Login

or
don't have an account?
back to glossary

Temperature

pc

Temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of particles in a substance, indicating its thermal energy.

expanded

Temperature is critical in computing environments, as it affects system stability and performance. Within personal computers (PCs), managing temperature is essential to prevent overheating, which can lead to hardware failure. Coolers or thermal solutions are used to maintain optimal temperatures and ensure reliable operation under varied workloads.

examples

The CPU temperature of a high-performance gaming PC using an Intel Core i9-13900K under load can reach up to 85°C (185°F) without thermal throttling.

Temperature monitoring is critical during intensive gaming sessions to prevent CPU throttling and potential hardware damage.

The GPU temperature of an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 while rendering 3D graphics in a professional setting can stabilize around 70°C (158°F) under full load due to effective cooling implementation.

In graphic design and rendering workstations, maintaining optimal GPU temperature supports both performance and longevity of components.

related terms

Thermal throttling
Thermal throttling is a mechanism that reduces a computer's processor speed to prevent overheating.
Air cooling
A heat dissipation method utilizing airflow to lower the temperature of electronic components.
Fan
A fan is a hardware device used for active cooling by moving air.
Heatsink
A thermal management device that dissipates heat away from electronic components.
Radiator
A component in a PC cooling system that transfers thermal energy from the coolant to the air.