Overheating of computer components leads to its unstable work And unexpected failures. In case of problems, it is necessary to find out the temperature of the components, or better yet, constantly monitor it to prevent a critical condition.
The examples given in this article apply to to various manufacturers processors (Intel, AMD), video cards (NVIDIA, AMD, Intel), disk media. Also, the manual applies to desktop computers, laptops and all-in-one PCs. Windows control, and in some cases, Linux. Most of the programs in question have Russian translation or an intuitive interface.
Universal programs
The easiest way to determine temperature readings is to use a program that can show the temperature sensors of all devices. Below are examples of such programs.
1.Speccy
This is a free small program. You can download it from the official website.
After installation and launch, in the first window we will see all the information we need:
* 1) processor temperature. 2) motherboard(north bridge). 3) video cards. 4) disk media.
2.SpeedFan
The program is designed to control the speed of coolers, however, displaying temperatures is an integral part of it. You can also configure the program to autostart and constantly see temperature indicators in the tray.
We launch the program - in the first window we will see indicators from the sensors:
3. AIDA64 (everest)
This good program, but some functions are only available in paid version. Therefore, it is not advisable to use it only to determine temperature. However, if AIDA is already installed in the system, it is worth using it.
We launch the program - open the item Computer- click on Sensors. On the right we find Temperatures:
If we minimize the program, we will see all temperature indicators in the tray.
4.HWMonitor
IN different versions microprogram we will see different options for presenting information:
4. Various gadgets
You can also find various gadgets on the Internet for constantly displaying information about the temperature at work. Windows desktop, for example, IntelCoreSerie.
5. CPU-Z
It would seem that, CPU-Z program should show all the information about the processor. However, the developers have released a separate utility, HWMonitor (described above), which allows you to view the temperature of PC components.
Video card temperature
Without special programs, it is not possible to find out the temperature of the video card. Let's look at several utilities that will allow you to do this.
1. GPU-Z
A simple utility for displaying information about the video card, in particular, temperature. Good way, if you don’t want to install anything, you can run the program without installing it. You can download it from the official website.
After launch, go to the Sensors tab and in the GPU Temperature section we will see information about the current temperature:
By clicking on a section, you can select a display mode, for example, average temperature readings for the entire period:
2. GPU Temp
We go to the program website, download it and start the installation process. Then we launch and see the necessary indicators:
3. Gadgets
Like the processor, you can also find gadgets for the video card. For example, NVIDIA GPU Temp displays the temperature of a video card from the same manufacturer.
HDD or SSD temperature
Well, let’s look at programs that will allow you to find out the temperature hard drive.
1.CrystalDiskInfo
The program is useful, first of all, for displaying disk health. But it also displays its temperature:
2.HD Tune
This utility allows you to diagnose the disk, view its indicators, including temperature:
3.HDD Temperature
This is a paid utility, so it is not interesting in the context of viewing the temperature. However, if such a program is already in the system, you can use it:
4. HDD Life
The option is working, but also not the best the best choice to check the temperature - firstly, it is paid, and secondly, it does not support all equipment.
Normal temperature of components
Within what limits should the temperature be kept for various components?
CPU
- Up to 42 o C. Processor in idle mode.
- Up to 65 - 70 o C (depending on the model). Under load.
- Up to 61 - 72 o C (depending on model). Highly recommended.
- 94 - 105 o C. Enabling throttling - reducing performance.
- More than 105 o C. Turning off the computer to prevent combustion.
Please note that these figures are subject to constant change as technology changes. If you need to find out accurate information on a specific processor, you can use the tips in various programs, for example, in the above Core Temp:
Thus, these figures are arbitrary - the norm depends on the manufacturer (Intel, AMD...) and specific model. Also, the norm for most laptop processors is lower. The best thing to do is go to the page of a specific processor and look at its temperature rating.
Video cards
To a greater extent, the operating temperature of a video card depends on its class - for an accurate determination it is worth studying the documentation. The averages are approximately as follows:
- Up to 45 o C. In idle mode.
- Up to 85 o C. Under load.
- Up to 100 o C. Maximum recommended.
Above 100 o C, the video card starts the throttling process and, if it does not help, turns off the computer.
Disk
- Up to 45 o C. In idle mode.
