A friend received a prebuilt PC as a gift, which has decent specs including an i5-14550 CPU and an RTX 3060 GPU. However, while playing demanding games like Battlefield 6, both the CPU and GPU temperatures reach alarming levels of 90-100 degrees Celsius. Upon inspecting the PC, I noticed there is no exhaust fan; it only has three intake fans in the front and a stock Intel cooler. I'm wondering if the lack of an exhaust fan is the primary issue, or if they might have forgotten to remove a plastic protective film which could explain the extreme CPU temperatures. I have purchased new fans to install; will that help reduce the temperatures, or should I consider getting a new cooler as well?
5 Answers
Your cooling is definitely subpar. Ideally, you need at least two fans pulling air in and one pushing it out. A stock cooler typically struggles under heavy loads, and 90°C for the CPU is pushing it. You might want to replace the thermal paste, but investing in a new cooler is probably the best way to go. For the GPU, 90°C is definitely not normal; check the airflow and paste there too.
Remember, having an effective exhaust setup is crucial! Instead of having all intake fans, try removing one of the front ones and installing it at the back as an exhaust; just make sure it's facing the right direction to push the hot air out.
Just to be blunt, prebuilt PCs often sacrifice cooling for aesthetics. I had a prebuilt six years ago, and when I upgraded my CPU, temperatures were consistently high. After switching to a better cooler, my temps rarely go above 70°C, even with demanding games like Battlefield 6. Definitely recommend getting a new cooler; they're affordable and easy to install!
CPUs are seldom fully loaded when gaming.
Yeah, that will be for sure the next step. He isn't tech-savvy at all, so I need to install everything when I meet him again lol.
It sounds like your friend's cooling setup is insufficient. A protective film wouldn’t affect the GPU temps, but the lack of an exhaust fan is definitely an issue. I suggest you try moving one of the intake fans to the back for better airflow. Some prebuilt cases just don't provide great cooling, so that could be a factor too.
Yeah, that was my initial thought as well thanks!
Just a side note, if your CPU is an i5-14550, that might be a typo? Also, Intel’s stock coolers don’t typically have protective films, so I wouldn't worry about that with the thermals.
Oh got it, didn't know about that thanks!
Yeah, hope the new fans I install fix the problem.