Identify overheating

Use HWMonitor or Core Temp. Intel CPUs throttle at 100°C; AMD at 95°C. Normal idle is 30–50°C; load should stay under 85°C for longevity.

Clean the cooler

Blow out the heatsink and fan with compressed air. Dust buildup alone can raise temps 15–20°C.

Replace thermal paste

  1. Remove the cooler. Clean old paste from CPU and heatsink base with 90%+ isopropyl alcohol and a lint-free cloth.
  2. Apply a pea-sized dot of new paste (Arctic MX-4 or Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut) to the center of the CPU.
  3. Reinstall the cooler — the paste spreads under pressure.

Upgrade the cooler

Stock coolers are minimal. A $30 aftermarket tower cooler (Cooler Master Hyper 212) typically drops load temps by 15–25°C versus the stock unit.