- Up to 53 o C. Maximum recommended.
At temperatures above 53 degrees, the depreciation of the disk increases significantly, which leads to an acceleration of its failure. Maximum allowed threshold SSD drives slightly higher and can reach 70 degrees.
The minimum operating temperature of the disk should be between 24-26 degrees. Lower readings may cause damage. Therefore, if we brought cold media from the street, we should not immediately use it for work. Thus, a comfortable temperature for the disk is from 25 to 45 degrees Celsius.
These figures are valid for both internal and external drives, since, in fact, the latter are the same drives placed in separate boxes.
Consequences of overheating
As mentioned above, overheating of components can cause various types of problems. You can judge possible overheating by the following symptoms:
- Slowdown of the computer. To prevent burnout and shutdown, the processor and video card start a throttling process. In fact, they begin to work with reduced performance, which leads, on the one hand, to a decrease in heat generation, and on the other, to a decrease in productivity.
- Excessive noise. Most often, controlled fans are installed in the computer, which begin to rotate faster when the temperature rises. Of course, this leads to increased noise levels.
- Spontaneous shutdown of the computer. To prevent final combustion, the device sends a signal to stop the power supply, which leads to an abrupt shutdown of the PC. This is a last resort.
- The appearance of colored figures (artifacts) on the screen. A typical symptom of an overheated video card.
- FPS drop in games. Special case PC slowdown.
- Hot body. As a rule, this can only be noticed for all-in-one PCs and laptops.
- Blue Screen of Death (BSOD). In rare cases, the system issues a stop error.
Causes of overheating and how to reduce the temperature
Let's look at the reasons when the temperature of components begins to go beyond the permissible limits.
- Dust. Most often, dirt is inside system unit or laptop causes poor thermal conductivity and increased temperature. To solve the problem, we disassemble the computer and blow out the dust using a can of compressed air.
- Accumulation of hot air inside the case. First, you can try opening the side cover of the computer, if it helps, install an additional fan on the side wall. You can buy a cooling pad for your laptop.
- Thermal paste drying. We remove the processor cooler, wipe off the remaining thermal paste and apply a new layer.
- Poor fan operation. If they rotate weakly, the cooling efficiency will be lower than expected. You can measure the fan rotation speed using the above-mentioned programs, for example, SpeedFan. You can try cleaning the fans from dust, lubricating them, or replacing them.
- Close arrangement of components to each other. Iron can heat each other. If there is space, it is worth placing the disks on long distance from each other, the same applies to video cards. Inside the case, all wires should be carefully bent around the edges, leaving plenty of space in the center for effective air circulation.
- High ambient temperature. In summer, you need to cool your computer more. It is also worth making sure that the computer is kept away from batteries or other heat sources.
- Power supply problem. If the power supply is too high, overheating will occur. You can measure the voltage using the utilities described above, for example, AIDA64 or HWMonitor. If the voltage indicators are exceeded, we will try to connect the computer to another source of electricity or replace the power supply.
- Windows power mode is inefficient. If the power supply mode is set to maximum performance, it’s worth trying to set it to balanced.
- Power supply overheating. Some power supply models have an exhaust fan towards the processor, which worsens the effect of the latter's cooling system.
There are a lot of convenient and not so convenient programs for determining the temperature of a video card. There are full-fledged test applications that have great functionality and are designed to completely “examine” your computer. There are simpler ones, the main function of which is to monitor the temperature of the video card. We will look at just two of these - lightweight, comfortable and popular. They work without any problems on Windows 7, 8, 10 operating systems and are suitable for almost everyone NVIDIA video cards and AMD. Plus, both of these programs are completely free.
GPU Temp is perhaps the simplest application that does not have much functionality, but does an excellent job of its main task. It is used like any other program - downloaded, installed, launched.
After launching (preferably as an administrator), in the top GPU Temp window we will see the current data of our video card. At the bottom is a graph of temperature changes over time since the start of the program. For example, after finishing a game, you can track how hot the video card was.
If you open the Options tab in the top line and check the Start Minimized value, then when you start the program will open only in the notification area, showing only the current temperature numbers.
