How to cool down an overheating CPU

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8 Ways to Cool Down an Overheating CPU

One of the most annoying issues affecting any PC is an overheating CPU. An excessively hot processor can cause system instability, crashes, reduced performance and lifespan, and even permanent damage in severe cases.gpu temperature

Luckily there are several things you can do to help cool down an overheating CPU and get your system back up to optimal temperatures. Here are 8 of the most effective methods:

1. Clean the Dust 

The build-up of dust in your PC's heatsink fins and fan blades is one of the most common reasons for CPU overheating. Dust acts as an insulator, hindering your cooler's ability to disperse heat efficiently.

Give your PC a thorough vacuuming to remove accumulated dust from case fans, coolers and vents. This is especially important if you haven't cleaned your PC in over a year. Consider investing in a can of compressed air for more thorough dust removal.

Cleaning dust from your PC can immediately drop CPU temperatures by 5-10 degrees Celsius in some cases. Make this your first step any time your processor starts to run hot.

2. Replace or Add Case Fans

Old, worn case fans with degraded bearings can spin more slowly, circulating less air in your PC and reducing cooling performance. 

If any of your case fans have seen several years of use, consider replacing them. Even adding an extra fan if you have an open slot can help significantly with CPU temperatures. 

Aim for 2 intake fans and 1-2 exhaust fans for optimal airflow in your case. Higher-quality PWM fans with variable speed can dynamically adjust to keep your PC running cool.

3. Reapply Thermal Paste

The thermal paste between your CPU and cooler will slowly dry out over time, degrading its heat-conducting properties. This can raise CPU temperatures noticeably after a few years.como apagar la computadora con el teclado

Replacing your CPU cooler's thermal paste is a very simple process that only requires removing your heatsink, removing old paste, applying new paste and remounting your cooler securely. 

Quality thermal paste like Arctic MX-4 or Cooler Master MasterGel Maker can lower temperatures by up to 10 degrees Celsius compared to dried-out paste. So replacing your paste regularly every 1-2 years is recommended.

4. Tweak Fan Curves

If you have PWM case fans or a CPU cooler capable of variable speeds, you can adjust your fan curves for better cooling performance.que es vsync

In your BIOS or through software like SpeedFan or FanControl, set your fans to ramp up faster as CPU temperature increases. Having your fans spin at higher RPMs when your CPU gets hotter can help bring temperatures back down quickly.

Just make sure not to set your fans too aggressively, as excess noise can become annoying. Find a balance that maintains reasonable temperatures while keeping noise at an acceptable level.

5. Undervolt Your CPU

Undervolting your CPU involves lowering its core voltage at a given clock speed, resulting in lower temperatures and sometimes even higher performance and stability. However, it requires testing for stability.

In your BIOS, adjust the core voltage to a slightly lower value - around 0.05-0.10 volts lower initially - while maintaining your current clock speed. Then stress test for stability. 

If stable, continue lowering the voltage in small increments and testing until you encounter instability. Any achieved undervolt can significantly reduce your CPU temperatures.

6. Downclock Your CPU

As a last resort, downclocking your CPU to run at a lower clock speed can also lower temps, efficiency and heat output. 

Head to your BIOS and decrease your CPU's core ratio by 1 or 2 multipliers at a time. Then stress test and repeat, reducing temperatures bit by bit until you find an acceptable cooling point.

This does come at the cost of some performance, so treat downclocking as a final option when other techniques have failed to adequately reduce temperatures.

7. Adjust Power Settings

In Windows power options, you can set your CPU's minimum and maximum processor states lower to limit the speed it can run at. This can similarly have an impact on temperatures.

Setting a lower maximum processor state of say 90% instead of 100% will cap your CPU speed, resulting in lower power consumption, heat output and temperatures. You just have to test performance impact.

Additionally, setting the minimum processor state option lower from 5% to 0-1% can keep your CPU from needlessly ramping up speed when idle, minimally impacting tasks while improving energy efficiency.

8. Consider a CPU Cooler Upgrade

If none of the above methods adequately solve your overheating issue, investing in a stronger CPU cooler may be required. Bigger, higher-end coolers with larger heatsinks and more heatpipes can dissipate significantly more heat.

Some options to consider include the be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4, Noctua NH-D15, or a 240mm+ liquid CPU cooler like the NZXT Kraken X63. These will offer better cooling headroom and more fan speed controls to tame an overly-hot processor.

Hopefully these ideas help you identify a solution for any CPU overheating issues, whether through simple cleaning and fan optimizations or more thorough solutions like a cooler upgrade. Start with the easier methods first and work your way up based on the severity of your CPU temps.