Gamer Nexus Hardware Temperature Monitor Software

Is your reckoner's CPU likewise hot? If your PC starts spontaneously shutting down, locking upwardly, or acting sluggish during intense tasks, overheating could be the upshot. Keeping tabs on your CPU temperatures is crucial when y'all're overclocking your PC'south processor, too—y'all don't want to accidentally push the performance pedal likewise far to the metallic when you lot're supercharging your pricey Cadre i9-12900K or AMD Ryzen 5900X, especially given how hard information technology is to larn processors these days. Melting ane of the all-time CPUs around is e'er a bummer.

Bizarrely, Windows doesn't offer any manner to bank check your reckoner'southward CPU temperature. You could dive into your organisation'due south BIOS to notice the information, but that's a lot of hassle to find a simple sensor reading. Fortunately, several free programs exist that make it like shooting fish in a barrel to see your processor's temperature.

How to bank check your CPU temperature

The fastest, easiest way to check your CPU temp is using the aptly named Core Temp. Be mindful during installation though! Like many complimentary programs, information technology tries to install bloatware unless you uncheck some boxes during setup.

Once installed, open Core Temp to see a no-frills look at the electric current state of your CPU, including an boilerplate temperature reading at the bottom of the window. If you lot want even more detail, click the Show hidden icons button in the organisation tray located at the right border of your Windows taskbar. You'll run across a temperature listing for every individual CPU core in your computer.

Per-core CPU temperature readings provided by the Core Temp app.

Cadre Temp'south Settings bill of fare allows you to tweak exactly what you'll come across in the system tray, and how you'll run into it, only the default configuration makes information technology dead-simple to run across if your CPU is overheating or performing every bit expected.

Core Temp isn't the just choice though. HWInfo is an in-depth organization monitoring tool that provides deep details nearly every piece of your PC's hardware. If you choose to run it in sensors-just mode, scrolling down to the CPU section—the dedicated section, non the CPU temperature portion of the motherboard listing—reveals current temps and other nitty-gritty details.

NZXT'south Cam monitoring software.

NZXT'due south Cam software is another popular option with a diverse skillset. Its slick interface is easier to read at a glance than those on most other monitoring tools, and the programme shows all sorts of useful info about your CPU, graphics card, retention, and storage. Cam also includes an in-game FPS overlay and overclocking tools, among other features. Y'all can apply NZXT's Cam mobile apps to go along tabs on your software when you're abroad from your PC, as well.

Open Hardware Monitor and SpeedFan are other well-regarded monitoring tools that can runway system data. You've got options! But for simply checking your computer's CPU temperatures, Core Temp's straightforward focus can't be beat.

If monitoring software (like HWInfo here) displays 2 CPU temperatures for Ryzen processors, look for the "Tdie" reading.

Finally, annotation that if yous're running an AMD Ryzen system, including tertiary-gen models like the ferocious Ryzen 9 5900X or the more than modest Ryzen five 5600X that's the all-time gaming processor for nearly people, you may see two different CPU temperature readings. You want the "Tdie" reading, depending on how the program you're using displays the info. Information technology's a measurement of the actual rut on the dice.

The alternative "Tctl" reading is the control temperature reported to your cooling organization and sometimes includes a temperature starting time to ensure universal fan speed behavior betwixt the various Ryzen chips. Any of the programs above that list a unmarried temperature account for the offset already.

What'south the all-time temp for your CPU?

The maximum supported temperature varies from processor to processor. Most of the complimentary monitoring software mentioned above lists the information equally "Tj. Max." That stands for the temperature junction, or the highest operating temperature of the hardware. If you lot don't see the information for some reason, search the CPU World website for your CPU's model number to find the data. Every plan listed to a higher place displays your processor'due south model number, so it's easy to find.

But that's the maximum temperature—the point at which your processor freaks out and shuts down to avert harm. Running anywhere virtually that hot regularly is bad for the long-term life of your hardware. Instead, follow this general rule of thumb regarding CPU temperatures nether load.

• Under threescore° C: You're running great!
• 60° C to lxx° C: Still running fine, but getting a flake warmer. Consider cleaning the dust out of your PC if CPU temperatures go on to creep up over fourth dimension.
• 70° C to 80° C: This is hotter than y'all want to run unless you're pushing an overclock. If you're non, definitely check to brand sure your fans are working and there aren't grit bunnies clogging up your system's airflow.
• 80° C to xc° C: Now we're getting too hot for long-term condolement. Check your hardware for broken fans or grit build-upwardly, and if you're overclocking, dial back your settings—especially the voltage if you've tweaked it. I notable exception: Nosotros sometimes encounter more than powerful laptop processors hit the low 80s during gaming sessions when plugged in, at which point they start throttling back operation. This is expected, but if temperatures cantankerous 85° C, be concerned.
• Over 90° C: Danger, Volition Robinson!

How to lower your CPU temperatures

If yous're regularly encountering high CPU temperatures, there are some steps yous can take to try and fix the event.

Coil up your sleeves.

Showtime, clean out your PC. High CPU temperatures are oftentimes caused by years of dust and grime built upward inside a PC, clogging fans and crucial air pathways. Local hardware stores unremarkably accuse outrageous prices for canned air, but y'all can pick upwards a bottle for nearly $8 on Amazon. PCWorld'south guide on how to clean your PC can walk you through the procedure. While y'all're at it, cheque to make sure that all your fans are working correctly, pointed the right way, and that none of the vents in your PC are blocked. (Also, make sure your PC's fans are set up for maximum cooling performance.)

Hopefully that fixes the issue. If not, more than intensive steps are in guild. The thermal paste that transfers oestrus from your CPU to its cooler might accept dried out if you lot've had your PC for a few years. That tin can crusade temperature spikes.

Removing the old thermal paste with rubbing alcohol and applying a fresh layer can potentially aid lower temperatures by a large corporeality. Yous can find small syringes of thermal paste by respected brands like Arctic and Noctua for under $10 on Amazon. (I've been a happy Arctic Silver 5 user for years now.)

If all that doesn't help, your cooling solution only might not be capable of keeping up with your CPU's heat output, particularly if y'all're pairing a stock libation or a modest third-party cooler with higher-terminate chips—and doubly so if yous're overclocking. Buying a new CPU cooler may exist in lodge.

The Cooler Chief Hyper 212 ($50 on Amazon) is a solid, affordable air cooler. With its larger heatsink and fan, it's a solid step upwards over stock AMD and Intel CPU coolers. Moving up in size and price, the Noctua NH-D15 ($100 on Amazon) is one of the most constructive air coolers e'er to hit the streets, but its large size might block retention access or not even fit in smaller cases.

Closed-loop liquid cooling solutions (CLCs) provide far cooler temperatures than air coolers with minimal hassle and easy installation. EVGA's 120mm unit ($60 on Amazon) is a great entry-level CLC, simply if you plan on overclocking, consider moving upwardly to a model with larger 240mm radiator, similar the straightforward-named EVGA CLC 280 ($xc on Amazon). Several brands are available, but we've been using EVGA's closed-loop coolers in PCWorld'south powerful, dedicated graphics card testing system to neat results.

We're too partial to the even larger 280mm NZXT Kraken X63 ($150 on Amazon). All that extra metallic and fans can adjust the fiercest overclocks.

Notation: When you purchase something later on clicking links in our articles, we may earn a small committee. Read our affiliate link policy for more details.