I've been using my PC for about two years without any problems, and it usually blows out really cold air, keeping everything nice and cool. However, about a week ago, it started blowing warm air instead. I did update Windows around the same time, and I've checked the CPU and GPU temperatures while gaming; they're at 56°C and 70°C, respectively. I opened the case and cleaned out quite a bit of dust, but it's still blowing warm air. I've read that warm air isn't necessarily a bad sign, but I'm worried since this change happened so suddenly. Should I be concerned?
3 Answers
The components inside your PC heat up the air, which then has to be pushed out, allowing fresh air to come in. The reason it felt cooler before might be because you were using it under lighter loads. Now that it's under heavier use, it's normal for it to blow warm air. Don't stress about it!
Just to clarify, are those temps you're seeing while you're actively gaming, or is that during idle time? It makes a big difference in how your PC behaves!
Warm air from your PC isn't unusual at all—it's actually a sign that your cooling system is working to move heat away from the components. You might find that earlier it felt cooler when things were less demanding, but with gaming, everything heats up more. Since you just cleaned it, heat transfer is probably more efficient now, which could explain the sudden change. I wouldn't worry too much about it!
Those temps are while I'm gaming, like when I play BG3 or Overwatch.