While playing Black Myth: Wukong for one to two hours, my i5-13400F averages around 75–80°C and peaks in that general range. The system uses the stock Intel cooler, while my RX 9060 XT 16GB reaches about 60–65°C. CPU usage is usually 40–50%, and GPU usage stays around 90–100%. Are these temperatures safe, and should I adjust the fan curve or replace the stock CPU cooler?
2 Answers
A budget tower cooler would still be a worthwhile upgrade if the stock cooler is loud or you want lower temperatures. Something with a larger heatsink and 120 mm fan should run quieter, but there’s no immediate problem to fix at 75–80°C. Check temperatures with a monitoring tool and watch for sustained readings near the CPU’s maximum temperature rather than worrying about normal gaming averages.
Those CPU temperatures are generally safe for an i5-13400F, especially with the stock cooler during a demanding game. The processor is designed to tolerate much higher temperatures before thermal throttling becomes a concern. You can improve noise and temperatures by increasing the fan curve, making sure the cooler is mounted correctly, and cleaning dust from the case, but replacing the cooler is optional rather than urgent.
The GPU usage and temperature are fine too. Since the GPU is doing most of the work at 90–100% usage, 40–50% CPU usage is normal for this kind of game, and the GPU temperature doesn’t directly determine the CPU temperature.