What’s A Good CPU Temp For Gaming? The Answer Explained

Keeping taps on your CPU temperature is important when gaming. Your computer might develop a fault, run slower or pack up if it gets too hot. 

Usually, the CPU temperature will rise when you run games. Highly demanding games will even cause it to dissipate more heat. But then, you must be careful. You must ensure the temperature doesn’t rise above what’s expected. 

Now, this brings us to the critical question about gaming computer temperature.

What’s A Good CPU Temp For Gaming?

A good or normal CPU temperature should be between 142 degrees Fahrenheit to 164 degrees Fahrenheit (142 – 164 °F). In degrees centigrade, this is around 61 – 73 °C. 

But the truth is, sometimes your CPU may rise to this temperature range. Other times, it may exceed it. Nevertheless, the rule of thumb is your CPU temperature shouldn’t exceed 176 degrees Fahrenheit (176°F), which is 80 degrees centigrade (80 °C). 

If you notice your CPU exceeding 176 degrees Fahrenheit, ensure you discontinue the game or program you’re running. Otherwise, you may end up damaging your computer. 

What CPU Temp Can Cause Problems For Your Computer?

CPUs boast several components that determine their profiles. And the truth is any of these components can take a hit when it overheats. 

One computer’s central processing unit (CPU) may be different from the one in another. In other words, CPUs come in diverse sizes and make. 

Know also that some CPUs have more power than others. Thus, they can generate less eat while running powerful CPU-intensive games. On the other hand, some may generate more heat while running the same game.

Modern CPUs have also gotten stronger, smarter and faster. They can run games smoothly without overheating or experiencing issues related to overheating.   

The guide below will help you understand the temperature range of CPUs. Check them out below. 

Is It Possible For High CPU Temp To Damage Motherboard?

The motherboard is one component in a computer you never want anything to happen to. It houses all other components. And a repair or change of one or more components on the motherboard can be costly. 

Overheating can be bad for your motherboard. If the temperature gets extremely high and remains so for an extended period, some components on the CPU or motherboard may stop functioning. 

Here are two scenarios under which overheating can damage your motherboard partially or wholly. 

1. A rise in temperature within the computer:

Did you know that the ambient room temperature could affect CPU temperature? For every 1 °C that the ambient temperature rises, your CPU temperature rises by 1 °C.

So, keeping the ambient room temperature as low as possible will help to reduce your CPU’s temperature. 

Here is one thing you must never forget. The computer has a casing that houses several components. Each of these components also dissipates heat. 

The fan cooling the CPU runs faster or increases its speed as the temperature rises. If the fan fails to cool down the rising temperature, your system will overheat. 

The heat could rise to a level that would destroy several components, including some on the motherboard. 

A Handy Tip: Your computer must work hard to dissipate heat to prevent overheating. It must move the heat each component generates out of the computer. 

Failure to do so and the heat will continue to build up in the case and eventually cause damage to your computer.  

2. Burst in flame:

If you allow your CPU to overheat and remain that way for an extended period, the component could burst into flame and do the same to other components nearby, such as the motherboard.

There has been a report of laptops bursting into flames or a portion of the laptop catching fire when placed on a flammable surface. An example is someone that placed the laptop on the bed and slept off. The system overheated for an extended period, and eventually, the heat was transferred to the bed, and it caught fire. 

A Handy Tip: Always ensure your computer isn’t overheating. If you notice excess heat pouring out from your laptop or computer vent, note that it’s overheating. 

Your laptop or computer will dissipate warm air when in use. The warm air isn’t a sign that the system is overheating. When the air from the computer becomes too hot, you know it’s overheating.

The underside of your laptop will also become hotter than it was or has always been when it’s overheated. 

Signs That Your Computer is Overheating And Solution 

Gamers need to know when their CPU is overheating. This way, you can prevent the blue screen of death, a terrible gaming experience or more severe damage to your computer. 

So, how do you know your CPU has overheating issues? And what can you do in each scenario? Let’s discuss them in detail. 

1. Occasional unscheduled shutdown:

Is your computer system experiencing occasional unscheduled shutdowns? If yes, then it is overheating. 

The thing is, CPUs dissipate heat when working. The amount of heat your CPU dissipates depends on the program you’re running. 

The issue with overheating is that it reduces CPU efficiency. In extreme cases, your computer could make an unexpected shutdown now and then.

When your computer shuts down with you, understand it’s dealing with overheating issues. An integrated feature in a system shuts it down automatically when it senses an issue developing from overheating. 

2: The fan’s condition:

You cannot play a game on a computer if the fan isn’t working. If you do, you’ll experience overheating problem. So your fan needs to be working perfectly. 

How can you tell if your fan is in good condition? Listen to the computer the moment you turn it on. If you hear the fan’s noise, then it is working. If you don’t, then it’s not working. 

The failure of your fan to work means your CPU won’t get the cooling it needs to avoid overheating. 

3: Lags & stutters:

Is there a drop in the performance of your CPU? If yes, then you’re dealing with an overheating problem. 

Extreme temp rise can cause CPU performance to drop. You’ll notice that simple commands will start lagging. Your computer’s performance will become terrible.

4: System Prompt: 

PC makers know the damage overheating can cause to a computer. They also know that most people may not be aware or care to check their computer’s status now and then. 

You may not even care about CPU temperature and other related stuff when immersed in a game. Your attention will be on the game. 

But the good thing is that most manufacturers have devised means to notify PC users of their system’s status and provide a remedy. For instance, you’ll receive a notification that your system’s temperature is way too high and steps you can take to fix it. 

A Handy Tip: Fixing an overheating problem is simple, especially when you have a report of the cause of the problem and how to remedy it. 

Just follow the instructions on the report to fix your computer.   

The significant factors that cause overheating are overclocking and faulty fans, including room and PC ambient temperature. You can see that these are easy-to-fix problems. 

Conclusion

What’s a good CPU temp for gaming? A good or acceptable temperature to run games on a computer is 142 degrees Fahrenheit and 164 degrees Fahrenheit. This is the temp range your CPU should hit. 

CPU temperature is bound to rise when you run games. And depending on the game or program, the CPU temperature rises to higher levels. 

But no matter how high your CPU temperature gets, ensure it doesn’t exceed 176 degrees Fahrenheit.