You can download the GPU Temp program from our website:
Please note that GPU Temp may not "see" discrete video card, if it is not involved in this moment(relevant for laptops). For example, NVIDIA video cards have one that, to save computer resources, automatically switches to the built-in graphics adapter, if high performance is not required. Therefore, if you don’t see a discrete video card when you launch GPU Temp, you just need to launch some game or other graphics-intensive application.
Piriform Speccy program
For those who want to get to know their computer in more detail and learn about its condition, we offer a more functional program from the famous developer Piriform Ltd called Speccy. She will talk not only about graphics system, but also about other components of a computer or laptop. In particular, you can find out the temperature of the video card, processor and hard drive.
By default, the program can start on English language. To select Russian interface language (or any other), go to the View - Options - Language tabs.
You can download the Speccy Portable program from our website:
The Portable version is convenient because it runs autonomously, that is, it does not require installation on a computer. Just unzip the archive and run the Speccy.exe file (or Speccy64.exe if you have a 64-bit operating system).
That's probably all about determining the temperature of a video card. If you are using an NVIDIA GeForce graphics adapter, you may be interested in your video card.
Even the most modern motherboards have imperfect heat dissipation systems. It depends too much on the serviceability of the mechanics (fans), the quality of the thermal paste, and the timeliness of cleaning the PC from dust. To ensure the correct functioning of the system, you have to periodically monitor changes in the temperature of the processor, video, RAM, and hard drive.
In our opinion, utilities are best suited for this Core Temp And Open Hardware Monitor in combination. The first will protect the CPU from overheating and notify about problems, the second will provide comprehensive information from other sensors. If you want to try to reduce noise or optimize cooling, try SpeedFan.
Multifunctional utility HWmonitor Pro, monitors the PC temperature using firmware built into the hardware. Roughly speaking, it takes information from Bios, S.M.A.R.T disk, etc. That is why her data is always accurate and reliable.
AIDA And CPU-Z recommended for testing iron. Their tests are recognized as the best among analogues and provide truly truthful information about the condition. For overlockers, we can recommend MSI AfterBurner. This video card checker provides comprehensive information. If you are confident in your abilities and are not afraid of premature “death” of the component, install and try to overclock!
For those who do not like complex fancy programs, we also have options. For example, minimalist Real Temp And CPU Thermometer. They contain only one function and do an excellent job of it - they measure the temperature of the computer in real time.
And if you need to monitor hdd or ssd temperature readings, use a special meter - CrystalDiskInfo, HD Tune, HDDlife. In this article, we did not consider the above tools in detail, since they are the least convenient and informative among their popular analogues.
You can also view the processor temperature using the console built into the OS. Powershell programs or track it through Temp Taskbar, CCleaner and other universal software, just look at the data in the BIOS / UEFI menu while starting the PC. To do this, hold DEL or F2 after sound signal and the appearance of the motherboard manufacturer's logo. The main screen called PC Health Status displays the current and permissible temperature- it is updated in real time. Often here you can configure the critical parameters at which the machine turns off. Sometimes you need to go to a special tab to do this. To save changes, press F10 and then Enter. Next, the computer reboots with the new settings.
Don't forget that controlling processor temperature is a critical issue, not only for those who increase the CPU clock speed to the point of putting it into throttling mode. Under the same summer heat conditions, a significant increase in heat generation can be observed + the t value depends on the load on the machine. If you do not clean the radiator in a timely manner, or forget to replace the thermal paste at least once every couple of years, the computer will begin to heat up excessively and overheat, which promises failure of components and loss of functionality of the entire system. When standard methods maintenance does not help, on stationary devices they simply remove the side cover; on netbooks and laptops, you can achieve a decrease in performance when performing resource-intensive tasks using a special cooling pad with fans or its budget version - four boxes of matches. Simply place them under the feet on the bottom of the laptop to increase the distance to the desk and provide better air circulation.
The processor consists of billions of transistors. Each requires a little electricity to operate, but in total their energy consumption is not that small. As a result, it turns out that when the processor and video card are running, heat is always generated.
An increase in temperature does not entail anything good. This is not an engine in a car; overheating a PC is nonsense; almost all components in it “love” the cold. Heat accelerates component wear and reduces computing performance. Ideally, the cooler the processor, the better. If you cool it with liquid nitrogen to -150°C, it will work faster.
