easyMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
220-1201 Practice Question: A customer reports that their desktop PC randomly…
A customer reports that their desktop PC randomly shuts down when playing a graphically intensive game. The system has a 500W power supply, a high-end GPU, and a CPU with a 125W TDP. What is the most likely cause of the shutdowns?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The power supply is undersized for the system's peak power demands.
The random shutdowns under load suggest the power supply cannot deliver enough wattage to sustain peak power draw from the GPU and CPU. A 500W PSU may be insufficient for a high-end gaming system, causing voltage drops or thermal overload protection to trigger. Upgrading to a higher-wattage PSU with adequate +12V rail capacity would resolve the issue.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The GPU is overheating due to poor case airflow.
Why it's wrong here
While GPU overheating can cause system instability, it typically manifests as performance throttling, graphical artifacts, or a controlled shutdown with a specific error message logged, rather than an abrupt, random power-off without warning. Modern GPUs are designed to throttle performance to prevent reaching critical temperatures, making an immediate, unlogged shutdown less probable for thermal issues alone.
- ✓
The power supply is undersized for the system's peak power demands.
Why this is correct
Under heavy load, such as during gaming, high-end GPUs and CPUs can draw significant power, potentially exceeding the continuous or peak wattage rating of an undersized power supply unit (PSU). When the system's power demand surpasses the PSU's capacity, its internal overcurrent protection (OCP) or overpower protection (OPP) circuitry will trip, causing an immediate and complete system shutdown to prevent damage, often without any prior error messages or warnings.
- ✗
The motherboard's VRM is failing due to age.
Why it's wrong here
The motherboard's Voltage Regulator Modules (VRMs) are responsible for converting and stabilizing the 12V input power into the lower voltages required by the CPU and other components. A failing VRM would typically lead to CPU instability, frequent system crashes, or boot failures, often under any load, not exclusively during high-demand gaming. Such a failure would also likely cause specific CPU-related errors or a complete inability to boot, rather than a sudden, unlogged power loss.
- ✗
The RAM is faulty causing memory errors during gaming.
Why it's wrong here
Faulty RAM typically causes specific memory-related errors, leading to application crashes, system freezes, or Blue Screens of Death (BSODs) with memory management error codes. While critical, RAM errors are highly unlikely to cause a sudden, complete system power-off without any prior error message, log entry, or crash dump. The symptoms described are more indicative of an immediate power delivery interruption rather than data corruption or memory access issues.
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Power Supply Units and Connectors
Key term
GPU
A GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) is a specialized processor that handles the rendering of images, video, and animations for display output and can also be used for general-purpose parallel computing tasks.
Key term
CPU
The Central Processing Unit (CPU) is the main electronic brain of a computer that carries out instructions from software by performing basic arithmetic, logic, control, and input/output operations.
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Same concept, more angles
1 more way this is tested on 220-1201
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A customer reports that their desktop PC randomly shuts down when playing graphics-intensive games, but runs fine during web browsing. The power supply is a 450W unit. What is the most likely cause of the issue?
easy- A.The CPU thermal paste has dried out, causing overheating only during gaming.
- ✓ B.The power supply is underrated for the system's peak power draw.
- C.The graphics card driver is corrupted, causing system instability.
- D.The motherboard capacitors are failing, causing intermittent power loss.
Why B: This scenario tests understanding of power supply wattage requirements under load. Graphics-intensive gaming draws more power, and if the PSU cannot supply enough sustained wattage, the system may shut down to protect itself. A 450W unit is often insufficient for a gaming GPU, especially if the system has multiple drives or high-end components.
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 220-1201 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 220-1201 exam.