You can download the software from its website. This software is called Core Temp and it provides you with a basic rundown of the make and model of your CPU, how many cores it has, how much power it’s consuming, and the average temperatures for each of its cores. Here, we’ll talk about one of the most popular third-party options that experts use for diagnosing CPU overheating issues.ĭon’t worry, this is completely safe to use and won’t harm your system. There is a ton of software options available that can provide you with temperature readings, from specialized temperature reading applications to proprietary software developed and published by CPU manufacturers.
If you want to look at the raw temperature numbers you can do that as well if you’re willing to install some third-party applications. Check your CPU temperatures with third-party applications If your computer ever gets to the point that it’s turning off on its own, you should immediately stop using the machine and start troubleshooting.Įvery time your CPU reaches temperatures that high, the probability of it incurring permanent damage increases. If your computer appears to shut down when you open certain applications, this might signify an issue with heat in your computer case.
Usually, the minimum temperature the CPU must reach before it gets to the point of an automatic shutdown is quite high, often 90 degrees Celsius or more. In cases of extreme overheating, modern CPUs are designed to shut off automatically. You’ll notice this happens several times over the next few minutes, causing several sharp peaks in the Utilization graph. When the CPU is throttling due to overheating, utilization will often hit 100% and at some point, the CPU’s Speed will suddenly drop. Open up a CPU-intensive application, such as a photo editing application or video game, and watch how the Utilization and Speed numbers change over time. This will bring up a bunch of graphs and numbers but you’ll want to focus on the information about your CPU.
You can check if your CPU is throttling on a Windows machine by going into the Task Manager (CTRL+Shift+Esc) and opening up the Performance tab. The result is decreased overall processor performance. Reduced overall performance, even when doing simple tasksĪnother telltale sign of an overheating CPU is when your computer struggles to perform tasks that it previously was fine with.įor example, if you notice your favorite game or video editing application seems to be loading more slowly or you’re dropping frames left and right, that could mean the CPU is doing what is known as throttling.ĬPU throttling is when the processor becomes so hot that the system forces it to operate at a lower frequency to reduce the production of heat. If you’ve noticed that the fans are unusually loud, even when you aren’t running an application that’s intense on the processor, that’s an early warning sign that your CPU might be getting too hot. As your CPU heats up, its fans ramp up in speed to move hot air away from the CPU more quickly. Typically, CPU fans are set to run at different speeds.
Your CPU fan isn’t supposed to be running on full throttle all the time. The first way of knowing if your CPU is overheating is by listening to the fans.
Once your CPU fries, it’s gone for good, meaning you’ll have to replace it outright. Continued use of a machine that is regularly overheating can and will lead to permanent damage to the components inside. Identifying the signs of an overheating CPUĪn overheating CPU is no laughing matter.
This is why it’s important to know how to identify an overheating CPU, troubleshoot its causes, and take the necessary steps to prevent further overheating in the future. Several things can affect the efficiency of a unit’s cooling systems, resulting in a build-up of heat and, ultimately, component damage. Over time and with regular use, your machine’s ability to draw heat from the CPU and push it away will become worse. Due to the risk of irreparable damage by heat, virtually all computer cases are built to maximize airflow with spaces for multiple fans to pull in fresh, cold air and push out heat. It’s unfortunate that electrical circuits naturally produce heat in their operation. High temperatures can cause irreversible damage to electrical circuits and even fire or explosion.