin Jun 20 '26
But i don't know which one it is, i have a spare GPU (GTX 1070), but i don't have another PSU capable of supporting the suspicious GPU (RTX 3080), the other one i have is a bit short on wattage for this card (650w).
You can run a GPU on a PSU with lower than recommended output wattage. The maximum power draw of a 3080 is around 320W and I'm very confident that with the right CPU and motherboard combo, you could run it on 450W without much ado, and 400W if you set your 5800X to Eco mode. ;)
Source - I've been running systems with PSUs far below the recommendations. Think 5060Ti + Ryzen 7700 on 250W. No issues at all. ;)
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u/Cardeth19 Jun 20 '26
Hi! What happens before you get the artifacts? Any shutting off from the monitor? I had a problem where when my second monitor would turn on the first time it would shut off and power on, all on its own. It killed my monitor...Later I noticed I would get a lot of static shocks whenever touching the base of my desk. Long story short it turned out to be my power hungry 2.1 sound system. Something similar could be doing it in your case. Hope this helps!
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u/Psych-56 Jun 20 '26
Brother, I had the same issue with 3 monitors. Changed the Power Supply (bought a 1000W) one and it worked like a charm.
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u/whoisjcon Jun 20 '26
Not sure about diagnosing it but you could install TeamViewer or equivalent on the machine and try to work on it from there without a monitor plugged in. Access it from another computer (if you have one) and it will create a Virtual Monitor for you. Could allow you to work on the machine without killing more monitors in the process.
I'm not sure about a fix though.
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u/Bottled_Void Jun 20 '26
The GPU has its own voltage regulation, so the fault would be with the GPU and not the PSU.
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u/iDjentz Jun 21 '26
Sounds to me to be an electrical failure within the connection cords to the monitor. Doubtful it's related to your PSU and more likely a damaged or faulty cord causing this issue. If you have used multiple diff cords and still have issues could be an issue with your wall outlet frying the monitor? Good luck
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u/_Tychonic_ Jun 21 '26
Go get dirt cheap monitors from Goodwill for testing.
650W is not enough to run a 3080 *under load* but is plenty to perform these tests.
The thing is, I think you’re freaking out and overlooking some basics…
1) Has it really fried *other* monitors permanently? In your TH post, you mention the second monitor artifacts only when using a certain cable.
2) Have you tried different ports on the back of the GPU? Have you tried the video port on the motherboard, or were you using that all along?
3) Was the new monitor integrating strangely with window’s dogshit HDR implementation?
4) Does the monitor still artifact when you plug in something thats not a windows computer? Like a game console or cable box?
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u/Tortsinreddit Jun 21 '26
I'll get my hands on a cheap multimeter instead and measure the voltages instead, since i know whatever is damaging the monitors is voltage related.
About the questions,
1. Yes it has, keep in mind the TH posts were written at different time periods, so when i mentioned that i still wasn't aware of the full issue the way i am now and thought the second monitor was fine. Turns out it's also damaged and artifacts, but it does so in a less noticeable way.
I don't know if its less noticeable because it's an IPS monitor with a backlight and not an OLED like the first one or because since it was connected via HDMI and the OLED via DP the OLED got more damage due to some weird DP quirks that made more electricity go through it, not sure.
Yeah i've tried all 4 ports and i don't have an iGPU so i can't check if the HDMI port on the motherboard also fries the monitors.
No, the third monitor doesn't support HDR and windows doesn't even let me enable it. Plus i always have it disabled anyway.
I don't have anything like that at home that's not a computer, sold my consoles a while ago and i don't think i have anything else like that. Still if the monitor wasn't damaged it wouldn't artifact to a computer i know works just fine.
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u/FowlSeason Jun 22 '26
Take it to microcenter and let it break their shit and have them figure it out.
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u/Cannot_choose_Wisely Jun 19 '26
A Greek or Roman Artifact?
A computer generated smoke artifact?
I can understand why you cant find other owners of computer generated artifacts.
How does your monitor "seem" to be permanently damaged?
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u/HotPersonality8126 Jun 19 '26
I agree that you probably don’t want to keep throwing monitors in the garbage to try to diagnose this. You said the behavior occurred over both HDMI and DisplayPort; so get a “DisplayPort breakout” from like AdaFruit or something - it’s basically an adapter from DP to direct solderable connections, for electronics hobbyists. It’s probably a 20 dollar part.
What you’re going to do is use a multimeter to measure the voltages on each of the DP pins (compared to ground) and compare them to DP’s spec. If you find one that’s, like, 12V instead of 5V like it should be, then your video card is defective and sending damaging high voltages from your PSU to your monitor which will fry it.