RTX 4090 Overheated to 105°C After Working in a Smoky Room

A technician opened up an RTX 4090 that had spent months in a room with a smoker, and the inside was packed with contamination. Under load, the graphics card reached 105°C, showing how quickly a flagship GPU can suffer in a polluted environment.

When the card was opened, the radiator was covered in a thick layer of dust and tobacco tar. The buildup had spread through the cooling system, leaving a stubborn coating that had to be removed manually.

Restoring the card took about two hours and required replacing the thermal pads. After the cleaning was finished, the load temperature dropped back to a normal 80°C.

The case shows how badly a PC component can be affected by constant exposure to smoke, with contamination doing the damage rather than a factory defect.

How often do you think PC owners should clean their systems if they are used in smoky rooms?