GPU performance low
Fix Degraded State error 42 ("GPU performance is too low compared to similar GPUs") and error 23 ("GPU failed health test").
What it means: As part of the compatibility check, Salad runs a short benchmark on your card and compares the result with what the same GPU model normally achieves on the network. 42 means your card scored below that; 23 means the health test didn't complete. Until a run passes, the machine isn't offered container jobs.
Why it happens: The benchmark measures the whole machine's ability to feed the GPU, so the usual causes are:
- Another program using the card during the test (see High GPU usage).
- A power limit or undervolt: the card can't reach its normal clocks. On laptops this may come from the vendor's power mode, not necessarily from Windows. See GPU power limit.
- Heat: the card throttles part-way through the test.
- A damaged driver, or a driver reporting the card wrongly - common after an in-place driver update.
- The card driving several high-resolution displays while being tested.
- Hardware problems: a card in a slow PCIe slot, or a faulty card (error 23 in particular).
What to do
Make sure nothing else is using the GPU
Task Manager > Processes > sort by GPU. Close games, local AI tools, overlays and capture software. Fully exit tray programs - Salad is made to be run while the machine is idle.
Remove power limits and undervolts
Set MSI Afterburner (or your vendor's tool) back to defaults: power limit 100%, core and memory offsets 0. On a laptop: vendor performance mode (ASUS Armoury Crate Turbo, MSI Center Extreme Performance, Lenovo Vantage Performance), the original charger, and Windows power mode Best performance. Full guide: GPU power limit.
Check temperatures and airflow
If the card is hot before the test starts, it may affect scoring as well. Clear dust, check fans, and on laptops use a cooling pad (or at least hard surface, in a well-ventilated area). Let the card cool, then Retry.
Clean-reinstall the GPU driver
With nothing running and no power limit, a low score usually means the driver: follow How to reinstall your GPU drivers and reboot.
Retry
Click Retry on the notification or restart Salad. Each container job triggers a fresh check, so one good run is all it takes.
Laptops and the display GPU
On laptops where the screen is wired straight to the NVIDIA card (ASUS "Ultimate", MSI "Discrete graphics" modes), the card is never fully idle. If you keep failing with everything closed, try the hybrid/standard mode as a test so the card is left entirely to Salad.
Still stuck?
Send Salad Support your GPU model, whether it's a laptop, any power-limit or undervolt settings, a Task Manager screenshot during the error, and your logs folder zipped (how to find it).
Last updated on
High GPU usage, temperature, or the check can't run
Fix Degraded State errors 16 ("High GPU usage"), 17 ("High GPU temperature") and 41 ("Unable to run compatibility test").
GPU power limit set
Fix Degraded State error 14 ("GPU Power Limit Set") and error 15 ("GPU Power Unavailable") on desktops and laptops, including vendor power modes like Armoury Crate.