Controlling PC temperature is a mandatory task if you want to avoid problems and get the most out of your computers. A high ambient temperature with maximum values above 40 degrees these days in Spain does not help, so it is a good time to remember the most important points of action for this task should be part of routine maintenance.
The temperature rise of the PC during commissioning is an inevitable phenomenon because part of the energy of its electrical components is converted into heat. PCs are ready for it
It’s very hot, something our PCs don’t like, even if they’re prepared for it. However, the temperature rises Several malfunctions can occur beyond reasonable limits, Data loss, locks, restarts and unintentional shutdown.
Check the PC temperature
It is advisable to start the process by checking the actual temperature of the main components our equipment, the CPU, the GPU and the storage units as well as the entire case. There are many free tools that give us the information we need, such as Speccy, PC Wizard, or HWMonitor, to record the temperatures, voltages, or fan speeds that ultimately make up the set to consider.
Motherboard manufacturers also offer this type of information in their desktop tools and in an increasingly comprehensive UEFI BIOS.
Finally, mention additional accessories that can be connected to motherboards and cooling systems and placed as an LCD screen on our towers, where you can easily see live temperatures, temperatures, fan speeds, voltages and other data.
As reference data, the maximum operating temperature of a CPU should vary between 70 and 80 degrees, while a dedicated GPU should not exceed 80 degrees. We are talking about general product data that work at storage frequencies, without overclocking and without special cooling systems. For example, the NVIDIA RTX 2080 Ti Founders Edition and other graphics cards cut frequencies when they exceed 83 degrees, and the Radeon RX 5000 reaches 90 degrees when it works properly.
cleaning
Dust forms on every PC, no matter how modern, desktop or laptop. It clogs ventilation ducts, reduces the efficiency of the fans and even stops them. Regular cleaning can help maintain proper cooling air flow. The picture below is a time bomb and you’d be surprised to know the large number of teams in this state (and worse).
On a desktop PC Cleaning is very easy. Once the device is turned off, the power cord is unplugged, and the static electricity is discharged, we open the case and clean it. Vacuuming or blowing gives good results, although the ideal is to use a can of compressed air, isopropyl alcohol, and microfiber cloths for complete cleaning.
Personally, I disassemble every single component from time to time, clean and put them back together, paying particular attention to the CPU and GPU fans, the power supply and the case. One trick to keep in mind Hold the fan blades when we use compressed air. When they turn “crazy” they make you an annoying noise for life.
In a laptop, full disassembly is not available to all users, but at least we have to Remove the outer caps and apply the compressed air dust off all ventilation slots.
The main cause of a laptop’s automatic shutdown is overtemperature. There are cooling bases for laptops and they give good results, but it all starts with good cleaning. Use on flat surfaces lowers the temperature. If you’re using it on a desk, lifting it up to promote ventilation is a trick that continues to produce results.
CPU cooling – GPU
The microprocessor is at the heart of our equipment and a good cooling system (as clean as possible, of course) is essential to maintain a correct temperature. Fan, which must always be separated from the heat sink, since a lot of dust also accumulates there. The picture below is another extreme case, but there are many, many of them:
The fan model is also important. Intel and AMD offer fan heatsinks for retail sale of many (not all) of their CPU models. They are enough for easy use, but once you intend to overclock or are a slightly more demanding user, you’ll need to go through the box and buy a third-party model.
The Air cooling is the most common but liquid cooling They have spread in recent years as supply has increased and prices have adjusted. This is a great option as the noise level is usually not only low but also very low. Almost all systems are sold with all the necessary elements, including fans, coolers or liquids. There are real built-in miracles that cover the cooling of all components.
We don’t need that much in consumption. There is a good offer with not overly expensive prices for liquid CPU, GPU or chassis systems. Whether you rely on them or air fans, make sure you have enough space in your tower to mount it.
Special mention for the Change of thermal paste. It is a connection that facilitates heat transfer between the processor housing and the fan sink. A high quality thermal paste improves this transfer and helps to keep the temperatures low. It doesn’t have to be done as often as cleaning, but occasionally try to replace it.
The paste is ineffective when a small amount is applied and also when a lot is applied. Use the “peas” method. A drop in the middle of the cube is enough. The natural pressure of the heat sink distributes it evenly on the surface.