There is no “normal” temperature. It is important not to exceed the critical level, which is conventionally set at 85°C. Most often, heating above this mark triggers throttling - the automation will reduce the load on the processor so that it cools down. For the user, this will result in the computer freezing. A common example is that after 20-30 minutes of playing, the picture begins to twitch and the FPS “sags.”
What affects processor temperature?
Main factors:
- Features of the kernel architecture. The processor in a smartphone and a computer differ in architecture. In the first case (ARM) it is simpler and causes less heating, but for the second option (x86) the opposite situation applies. Different generations of PC processors almost always differ not only in the number of transistors (the more there are, the stronger the heating), but also in the standards of the technical process (the lower it is, the lower the temperature). The development of computing equipment both promotes (the scale of the system increases) and hinders (the basic link of the system decreases in size) temperature growth.
- Computational load level. The more operations the processor performs, the more electricity it consumes and, accordingly, it heats up. By running a ten-year-old toy on your computer, you will slightly load the system. The new game will be much more resource intensive. It will cause intense heating of both the central processor and video card.
- Cooling system performance. Cheap laptops use low-power processors that don’t get particularly hot. There's enough there passive cooling— heat dissipates on its own; the manufacturer only provides sufficient radiator area. High-performance processors require forced cooling. Usually this is a combination of radiator + fan - cooler. More can also be used efficient systems liquid cooling. There are also efficient and silent passive cooling systems - they remove heat well due to the large mass of the radiator, the weight of which can exceed 1 kg. Important nuance— after the temperature in the room increases by 1°C, the processor usually heats up 1.5°C more than the previous level.
How to find out the processor temperature?
The operating temperature of the processor is easily determined by the sensor it is equipped with at the factory. This is a required component for the following reasons:
- Thermal sensor - “foolproof”. At the beginning of the 21st century, the situation with processors produced by AMD became textbook - they were not equipped with thermal sensors. As a result, many enthusiasts overclocked the core, it overheated and completely failed. Today this is almost impossible - if the critical temperature is exceeded, the chip will be forced to shut down to avoid destruction.
- The thermal sensor sets the optimal processor load level. In 1999, a typical new processor had 5-20 million transistors, and in 2019 there are 3-5 billion. Even taking into account the reduction in the technical process (transistors have become smaller), this requires a constant temperature regime in the correct range. Modern processors would not perform so many operations per second if reliable temperature data were available.
Thermal sensor information is read special utilities. At the same time, you can find out the temperature without programs:
- Via BIOS (UEFI). This add-on runs before Windows boot. In new computers, a more functional modification is commonly used - UEFI, while in older computers BIOS is more common. In any case, you need to log in there before starting the OS. This is done by pressing a certain key or combination (Del, F12, F2, Ctrl+Alt+Esc) - an indication of the correct option will definitely be displayed on the screen. After entering the BIOS (UEFI), look for the following menus or lines: CPU Temperature, PC Health Status, Status, Hardware Monitor, H/W Monitor, Monitor. Sometimes the temperature is immediately displayed in the UEFI start window. This method is reliable, but the data will be received at a time when the computer is almost idle. Therefore, in most cases, such information has zero usefulness - usually the detected temperature is within the normal range. However, if the heating is significant (over 70°C), this indicates the ineffectiveness of the cooling system.
- Using a pyrometer. This is a non-contact infrared thermometer that measures temperature with a special beam. The device needs direct contact with the surface, the heating of which is detected. The pyrometer does not use the processor sensor - it uses its own. This serves as a good check of the health of the temperature sensor in the PC, because its data is not always correct - it can fail. To measure the temperature with a pyrometer, you need to remove the cooler, which in itself will cause the processor to overheat. Therefore, a pyrometer is usually used by specialists to check the correctness of the temperature sensor readings.
Programs for monitoring the temperature of the processor and video card
Let's look at the features of popular utilities.
A paid program that provides all available information about the computer, including the temperature conditions of the processor and video card. If it is assumed that slow operation and unexpected reboots are caused by overheating, then you need to download and install trial version AIDA64. It works for 30 days, after which you will have to buy it. After a month of observation, you can determine whether the computer is overheating or not.
