Laptops are essential in our daily lives, but they can become too hot for comfort. The excess heat comes from packing electronic components into a small space. However, overheating can cause burns on your skin and damage laptop components. So, how do you know if your laptop is too hot?
First, keep track of the CPU temperatures through a reputable hardware monitoring utility. The maximum temperatures for CPUs from both AMD and Intel are around 100 degrees Celsius. But, if your laptop is getting over 90 degrees, it’s time to cool it down. This guideline applies to gamers with discreet GPUs as well.
Batteries don’t like excessive heat either. Lithium-ion batteries used in modern electronics should be kept below 45 degrees Celsius. Some laptops stop charging once the battery temperature hits 45 degrees, and the battery’s life might be shortened. It’s essential to keep an eye on battery temperature because it can physically swell up and damage other laptop components.
Heat can cause the soldering inside the machine to crack or warp. A controversy called Bumpgate happened over ten years ago between Nvidia and Apple, where soldering holding the die onto its package broke entirely. As a result, many GPUs sold to Apple turned out to be defective.
To cool things off, start with simple things such as checking the ambient temperature of the room you’re in, operating your laptop on a hard, level surface, and blowing out those vents with compressed air to ensure they aren’t clogged with dust. If this doesn’t work, check if any curves you’ve set aren’t messed up. If you’re still scratching your head, ensure all the fans are running correctly.
If you haven’t fixed the problem at this point, consider investing in a good cooling pad to sit your laptop on. You don’t need anything super expensive, just something well-reviewed. When you’re in the market for a new laptop, read or watch reviews to ensure the model you’re interested in isn’t too hot to handle.
In conclusion, laptops can overheat, which can lead to damaging components. It’s essential to keep an eye on CPU and battery temperatures. If you experience overheating issues, try simple solutions such as checking the ambient temperature or cleaning the vents. If the problem persists, invest in a good cooling pad.