The dedicated graphics cards They are another point to take care of. They contain their own cooling loss system. You should remove it from the PCIe slot and thoroughly clean your fans. Large manufacturers offer applications for their control and configuration and can adapt their speed to the temperature reached. If you want to give it a good cane or assemble multigraphic systems, you can rate the purchase of external cooling systems for the GPU.
Fan – airflow – wiring
The effective surface (size in mm) and the speed are measures that define the efficiency of the fans for the chassis and should also be checked and cleaned. Find the balance between the noise emitted and the speed up Keep the case and components cool is the goal. With applications like SpeedFan you can change the fan speed, which we can also do in the applications of the plate manufacturers and in the UEFI.
It depends on the capabilities of your tower, but sometimes you have to strategically place one Quality fan and good size (120 mm) is sufficient to keep the case temperature at bay and at the same time to maintain the correct air flow.
We are talking about chassis and as always we recommend balancing the budget when creating a PC. There are users who spend a lot of money on simple graphics and don’t invest $ 60 in a good tower that will last for many years. There are repeated cases in support services where the questions “Don’t get me wrong” are abundant. To kill us. You know, a good tower allows you to install all of ours Solvent components are ready for future updates and ensure the correct airflow.
The same applies to a Power supply. Your fan not only has to be clean, but also the inside (if you disassemble it for the first time, you will be surprised at how much dust has accumulated), but it is also crucial with regard to temperature, since the power supply is in direct Is related.
Finally, mark the need for Route the wiring correctly, another source of overheating and dust collection. There are special cables and towers that make the job easier, but at least we have to use plastic clips to collect the cables and leave the maximum free space in the case to improve air circulation.
As we can see, keeping the PC temperature under control and preventing overheating is easy when we consider this a regular maintenance task. Advanced cooling components cost a lot of money, but spend part of our time cleaning only. it’s free and very beneficial to avoid problems and increase the life of the components.
Notebook PC temperature
Cleaning the laptop deserves a separate chapter and is another task of Maintenance must be carried out regularly. A task that, in addition to improving appearance (some notebooks are seen by the terrible worlds of God), is important for how it works.
First we disconnect the laptop from the power supply, remove the battery, if it can be removed, and remove all connected peripheral devices and cables as well as the optical data carriers or memory cards inserted by us. Once this is done, we would work on four easily accessible components and consider basic cleaning them that doesn’t mean disassembling any of them, although you can do it a lot better.
Chassis cleaning
It is an easy task to use special products or others that we all have on hand. Simply heat up slightly soapy water and a well-drained microfiber cloth that leaves no fluff. Take special care that no liquid gets through the ventilation slots. There are many kits for sale on the internet that are very cheap and also good for your screen and contain wipes and certain liquids. Remember without ammonia or alcohol.
Clean the keyboard
We would first remove dust and dirt (of all kinds) between the keys with a can of compressed air and / or a special mini vacuum cleaner for keyboards, for which a cleaning brush is normally provided Access to difficult areas. Then we would do the cleaning the same way as we did the chassis to prevent moisture from seeping under the keys and affecting the electronics.
Clean ventilation slots
An important section as the dirt or dust in these openings can affect the performance of the device and the fans must be connected permanently and evenly Turn off the computer when the temperature rises above the safety limit. Accumulated dirt is a major cause of temperature drops or closings on a laptop. And you don’t know what to find …
The mentioned mini vacuum cleaner and the compressed air can (taking care that the components are not damaged) are the material to be used. We remember the trick here: blocks the fans before applying compressed air. If they go crazy, they’ll make noise all your life.
Clean the screen
Cleaning the screen is the most sensitive since it is not designed for contact with moisture. As with the chassis, we can use special products, scratch-resistant cloths and liquids or foams without the addition of alcohol.
We can also make homemade solutions by making a liquid that mixes 50% distilled water and white vinegar. From there we would use one microfiber cloth to clean it and another one to dry it. always very gentle and make sure that there are no traces of liquid.
(Optional) Advanced interior cleaning
If your laptop allows it, some panels can be removed improve access to the interiorHowever, it should be noted that you must have certain knowledge and that some manufacturers may void the warranty if the laptop is opened. If you have the knowledge and there is no problem with the guarantee, pearls are dismantled and cleaned annually.
After dismantling, all the dust that has accumulated inside must not be removed during external cleaning. Especially among the fans. Graphics processor vents and heat sink. Since you have disassembled it, take the opportunity to CPU thermal paste change As soon as you have entered the interior.