After launching the application, you need to go to the “Computer” menu in the left panel, and then to the “Sensors” line. Find the “Temperature” block in the right half of the window. There the current temperature regime of each processor core (CPU 1 Core 1, CPU 1 Core 2) and video card (GPU diode) will be indicated. May also display hard temperature disk and motherboard, but these components overheat relatively rarely. They are always cooler than the processor and video card.
Program for computer enthusiasts. With its help, you can fine-tune the voltage supplied to components, the speed of cooling fans, and other PC parameters. It is also perfect for temperature monitoring. To do this, you need to download and install it, and after launching, perform the following steps:
- After 10-15 seconds, the utility analyzes the equipment whose characteristics will be read.
- You need to click on the “Configure” button - a window will open, the first tab of which will be called “Temperatures”.
- Find the required temperature in the “Sample” column. Each processor core has its own sensor, and corresponding values will be displayed in the lines “Core 0”, “Core 1” and so on. If you are interested in heating the video card, you need to pay attention to the “GPU” line.
A simple utility that is convenient for testing your computer regarding overheating under load. After downloading and installation, it is best to proceed in the following sequence:
- Run the program. It is advisable that the PC is not turned on for a long time before this - this will improve the reliability of the observation.
- Enable something resource-intensive. This could be a game that occasionally drops frames, or playing a large 4K video file. Let the computer run in this mode for at least 20 minutes.
- Turn off the “heavy” application.
- Expand the HWMonitor window. In it, click on the line with the processor designation - it will start with “AMD” or “Intel”.
- Analyze changes. They are displayed for each core (lines Core #0, Core #1) according to three criteria. The “Value” column will indicate the current temperature, the “Min” column will indicate the lowest temperature, and the “Max” column will indicate the highest temperature since HWMonitor was launched. If “Min” is at least 70°C, and “Max” is at least 80°C, then this directly indicates poor cooling of the computer.
A free application that is available for download at this link. The interface and rules of use are the same as in the previous program - HWMonitor.
The utilities include paid and free version— to determine the temperature, the capabilities of the basic modification are sufficient. After downloading, installing and launching the application, you need to select “Central Processing Unit” in the left panel, and then find data on the heating level on the right. If you leave the program running for a while, and then open it again and click on the green square next to the temperature value, a graph will be displayed on which it will immediately become clear how the temperature regime has changed. Such data is useful to use after turning on a resource-intensive application. As a result, the stress test will perfectly demonstrate all the capabilities of the cooling system.
How to reduce CPU temperature?
In practice, 2 approaches are used:
- Reduce processor performance. The easiest way to do this is by slightly reducing the voltage supplied to the chip. As a result, it will become a little slower, but it will also heat up less. If the PC usage scenario includes only browsing the Internet and watching videos, then with high probability a decrease in system performance of 10-15% will generally be unnoticeable.
- Improve cooling (heat dissipation). We can look at this as an example: in a 2-3 year old computer, you can reduce the processor temperature by a couple of degrees through a simple operation - replacing thermal paste. This is a substance that is placed in a thin layer between the processor cover and the surface of the radiator. Thanks to thermal paste, heat is dissipated faster. Over the years, its thermal conductivity inevitably deteriorates, causing the processor to heat up a little more than usual. Using new thermal paste with higher thermal conductivity, you can definitely reduce the temperature. Other ways to improve cooling: cleaning the interior of the PC from dust, installing additional fans in the case, increasing fan speed. It all comes down to money - there are a lot of options on the market to suit any budget.
If you have Personal Computer or a laptop, then every day you have to deal with a wide variety of programs: browsers, Word, programs for viewing images and videos. But there are programs that you might not have come across - programs that show the temperatures of the processor and video card.
So why do you need a program that shows the temperature of the GPU and CPU?
The first and probably the most basic reason why you intend to monitor the temperature of your PC is the suspicion that your hardware is overheating. After all, the most harmless outcome from a break is a slowdown in your system. Well, the most serious outcome from overheating is the failure of your processor, video card, north bridge, hard drive or motherboard. This is why it is so important to know and monitor your system temperature.
