My Ryzen 5 3600 reaches around 85°C while playing games such as Minecraft, even though it sits near 48°C when idle. I already 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, driver, or other software issue could be causing them.
3 Answers
You can also cap the game’s frame rate to your monitor’s refresh rate. If the frame rate is uncapped, the CPU and GPU may keep working as hard as possible even when extra frames aren’t useful. Updating the chipset drivers and BIOS is reasonable after a system update, but the temperatures you listed still sound normal for this setup.
The stock cooler can explain those numbers, especially since 48°C idle is already somewhat warm. Minecraft can put a significant load on the CPU, and thermal paste only transfers heat to the cooler—it doesn’t remove the heat by itself. Consider upgrading the cooler if you want lower temperatures, particularly if the CPU regularly reaches 90°C or higher.
85°C is within the normal operating range for a Ryzen 5 3600. Its maximum temperature is around 95°C, so there’s no immediate concern unless you’re seeing crashes, throttling, or temperatures approaching that limit. A better cooler would lower the temperatures, but it isn’t required for safe operation.

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