Determining if a discrete graphics card is failing can be done by observing some typical signs and performing some basic detection steps. Here are some signs that might indicate a problem with your discrete graphics card, as well as some steps you can take to detect it:
Anomalous image display: Garbled characters, streaks, distorted colors, or flickering on the screen can be signs of a graphics card malfunction.
Driver crash: The graphics driver crashes frequently, or the program becomes unresponsive when trying to access the graphics card settings.
Reduced performance: Noticeable performance degradation when performing graphics-intensive tasks such as gaming or editing, especially if these issues pop up.
Overheating: The graphics card is overheating, the fan speed is abnormally high, or the temperature monitored by the software is much higher than normal.
No display output: The monitor connected to the graphics card has no signal and the screen is completely dark.
Check the connection: First, check that the connection between the graphics card and the motherboard is secure, and that the power cord is properly connected. Also, confirm that the monitor cable (HDMI, DP, DVI, etc.) is properly connected to the graphics card and not to the motherboard.
Clean up the dust: Clean the dust on the graphics card and make sure the cooling system (fan and heatsink) is clean to improve the cooling efficiency.
Check the drivers: Try to uninstall and reinstall the latest version of the graphics driver. Driver issues can sometimes cause the graphics card to behave like it's having a hardware failure.
Test in safe mode or BIOS: Restart the computer into safe mode or BIOS settings to see if the problem persists. If the problem goes away in these environments, it may be an operating system or software configuration issue, not a hardware failure.
Use monitoring software: Use GPU temperature monitoring software, such as GPU-Z and MSI Afterburner, to check the temperature and performance parameters of the graphics card and check whether there are any abnormalities.
Try a different piece of hardware: If possible, try installing the graphics card on another computer, or another known good graphics card on your current computer, to determine if the problem is with the graphics card or something else.
Before performing hardware operation, make sure to disconnect the power supply and take electrostatic protection measures.
If the graphics card is still under warranty and you suspect a hardware failure, it may be safer to contact the manufacturer or seller for technical support or repair service.
Through the above steps and checks, you can accurately determine whether there is a problem with the discrete graphics card. If it is determined that the graphics card is faulty, decide whether to repair or replace the graphics card based on the nature of the problem and the warranty.