Top programs that allow you to monitor the temperature of your PC components
It’s worth discussing right away what temperature is normal? In case of computer downtime, work on the Internet, text editors or when watching movies, the nominal temperature is considered to be between 40-60 degrees. If your PC or laptop is subject to heavy loads: gaming or video editing, then the temperature of the GPU and CPU should not exceed 70-80 degrees. If your performance is outside these limits, you may need to clean the cooling cooler from dust and replace the thermal paste on the processor and video card.
IN this list I posted the programs based on my quite reasonable, albeit subjective opinion:
AIDA64 Extreme Edition
This program shows the temperature of the processor and video card, as well as all necessary information about hardware and software your his desktop computer or laptop that work on all versions operating system Windows. Aida 64 is loved by many users for its simplicity in settings, as well as versatility.
In order to find out the temperature of your PC, you will need to run this program, then on the main page select the “Computer” icon, and then “Sensors”.
That's all, so in just three simple clicks you can find out if your PC is overheating.
Well, in order to find out detailed information about each component of your PC, return to the main tab of the utility, then click on “Computer”, and then on “Summary Information”.
Done, now you can examine the parameters of your computer in detail.
Another plus is that you can display information about the temperature of your PC on your computer desktop. To do this, go to the program settings, then open the “OSD” tab, and then “On-Screen Menu Elements”.
After this, your PC will be scanned and in the list that appears, you can mark absolutely any parameter that you want to be displayed on your desktop. Now go back and check the box next to “Show OSD panel”.
In addition to all this, Aida 64 can control the rotation speed of the cooling cooler, as well as conduct all kinds of component performance tests, scan the system for faults or compatibility, and much more.
Important: carry out load tests and independently control the rotation of the cooler without studying additional information not advisable.
Advanced SystemCare Ultimate (with Antivirus)
This utility is not entirely intended for temperature monitoring, or rather, this is not its main task.
But I chose it for a reason and now you will understand why.
First things first Advanced System Care Ultimate is designed to monitor and troubleshoot your system: boot optimization, registry cleaner, junk removal, disk and system optimization, spyware removal and much more. In addition, Advanced SystemCare Ultimate has implemented powerful antivirus BitDefender.
One way or another, all these parameters affect the temperature of your PC. After all, if these parameters do not work correctly and load accordingly CPU, borrow precious RAM, then it is likely to overheat soon. Well, as for the antivirus, it will protect your system from the penetration of malware, which can “eat up” the CPU frequency, as well as RAM.
A worthy advantage is that this program can independently monitor the condition of your laptop, identify its malfunctions or vulnerabilities, and then fix it.
To find out the temperature of the CPU, GPU, motherboard, as well as fan speed, you don’t even have to do anything literally additional actions– the program has already brought their indicators to the desktop. Find the program widget in the upper left corner of your screen.
Done, now you see not only the desired temperature, but also their workload.
If after this you do not minimize the “Window” of the program, then the next time Windows startup and further loading it completely, this monitoring “Window” will break off automatically.
A lightweight and easy-to-use utility that will run even on “Calculators”. First of all, the program is designed to take temperature readings from sensors, as well as to regulate fan speed when the load on the processor or video card increases.
To view all the indicators that you need, you just need to launch the program, that’s all - all the information is on the main Speedfan tab.
A big advantage over other utilities is its ability to regulate the cooler speed of absolutely any component in your PC, be it a cooler on a video card, processor, or even a hard drive.
Programs worth mentioning
The following programs are either analogues or, to one degree or another, substitutes for those listed above.
Speccy and Everest Ultimate Edition
We can say that these two programs are analogues of Aida 64, lighter and slightly stripped-down analogues. However, with their help you can also monitor the temperature of absolutely all components of your PC, as well as carry out the necessary stress tests of your hardware.
HDD Temperature
Quite useful utility, which monitors the temperature of your hard drive and notifies you if a high temperature that is dangerous for the hard drive is detected. Best Feature of this utility (as for me), this automatic shutdown PC at the highest possible temperature.
Core Temp and Real Temp
Two lightweight utilities designed to determine the temperature of Intel processors only.
Conclusion
Every user who values his equipment should have at least one utility installed that allows him to quickly and accurately determine the temperature of the video card and processor. After all, it’s better to be on the safe side than to pay a hefty sum for repairing your hardware.
Important: unfortunately, it is not possible to measure your temperature online.
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