Why is my CPU overheating and crashing during gaming?
Asked by
GamerDude42
Hey everyone! I recently built a new PC with an i7-10700, and today while playing a game, it crashed after just 3 minutes. I checked the temperatures using MSI Afterburner and saw my CPU was hitting 100°C even in the game's main menu! I immediately turned it off because I was really worried. I spoke with the person who assembled it for me, and he assured me that he applied thermal paste. I inspected the fan, and it seems to be working fine too. Now I'm thinking, should I reapply thermal paste, or could there be another problem? By the way, I've removed the case cover for better airflow, so that should help, right? I'm just super anxious about turning it on again. I did check the temp when not gaming, and it was around 45°C.
Answers
It sounds like your CPU cooler might not be doing its job effectively. Sometimes, even if thermal paste is applied, it can dry out or be improperly applied. It would be a good idea to take off the cooler and reapply some high-quality thermal paste, especially if it’s the stock cooler that came with your CPU, which might not be ideal for high-performance gaming. Also, make sure the cooler is seated properly on the CPU. Better airflow is great, but if the cooler isn't functioning as it should, those temps could still spike.
If you can, snap a pic of the CPU cooler and share it so we can take a look!
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CuriousCat99: You might be onto something there! I had a similar issue, and as soon as I reapplied my thermal paste, the temps dropped significantly. It’s worth a try!