Maintaining Temperature is the key to productivity for every tool mankind uses. Because every piece of equipment tends to get hot when you use them. Your CPU isn’t beyond that.
But does this high temperature really impact your CPU’s performance and shelf-life? Well, yes.
In this article, we’ll explore why high CPU temperatures can be problematic and what you should do to prevent or mitigate their effects.
So without further due, let’s jump in.
Is High Temperature Bad for Your CPU?
Yes, high CPU temperatures are very bad for any computer. Intense heat causes issues like thermal throttling, low clock speed, sudden shutdown, etc. It can also permanently damage your CPU if left unaddressed. To avoid high temp, ensure your CPU has proper cooling systems.
But You have to know how hot is too hot for your CPU because every CPU has different TDPs.
Now you may be wondering, what Does CPU TDP Mean?
TDP means Thermal Design Power consumption. Mainly, how much heat your CPU will generate depends on your processor’s TDP. Higher TDP means high power, and this excess power generates excess heat. That is why you need high-quality coolers for high TDP CPUs.
Processors with different TDPs show different temperatures in the same environment under full load. However, your CPU temperature should not go beyond the Ambient Room temperature (71-75 °F).
Can Your PC Break from Overheating?
Yes, overheating can shut your PC up. Because your CPU is equipped with thermal throttling technology. This dynamic frequency scaling technology reduces your PC’s clock speed when it gets too hot. And if your PC reaches extreme temperature, thermal throttling forces it off your system.
But it’s a good thing. Because replacing a faulty fan is less expensive than buying a new CPU or motherboard.
Previously, AMD processors didn’t have this safety feature. So processor series like AMD Athlon did fry several times.
Then what’s your CPU’s Temperature should be under full throttle? Read the following section to know for sure.
What’s the Average CPU Temp Under Full Load?
Usually, most CPUs run 45 to 50 °C when ideal and 80-90 °C under full load. Because today’s processor uses high-quality architectures like raptor lake or Zen4. These designs help your processor to incur less heat. Also, thermal throttling technology stops CPUs from overheating.
But if the heat goes beyond that temperature, you need to connect extra fans to your motherboard. It will insert more air into your rig and make it cooler.
In this section, I will show you what should be your normal CPU temp under full load for various processor models. It will help you determine whether your PC has heating issues or not.
Here is the safe temperature for some CPU models:
| Processor Model | Normal CPU Temp Under Full Load | Processor Model | Normal CPU Temp Under Full Load |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intel Core i3-7350K | 45 °C to 60 °C | AMD Ryzen 5 7600x | 80 °C – 92 °C |
| Intel Core i5-12600k | 75 °C to 85 °C | AMD Ryzen 5 3600x | 60 °C to 80 °C |
| Intel Core i5-7600K | 45 °C to 65 °C | AMD Ryzen 7 3600x | 66 °C to 71 °C |
| Intel Core i5-6600K | 42 °C to 53 °C | AMD Ryzen 7 7700X | 80 °C to 92 °C |
| Intel Core i5-4670K | 47 °C to 60 °C | AMD Ryzen 5 1600 | 50 °C to 64 °C |
| Intel Core i7-12700k | 65 °C to 70 °C | Ryzen 7 1700 | 50 °C to 65 °C |
| Intel Core i7-7700K | 50 °C to 70 °C | Ryzen 5 5600x | 65 °C to 85 °C |
| Intel Core i7-6700K | 52 °C to 70 °C | Ryzen 5 3600 | 55 °C to 70 °C |
| Intel Core i9-12700k | 65 °C to 70 °C | AMD Simpson | 85 °C to 95 °C |
| Intel Pentium Pro | 75 °C | AMD K7 Thunderbird | 70 °C to 95 °C |
As you can see, high-performance CPUs like AMD Ryzen 7 7700X have higher CPU temperatures than mid-range processors.
So you should check your CPU’s normal temp under full load before making any assumptions.
Why Is a High CPU Temperature Bad?
High CPU temperature causes various computer malfunctions like low FPS or lag in response. Sometimes, it can even shut down your PC. Also, if you disable the CPU throttling features, this excessive heat can fry your computer parts. Which can cost you a lot of money for repairs.
In this section, I will show you what high temperatures can do to your CPU. It will help you to understand the bad effects of heat on your processor.
These are some effects of high CPU temperature on your PC:
- When your CPU gets a high temperature, it loses its clock speed.
- Apps and programs behave strangely and get stuck for excessive CPU heat.
