It’s not just about making your games look more alive, high-quality, and visually stunning UI in modern-day OS and apps is also solely dependent on the GPU. Now, with all these tasks, it’s no wonder that the graphics processing unit must work hard, so it radiates quite a lot of heat. However, should you worry when it heats up too much? And more importantly, how much heat is too much?
Well, in regular usage, the GPU should not exceed 60-70 degrees Celsius, unless the ambient temperature is too high. However, when you are performing graphics-intensive tasks, your GPU can reach up to 80-85C and it’s quite safe.
Read on to find out at what GPU temperature you should start worrying and how to prevent the GPU from reaching unsafe temperatures.
Is 80C Too Hot for GPUs?
While GPU temperature largely depends on your GPU model and manufacturer, ideally, your GPU should always stay between 65-85°C for the best gaming experience. So, no, 80C isn’t too hot for GPU. However, if you don’t have a good cooling system installed, after crossing the 85C mark, you’ll start to notice stutter, lag, and frame drop.
However, since the maximum safe temperature largely depends on the manufacturer, you should check the manual or the manufacturer’s website for what’s the maximum safe temperature your GPU’s been rated for.
What Makes GPU Run Hot?
Contrary to popular belief, it’s not just games or heavy applications that can heat up your GPU. There are other contributing factors too. So, here’s a list of the things that can make your GPU run hot.
- Ambient temperature
- GPU cooling system
- Casing quality
- Airflow
- Bottlenecking
- GPU-dependent tasks
- Running intensive tasks on aging hardware.
Should The GPU Be at 80C Always
So, we’ve covered that the GPU can easily reach 80 degrees Celsius or more. But, it’s difficult to pinpoint an exact temperature limit for GPUs, because it’s very subjective. Why so? Because modern-day GPUs like the Radeon RX 6000 can easily exceed 100 degrees Celsius or 210+ degrees Fahrenheit, even when equipped with a good-quality cooler.
However, the ideal temperature for GPUs, recommended by most manufacturers, is between 60 to 85 degrees Celsius. That is when you are using your computer for less intensive tasks like web browsing or streaming. However, when you are gaming, it is normal for your GPU to exceed the 80C mark.
Regardless of your usage, you should monitor GPU temperature all the time. Because, while triple-A titles like the CoD Warzone can easily take your GPU temperature to 100 degrees Celsius, if you are playing Minecraft and your GPU exceeds 80 degrees, it’s concerning. Why? Because exposing the GPU to high temperatures all the time will certainly reduce its lifespan and affect its performance.
How to Lower GPU Temperature
Keeping your GPU temperature controlled is always a good idea if you want to ensure sustained performance and longevity of your hardware. So, here’s how to make sure that your GPU doesn’t exceed 80-85C all the time.
1. Check the GPU Fan or Cooler
If your GPU is routinely exceeding the temperature of 80C or more, it can indicate that your GPU fan is working improperly or not at all. So, check your GPU cooling fan. If it’s working, increase the fan’s speed with apps like MSI Afterburn.
2. Do Routine Cleanup
No, by routine cleanup we don’t mean that you should use junk cleaner apps like the CCleaner. They do more harm than good in our opinion. What we meant is to clean your hardware routinely. Open up the casing and clean the inside, especially the CPU and GPU, because they accumulate a lot of dust. Over time, this dust buildup prevents airflow as well as heat radiation, causing your GPU to overheat. Using compressed air can blow off all the dust from your CPU and GPU cooler.
3. Ensure Proper Airflow
Your computer needs a lot of airflow space to keep all the cooling fans working properly. So, if your room has limited airflow, it can decrease the efficiency of those coolers, which in turn will heat up the GPU. So, ensure proper airflow by installing your computer in a place that has proper airflow, especially the casing. If it’s installed in a congested place, consider moving it.
4. Keep Your Room Cool
If you live in a country with a relatively hotter climate, it is always recommended to use an air-cooling unit for the room where your computer is located. High ambient temperature can increase your CPU and GPU temperature to the point when you start to see visual performance drop. Also, if the ambient temperature is too high all the time, it’ll seriously damage your hardware.
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
Is 90 C too much for GPU?
Yes, it is, especially if you aren’t using any fancy cooler. For regular GPUs with regular coolers, 90 degrees Celsius is when you start to hit the redline.
Does overheating damage GPU?
Any temperature above 100 degrees Celsius will seriously damage your GPU if you don’t lower it soon. Consider using better coolers. If you are gaming, lower the graphics settings.
Is gaming at 80C okay?
Yes, between 70-80C, it’s okay to game. It indicated that your GPU is working hard but you won’t likely see fps drop yet.
Can GPU get hotter than CPU?
While CPUs can regularly reach temperatures of up to 100 degrees Celsius or more, GPUs rarely do so, especially if it’s properly cooled.
Final Thoughts
Again, when you aren’t playing very demanding games with high graphics settings, your GPU should not exceed 80-85 degrees Celsius. If it does hit that temperature when playing Minecraft for example, there’s something wrong with the GPU cooler or the room’s ambient temperature. Consider following the fixes we’ve mentioned above.
Good luck and thanks for reading.
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