How to check your CPU temperature

Checking your CPU temperature

Checking your CPU temperature is easy and doesn’t require you to open up your PC and stick a thermometer inside. Instead, all modern CPUs come with built-in digital temperature sensors, so you need a bit of software to read the measurements in Windows or other operating systems.

It’s important to keep your CPU temperatures under control, as improving performance and reliability is a win for both you and your computer. Luckily, checking your CPU temperature is easy, and we’ve got a few options for free and premium software to do it.

Checking your CPU temperature

The easiest way to check your CPU temperature is to download a simple utility, such as Core Temp or NZXT’s CAM, to see your CPU temps. You can also check your CPU temperature in the system BIOS or UEFI, but this will only show your CPU temperature at idle.

Here are your options for checking CPU temperature:

• Core Temp
• NZXT’s CAM

You can also check your CPU temperature by downloading a game or benchmarking software, as many of them include built-in CPU temperature monitoring tools.

Under higher load, such as when playing a game or rendering a video, your CPU consumes more power and runs at a higher temperature. Under load, you want your CPU to ideally stay under 80C, though some CPUs may run hotter in gaming laptops or small-form-factor computers.

If your CPU temperature exceeds 80C under load, you should check your system to ensure the CPU’s cooling is adequate. Under older chips, anything above 95C is typically critical and may cause the CPU to throttle or the PC to turn off.

How to check CPU temperature in Windows

The easiest way to check your CPU temperature in Windows is to use a utility that provides built-in temperature monitoring. Programs like Core Temp and NZXT’s CAM are the best way to go as they’re easy to install and use.

Here’s how to check CPU temperature in Windows using Core Temp or NZXT’s CAM:

1. Once you’ve downloaded Core Temp or CAM, you can see your CPU temperatures by clicking on the ‘Monitor’ tab and selecting ‘CPU Core 1 (2/2)’ or ‘CPU Core 1 (1/2)’, depending on how many cores your CPU has.

That’s all there is to it, you can now see how hot your CPU is running and check whether or not it’s getting too toasty.

How to check CPU temperature using AMD Ryzen Master

AMD’s Ryzen Master software offers expansive options for overclocking your CPU, such as core and memory frequency, voltage, and more. You can also use it to check your CPU temperature, but it is more advanced than options like CAM or Core Temp.

Here’s how to check CPU temperature using AMD Ryzen Master:

1. Once you’ve downloaded and installed AMD Ryzen Master, you can see your CPU temperature by going to ‘Advanced’ > ‘CPU Performance’ > ‘Temperature’.

This isn’t as easy to use as something like Core Temp, but AMD Ryzen Master does give you access to a variety of overclocking settings that can improve your CPU performance.

How to check CPU temperature using Intel Extreme Tuning Utility

Intel’s eXtreme Tuning Utility (XTU) is another tool that’s geared towards overclocking, but it’s a bit more advanced than AMD Ryzen Master. Intel’s software allows you to tweak every aspect of your CPU, but also offers a CPU temperature monitoring tool that’s accessible from the main screen.

Here’s how to check CPU temperature using Intel XTU:

1. Once you’ve downloaded and installed Intel XTU, you can see your CPU temperature by going to ‘Tools’ > ‘Temperature’.

Again, XTU is a bit more complicated than programs like Core Temp or CAM, but it is a powerful tool for overclocking your CPU.

How to check CPU temperature using HWMonitor

HWMonitor is a simple CPU temperature monitoring tool that offers a bit more information than other programs, such as the internal name of your CPU and its exact model.