My Ryzen 5 3600 reaches around 85°C while playing CPU-heavy games such as Minecraft, even though it sits near 48°C when idle. I reapplied the thermal paste, but the temperatures stayed about the same. I'm using the stock cooler, so I'm wondering whether these temperatures are expected or if a BIOS, chipset driver, or other software issue could be contributing.
4 Answers
If you want to troubleshoot, check for an available BIOS update and install the latest chipset drivers. A recent operating system update can sometimes change background CPU activity, although the stock cooler is still the most likely explanation. Consider upgrading the cooler if temperatures regularly approach 90–95°C.
You could cap the game’s frame rate to your monitor’s refresh rate. Without an FPS limit, the system may keep rendering as many frames as possible, which increases CPU usage and heat. Otherwise, those temperatures are generally fine for the stock fan.
85°C is within the normal operating range for that processor. Its maximum temperature is around 95°C, so there’s no immediate concern unless you’re seeing crashes, throttling, or temperatures getting close to that limit. A better CPU cooler would lower the temperatures, but it isn’t required.
A 48°C idle temperature is already somewhat warm, so reaching 85°C during a demanding game is believable with the stock cooler. Minecraft can put a significant load on the CPU, and new thermal paste won’t make much difference if the cooler itself is the limiting factor.

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