How to check computer CPU temperature? 5 ways to fix CPU overheating error

CPU is considered as the heart of the computer, because of high productivity, the CPU temperature is often quite hot. But do you know how to check CPU temperature? You may have heard of computer temperature monitoring software to monitor the temperature of internal components. These softwares can read data from various hardware monitoring sensors (Digital Thermal Sensors) fitted inside the computer and tell you the CPU temperature in real time.

If you want to check the CPU temperature manually, you can open the computer’s CASE lid settings and use an electronic thermometer to measure, or view the internal temperature in the BIOS. But this varies between devices from different OEMs.

Today AnonyViet will introduce CPU temperature monitoring software for Windows 10. They can also work on older versions including Windows 7 and Windows 8.1.

How to check computer CPU temperature?

If you are using Windows, there are many software that can help you check CPU temperature. Most of these apps show you the temperatures for each CPU core and are available for free.

Core Temp

Core Temp is a well known hardware monitoring application that you can use to check CPU temperature. One useful thing is that the temperature levels are also displayed in the notification area on the Taskbar.

One of its appeal is that you can add a bunch of add-ons to improve its functionality. For example, you can download Core Temp Gadget, which is a widget that displays on your desktop. It shows all the important temperature details so you don’t have to open the Core Temp app every time.

Open Hardware Monitor

Another computer temperature monitoring app you can try on Windows 10 is Open Hardware Monitor. As the name says, this software is open source and can be downloaded for free.

The user interface is neat and clean, and in addition to the CPU temperature, you can also check the GPU temperature of the machine.

It also shows other details like your device’s RAM consumption, CPU operating speed and power stats.

HWMonitor

This CPU temperature test software is done by CPU-ID. It makes the popular software CPU-Z can also be used to check CPU temperature. Other way, HWMonitor provides more detailed information regarding your hardware.

Compared to Open Hardware Monitor, this popular CPU temperature monitoring software can also show you the integrated GPU’s temperature readings.

Speccy

Speccy is a system information software developed by the same people who created Piriform CCleaner. But it doubles as a reliable CPU temperature monitoring app for Windows 10. Not only CPU, the freeware can be used to know the temperature readings of many other hardware components.

One thing I like about this software is that it provides a lot of information, and all of them are neatly organized and easy to read. You can see the temperatures of the CPU, hard drive, and GPU, but here it doesn’t show the temperature for the internal GPU, which is a bit disappointing.

SpeedFan

Another CPU temperature monitoring software you can try on your Windows 10 (or earlier) machine is SpeedFan. The main purpose of SpeedFan is to allow you to manually control the speed of the cooling fan on your machine.

But it also shows other details, including your machine’s CPU temperature. Just like Core Temp, it also displays an icon in the notification area that you can hover to know the CPU temperature.

In addition, there are many other utilities that allow you to analyze the temperature of your PC without any problems. Some of them are platform-specific, such as Intel XTU.

Why should you check CPU temperature?

As AnonyViet just said, the heat of your device is very important. If your computer is emitting excruciating heat every day, it could be a sign of a problem with your computer.

When your PC experiences temperatures beyond what it can handle, it inevitably shortens its lifespan. Back in my college days, a friend of mine damaged his entire motherboard due to CPU overheating problem. So I have an idea of ​​how bad it could get.

At what temperature does the CPU fail?

Different machines are capable of handling different temperatures. For example, a liquid-cooled desktop can absorb more heat than a laptop that relies solely on cooling fans.

Heavy machines that require more processing power will reach higher temperatures. So in that case, what can cause heat to a PC on a daily basis is considered normal in the case of workstations or gaming PCs. You may experience computer overheating when playing a game or when processing a large file because it is using more computer resources.

What is the normal CPU temperature?

In everyday situations, the temperature of your PC should not exceed 60 degrees for a longer time. So the ideal working temperature when you are not doing any heavy duty is about 50 degrees.

During gaming, CPU temperature range for some PCs can be up to 80 degrees C. The upper limit depends on the type of hardware equipped in your machine. But if your camera rotates 100 degrees for no reason, it’s better to do something to minimize overheating problems.

How to fix CPU overheating?

You have now discovered that your computer’s components, including the CPU, are heating up more than usual. So, what are some ways that you can try to reduce overheating on your machine?

Clean the clogged heatsink and remove the dust inside

One thing that we always know, dust accumulation inside the machine can cause the machine to overheat and reduce performance. But recently, I have experienced this personally.

AnonyViet has been cleaning its laptop after a long time, and the difference it has made is significant. Boot time has been significantly reduced and the overall smoothness of the machine has been improved.

So you might consider cleaning the heatsink and other internals on a regular basis to remove deposits that can block internal airflow.

Maintain good airflow around the PC

This is also another essential method to keep your machine cool and prevent the CPU from overheating. Make sure the air flow around and inside the machine is not obstructed when you are using it. For example, don’t consider putting your device in bed too often; it obstructs the airflow in the bottom part.

Here, you need to check if the cooling fan inside your machine is working properly. If you have an older PC, then you might consider installing a cooling fan underneath it.

Choose the right CASE (computer case)

This is related to the point above and is an important step if you are using a desktop computer. The case you choose for your machine should have good aerodynamic airflow so that heat from the hardware components can be easily dissipated around.

Use low-power function

Switching to high performance mode can have its benefits. However, your PC doesn’t need too much power. It happens with AnonyViet sometimes and I forget to switch back to low power mode when completing a heavy task like rendering, image processing, movies…

So make sure you don’t make the same mistake and prevent unwanted temperature rise. It might not make much of a difference in some cases, but it’s still better than nothing.

Check for external culprits

Another reason why your PC might be overheating is due to some applications running on it. I’m not talking about resource-hungry software and games here.

If the temperature level on your machine is significantly higher when you are doing nothing, then the culprit could be an app that you intentionally installed. Some malware hidden inside your PC can force it to use up system resources. You can find these apps in Task Manager and on the Apps page in the Settings app.

So, these are the ways in which you can monitor the CPU and GPU temperatures on your computer and troubleshoot your computer’s overheating to prolong its life. If you have something to add, leave your thoughts in the comments section.