- If your CPU temperature exceeds Tj Maxx, it shuts down automatically.
- Running your high-temperature processor for a long time will worn-out your CPU cooler.
- Heat reduces your CPU shelf life.
- Your CPU silicon will degrade over time if you run it at a high temperature for a long period.
So you should always maintain your ideal CPU Temperature.
How Hot Should Your CPU Be During Gaming/Editing?
People consider gaming and editing work highly intensive for all kinds of PC. Because these programs squeeze up every last bit of performance from every core available. That’s why these programs generate more heat than others. But the temperature shouldn’t go above 90 °C.
The CPU heat depends on many variables, such as where the PC is located, your PC case, the CPU model, the cooler TDP, how many fans the PC has, etc.
You need to continuously monitor your CPU temperature and try to lower them if possible. Follow our guide on CPU temperature to know the safest temp for your processor.
Can a CPU Get Hotter than the Sun?
Well no. Reaching the Sun’s temperature isn’t possible in real life. According to NASA, the Sun has a surface temperature of 5500 °C (10,000 °F). And according to well-known scientists, the temperature of the Sun’s Core is 27 million degrees Fahrenheit (15 million degrees Celsius).
And not only the processor but everything in this world will instantly melt after reaching the temperature. Also, modern CPUs have throttling technology, which prevents them from exceeding the safe temperature.
But don’t worry. This CPU temperature is wrong, which happens for a software error. Because if it was real, then the world itself would melt down, and you won’t be reading this article.
How Will I Know If My CPU Is Running Too Hot?
Heat damages your computer, but it’s technically impossible to run your PC without generating heat. But you should be able to tell how hot your CPU is.
Otherwise, your PC can break permanently. In this section, I will show you some signs your Pc will show when overheating. It will help you determine your PC’s current status. Also, you should know what’s the maximum temperature your CPU can reach to get a better understanding of this situation.
Here are some signs your computer will show if it’s running too hot:
- All of your PC fans will continuously run at high speed. You will hear a loud noise from the PC case.
- Software on your PC will respond slowly, and sometimes it will exit for no reason.
- Windows will freeze, or you will get a blue screen of death.
- You will see purple lines acting on your monitor. In extreme cases, your monitor will become fully purple.
- Your system will shut down without any reason.
These are some indications of CPU overheating. If you are facing any issues like the above, then your PC needs additional cooling systems. Read the following section to cool your computer effectively.
How to Cool Your CPU
When your CPU is getting too hot continuously, you should take some steps to make it cool. Because running your computer in a hot environment degenerates hardware lifespan. Also, if you aren’t careful, sometimes your CPU can melt like ice cream.
Here, I will discuss some quick ways that you can adapt to improve your CPU temperatures. Let’s see.
Follow the steps to improve your PC temperatures:
- Choose the right CPU cooler.
- Plug out and Re-install your existing CPU cooler after cleaning it.
- You should apply thermal paste on the CPU twice a year.
- Use better thermal paste, not cheap ones.
- Invest in a better CPU cooler to maintain proper airflow.
- You must buy a better PC case with lots of ventilation space.
- Reconfigure the fans of your PC for better airflow.
- Add additional case fans to your PC and control their airflow direction with software.
- Clean out your computer regularly.
- Never cover the airflow path with pieces of cloth when your PC is on.
If you follow the above tips and tricks, the heating CPU issue wing bothers you again. But sometimes, the CPU temperature tends to jump around a lot. You should follow our guide to fix it.
FAQs
What CPU temp is too high?
Usually, the answer depends on your processor’s TDP. But when the CPU temperature gets above 90 °C, you should worry. Because most CPUs shut down at 100 °C.
Is 95 too hot for a CPU?
Yes. For low and mid-range CPUs, 95 °C is a very high temperature. You should immediately close your PC and upgrade your PC’s cooling system. But for high-range OC CPUs, reaching 95 is pretty normal.
What temperature can damage a computer?
In most cases, any temperature between 90-100 °C slowly damages your CPU. Continuously running your CPU at that temperature will reduce your processor’s self-life.
Ending Remarks
Long story short, High CPU temperature is a major issue for your PC. Overheating not only impacts your system’s stability but reduces your hardware’s overall health. Your PC can face basic thermal throttling to long-term performance loss for this excessive heat.
But if you follow this article word by word, then the heat won’t bother you again. Comment if you have any other queries about PC hardware.
And for everything else, stick with 10 Scopes.
