Is your CPU running unusually hot? If you notice your computer shutting down unexpectedly, freezing, or slowing down during heavy tasks, overheating might be the culprit—especially during those sweltering summer months. Keeping an eye on your CPU’s temperature is vital, particularly if you’re pushing your processor to the limit with overclocking. After all, you don’t want to risk damaging your high-performance Ryzen 7 7800X3D by overdoing it!
Surprisingly, Windows doesn’t provide a built-in method to check your CPU temperature. While you could explore the BIOS to get this information, that can be quite a cumbersome process just for a temperature reading. Thankfully, there are numerous free software options available that simplify monitoring your CPU’s temperature. Armed with this data, you can determine if your system requires better cooling solutions. Below, we’ll share some software suggestions and guide you on what to do with the information you gather.
Before diving into software solutions, it’s essential to ensure that your fans and vents are free of dust and debris, as these can severely hinder your system’s cooling capabilities. Every PC owner should keep some canned air handy for maintenance.
How to Check Your CPU Temperature
The easiest way to check your CPU temperature is by using Core Temp. Just be careful during installation! Like many free applications, it might attempt to include unnecessary software, so watch for those checkboxes during setup.
After installation, launch Core Temp to view a straightforward display of your CPU’s current status, including its average temperature at the bottom of the screen. For a more granular look, you can click the Show hidden icons button in the system tray on the right side of your Windows taskbar. This will show you the temperature readings for each individual CPU core.
CPU core temperature readings provided by Core Temp.
Within Core Temp’s settings, you can customize what what information appears in the system tray and how it’s displayed. The default settings make it simple to assess whether your CPU is running too hot or performing within normal limits.
How to Monitor CPU Temperature
Core Temp is not your only option. HWInfo is a comprehensive system monitoring tool that offers detailed information about every component of your PC. If you run it in sensors-only mode and navigate to the CPU section—be sure it’s the CPU section, not the motherboard temperature section—you can view real-time temperature readings along with additional details.
NZXT Cam monitoring software.
NZXT’s Cam software is another popular choice due to its user-friendly interface, which makes it easy to read at a glance. This tool provides a wealth of information about your CPU, graphics card, RAM, and storage. Cam also features an in-game FPS overlay and overclocking tools, and you can use its mobile apps to monitor your system while away from your desk.
Other well-known options like Open Hardware Monitor and SpeedFan can also help you track system metrics effectively. Ultimately, for simply checking CPU temperatures, Core Temp’s straightforward design is hard to beat.
Monitoring software like HWInfo displays two CPU temperatures for Ryzen processors; look for the “Tdie” reading.
If you’re using an AMD Ryzen processor, you might come across two different temperature readings. Look for the “Tdie” temperature as it reflects the actual heat on the chip. The alternative “Tctl” is a control temperature used for fan speed regulation and may have an offset to standardize performance across various Ryzen models. Any software displaying a single temperature already accounts for this offset.
How to Check CPU Temperature in Windows 10
Since Windows lacks built-in tools for checking temperatures, you’ll need to rely on third-party programs from our recommendations above to monitor CPU temperatures in Windows 10.
What’s an Ideal Temperature for Your CPU?
The maximum operating temperature differs across processors. Most of the free monitoring software mentioned displays this data as “Tj. Max.”, which stands for the temperature junction—the maximum safe temperature for your CPU. If you’re unable to find this information, you can search CPU World for your processor’s model to get the details. Each software tool mentioned will show your processor’s model number for easy lookup.
However, that figure is the maximum temperature, which is the point at which your processor will shut down to prevent damage. Regularly operating near that threshold is not advisable for your hardware’s longevity. Use the following guidelines for monitoring CPU temperatures under load:
- Under 60° C: Excellent performance!
- 60° C to 70° C: Still performing well, but temperatures are rising. Consider dusting your PC if the temperature trend continues upward.
- 70° C to 80° C: You might want to take action, especially if you’re not overclocking. Check if fans are functioning correctly and clear any dust accumulation affecting airflow.
- 80° C to 90° C: This temperature range is approaching risky territory. Investigate if fans are malfunctioning; if you’re overclocking, reconsider your settings, especially voltage adjustments. Certain high-performance laptop CPUs may reach the low 80s while gaming on wall power, which can lead to throttling, but temperatures above 85° C should be alarming.
- Over 90° C: Immediate action required—critical overheating!
How to Reduce Your CPU Temperatures
If you find that your CPU temperatures are consistently too high, several approaches can help mitigate the issue.
Time to clean out that dust!
Begin with a thorough cleaning of your PC. High temperatures often result from dust accumulation blocking fans and critical airflow. While local hardware stores may charge steep prices for canned air, you can acquire a can for around $13 on Amazon. For guidance on cleaning your PC effectively, check out PCWorld’s cleaning guide. During this process, ensure that all fans are operational, positioned correctly, and that no airflow vents are obstructed. Moreover, verify that your fans are configured for optimal cooling.
If cleaning does not solve the problem, you might need to consider more advanced measures. The thermal paste that transfers heat from your CPU to its cooler can dry out after several years, leading to increased temperatures.
By removing the old thermal paste with rubbing alcohol and applying a fresh layer, you can significantly enhance heat transfer. Affordable thermal paste from reputable brands like Arctic or Noctua can be found for under $10 on Amazon. I have relied on Arctic Silver 5 for years with great results.
Applying new thermal paste can effectively lower CPU temperatures.
If that still doesn’t yield results, your current cooling solution may simply be inadequate for the heat generated by your CPU—especially if you’re using a stock or entry-level cooler with high-performance processors and especially if you’re overclocking. It might be time to invest in a new CPU cooler.
The Cooler Master Hyper H412 ($23 on Amazon) is an excellent and budget-friendly air cooler that offers improved cooling over standard stock coolers. For a premium option, the Noctua NH-D15 ($110 on Amazon) is renowned as one of the most efficient air coolers available, though its size might restrict memory access or compatibility with compact case designs.
On the other hand, closed-loop liquid coolers (CLCs) typically provide superior cooling performance compared to air coolers. Smaller 120mm units are available; however, for those planning to overclock, a model with a larger 240mm or even a substantial 360mm radiator may be worth considering, especially for high-end Intel or AMD processors.
