I have an i7 13700F that sometimes reaches temps of 100°C, especially on really hot days. Normally, it stays in the 80-90°C range while I'm gaming. I know Intel lists the max temp at 100°C, which I take to mean that's the ceiling it shouldn't go beyond. I want to be sure this isn't a cause for concern since it hasn't hit over 100°C, likely due to throttling, but I haven't noticed any performance slowdowns. Given that I'm not familiar with the latest components—my knowledge is about a decade old—should I consider upgrading my cooler or is this just normal behavior for an i7? I get that a new cooler can never hurt, but do I actually *need* one?
2 Answers
Your CPU will shut down if it gets dangerously hot. However, running it consistently close to the max temp isn’t ideal. It won’t explode, but it’s risky. Just be careful not to push it to the limit. Limiting your framerate could help manage those temps in the meantime.
While 100°C is the max temp for your i7, that's really not where you want to be for extended gaming sessions. Ideally, you should aim for around 70-80°C when gaming. Make sure to check your cooler's thermal paste and clean out any dust. If your case has bad airflow, that can also contribute to higher temps—try open-panel testing to see if that lowers your temps.
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