Is your PC getting too hot? Don’t know what temperature your GPU should be? If so – this is the blog post for you.
We’ll be answering every question you’ve ever had about your GPU temperature, covering what a normal one should be, how you can check what your temperature is, and our top tips for ensuring your PC performs cool and whisper quiet.
Why is GPU Temperature Important?
If your GPU temperature gets too high, you run the risk of severely damaging both the performance and lifespan of your graphics card. Excess temperatures can cause your GPU to throttle the clock speed, resulting in display stutter, lag, and even unexpected shutdowns.
Therefore, keeping your graphics card cool and performing at optimum temperatures ensures you can continue to enjoy peak performance for longer.
What is a Normal GPU Temperature?
The temperature of your GPU all depends on your workload, cooling capabilities, and more. However, the general rule of thumb is that your GPU should be between 60-85°C when under load. If it reaches above 90°C, then your GPU may begin to throttle.
How Can I See What My GPU Temperature Is?
If you don’t know what your GPU temperature is, it’s easy to check using Task Manager or a third-party software such as MSI Afterburner.
Via Task Manager
- Press CTRL + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager
- Click on the Performance tab
- Select your GPU from the left-hand side
- Under the ‘GPU Temperature’ section you’ll be able to see the current temperature
Via MSI Afterburner
- Open MSI Afterburner
- On the main page, you should be able to clearly see the temperature monitor
- This will display your GPU’s current temperature
What Temperature Should My GPU Be?
Don’t know what temperature your GPU should be? Our table below details the idle, good, risky, and dangerous temperatures for your graphics card depending on load.
| Ideal | Good | Risky | Dangerous | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Idle | Less than 55°C | Anything above 55°C requires further investigation when idle | – | – |
| Low load | Less than 75°C | Between 75-85°C | Between 85-90°C | More than 90°C |
| Max load | Less than 85°C | Between 85-90°C | Between 90-95°C | More than 95°C |
We’ve also broken it down a little further below.
When Idle
Your GPU is idle when it’s experiencing minimum loads such as simple internet browsing or watching online videos. These tasks aren’t putting strain on your GPU as they don’t require any complex rendering, therefore no extra cooling is required meaning the integrated fans won’t be spinning (or spinning very fast).
The perfect temperature for an idle GPU is less than 55°C, however if you notice your graphics card reaching above 90°C when you are browsing the internet or even just sitting at your desktop, your GPU is seriously too hot.
When Gaming
Gaming adds extra strain onto your GPU as it will need to render complex visuals at high resolutions in real-time. This additional pressure will mean your graphics card will ramp up, causing the integrated fans to spin faster to ensure your GPU stays cool.
The optimum temperature for a GPU while gaming is typically between 75-85°C. Anything more than 90°C is dangerous and you need to look at either reducing the strain on your GPU by lowering your graphics settings or investing in more cooling.
When Streaming
Live streaming also puts your GPU under pressure. Not only is your graphics card having to handle rendering your video game, encoding your stream puts extra workload on your GPU instead of your CPU, especially if you are utilising hardware encoding over software.
The ideal temperature for a GPU while live streaming is between 75-85°C. If your graphics card reaches 90°C, you should consider investing in some better cooling or tweaking your settings to help keep temperatures down.
What Affects My GPU Temperature?
Multiple factors can affect your GPU temperature. This includes:
- Your workload. If your graphics card is experiencing heavy loads, this will add extra strain, therefore causing your GPU to get hotter and require more sufficient cooling.
- Dust. Dust is a killer when it comes to your PC hardware and a build-up of dust inside your case can have a serious impact on your components cooling capabilities.
- Airflow. A steady flow of natural air flowing throughout your chassis can help to maintain optimum temperatures.
- Overclocking. When you overclock, you are increasing the clock rate and voltage of your GPU, causing it to perform faster than intended. This will cause temperatures to increase.
- Your GPU placement. If your case lacks enough GPU clearance, there won’t be enough space to facilitate airflow, causing temperatures to increase.
How Can I Bring My GPU Temperature Down?
Hope is not lost! If your GPU temperatures are reaching too high, there are a few things that you can try to reduce your temperatures.
Improve Airflow
Increasing your airflow can notably help to improve any excess temperatures as a consistent stream of air flowing through the integrated fans allows them to dissipate heat more efficiently and quickly.
Don’t know how to improve your airflow? We’ve rounded up everything you need to know.
Clean Up Any Dust Build-Up
A build-up of dust and grim around your core components, such as your GPU, can seriously impact your performance and cooling capabilities. The dust will block fans, stopping them from circulating air and may even enter the GPU itself severely impacting its longevity.
In need of some help sprucing up your PC? Our ultimate spring cleaning guide has all the top tips you need to get it looking factory fresh once again.
Adjust Your Fan Speeds
If you notice that your GPU is struggling under heavy loads, you can try adjusting your fan curves. It’s easy to do this. Simply go into your PC’s BIOS or fan control software and manually adjust your fan curves to ensure they ramp up when under pressure to facilitate better airflow.
Undervolt Your GPU
Undervolting is the opposite of overclocking and helps to reduce excess heat and your power consumption. When you undervolt, you lower the overall voltage that your GPU utilises from the PSU to help generate less heat and quieter performance.
Want to learn more about undervolting and why you should do it? We’ve got a blog post for that!
Adjust Your In-Game Settings
Lowering in-game settings such as your frame rate and resolution can help to elevate the strain on your graphics card, resulting in less heat being generated and better temperatures.
Frame rates and resolution are only two of the in-game settings you can configure. Want to learn more about how you can optimise your game settings? Take a look at our blog post!
Consider Upgrading Your Cooling Configuration
If all else has fails, why not try upgrading your cooling configuration. Liquid cooling offers notably better heat dissipation compared to air cooling and is better suited for those undergoing more demanding applications such as 4K gaming, live streaming, and more.
In Need of an Upgrade?
If you’re in the market for a new GPU or even some extra cooling to lower your GPU temperature, you can find everything you need at Overclockers UK.
We’ve showcased two of our top picks including a high-quality GPU and outstanding fans, but you can also explore our full collections by clicking the buttons below.
Phanteks M25 140mm PWN Triple Fan Pack
- Triple fan pack
- 140mm
- PWM
- Max RPM of 1800
- 172.92 m³/h max single fan airflow
ASUS GeForce RTX 4070 12GB GDDR6X Graphics Card
- RTX 40 Series
- Ada Lovelace architecture
- 5888 CUDA cores
- 2550MHz boosted clock speed
- 12GB GDDR6X VRAM
Learn More About Your GPU
What’s Your GPU Temperature?
Did you find out your GPU’s temperature? Is it performing at optimum levels or do you need to look at investing in some extra cooling? Let us know in the comments below.
- 8 min read
Ruth Rowley
Author
Ruth has been with Overclockers UK for over a year and has gone on to write about everything ranging from in-depth hardware guides to monthly game releases.
Outside of writing blog posts, she can be found wrapped in a blanket with her black cat, engrossed in a book or playing life-simulation games such as The Sims, Stardew Valley, and Animal Crossing.
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