Does CPU or GPU Get Hotter? Find the Right Answer!

Are you a computer geek and always spending your time around PC buildings? Are you confused about the temperature limit of CPU and GPU?

Well, that provokes your mind to think, Does CPU or GPU get hotter?

Actually it’s the GPU that gets hotter than the CPU. This happens because of poor cooling systems, overclocking, etc. It also happens when there’s dust accumulated on the heat sink. But you can solve heat issues by applying thermal paste, downclocking, cleaning heat sinks etc.

That was just a small overview to address your concern. To know more about why GPU gets hotter than CPU read long.

So let’s jump right into it. Shall we?

4 Reasons Why Gpu Gets Hotter?

Between CPU and GPU, GPU runs hotter as we can see. Now let’s look at the reasons why GPU gets hotter than CPU

Reason 1 of 4: Poor cooling system

One of the most frequent causes of GPU overheating is insufficient cooling. Poor fan speeds, lack, and insufficient amount of airflow are one of the most common issues.

The shortage of the right cooling systems for large graphics processing units and GPUs are all persistent problems.

Reason 2 of 4: Heatsink Filled with Dust

The temperature is monitored by a GPU heatsink. The heat coming out of the GPU chipset is taken in by the metal piece. It supports the graphics card to maintain a balanced room temperature.

There is rarely any impact on the heat sink. Because it is a stationary hardware component.

However, your GPU can get overheated sometimes if the heat sink fails to serve its purpose.

Pollution is always an issue in the first place. The heat sink won’t even function primarily if there is a dust buildup.

The scenario is somewhat similar for laptops. After using the laptop for several years the internal heat sink can get obstructed by dust particles. It will result in the laptop ceasing its functions

Reason 3 of 4: Overclocking

GPU heatsink is the main regulator of temperature. The graphics card is able to lower its temperature when heat is absorbed by a metal piece.

Overclocking is essential to your GPU just as downclocking to GPU. You might often have issues when your GPU is not downclocking. 

All computers have a particular clock rate in them. They are also known as clock speeds.

The speed of the cores rises when GPU’s processing power is elevated by overclocking. A lot of companies follow their manual setting to overclock the GPU.

GPU is often boosted by overclocking by users for better performance. GPU gets overheated to a large extent due to overclocking. A lot of NVIDIA cards are seen to overheat.

Reason 4 of 4: Expired Or Dry Thermal Paste

Thermal paste is also known to customers as a thermal gel.  It is very essential for CPUs and GPUs for their primary functions

Composed of zinc oxide, this substance has a gel-like consistency. It is located in a position between the GPU chipset and the heat sink.

The thermal paste serves the purpose of transporting heat. It helps to restrict the formation of air pockets between the heat sink and the graphics card chipset.

If your thermal paste is out of date it can overheat your GPU. 

Troubleshooting When GPU Gets Hotter

We have got to know about the reasons why GPU runs hotter than CPU. Now let’s find out about how we can fix them.

Troubleshooting 1 of 4: Install a Proper Cooling System

First, take a look at the GPU fan’s speed. Now you need to ensure that the other fans in the system are functioning correctly.

Use the GPU application to raise the fan speed. Then with the help of MSI Afterburner position the GPU fan correctly.

If any fan is dysfunctional you must fix it immediately. If the GPU fans are running and speeding it might also be an issue You’ll need a replacement if there is an issue with the PSU fan.

Most GPUs come with built-in fans for its cooling system. However, this might not always be enough. This looks similar to the CPU fan that is located in the heat sink.

If you can’t find a replacement for the GPU fan, you can find some external GPU fans as well.

Here are a few GPU fans of the finest quality out there.

Troubleshooting 2 of 4: Clean the Heat Sink

Cleaning the heatsink is a very easy task. The actual cleaning process is more complex than that.

Take off the GPU fan and disconnect the graphics processor unit. Now you have to clean the piece in order to work on the heat sink. A word of advice would be to take your computer to a professional for a better service.

But if you’re sure of your abilities then you can also do it at home. Search on youtube for the cleaning method for the same model of your laptop.

This helps you to keep a checklist of all your required materials and prepares you for the task.

Troubleshooting 3 of 4: Reset Overclocking

One you have edited your settings it’s recommended that you reset the overclocking. Take the help of GPU-Z to examine if your GPU unit is overclocked.

Overclocking may be undone with the same techniques. You should downclock your GPU. 

Troubleshooting 4 of 4: Re-Apply Thermal Paste

The thermal paste can be reapplied. You should first identify if there is a manufacturer guarantee on the GPU.

Source: gpumag

If the thermal paste is replaced the warranty might get canceled. It can also happen if the GPU chipset is used.

A warranty repair is certainly the best and should be your initial option if it’s possible.

You should apply thermal paste of good quality in this situation. Here’re our top picks for thermal pastes.

You can yet change the thermal paste for better functioning of your GPU too.

That was all you needed to know about why GPUs run hotter than CPU and how to fix it.

FAQs

Is it necessary for my GPU to be air-cooled?

Yes, you should air cool your GPU to maintain a healthy condition. Water or liquid cooling is the best way to boost your graphics card. It can be done without experiencing thermal throttling or performance drops.

Is it possible to remove the GPU’s fan?

 It may be possible to replace a fan of GPU. Fans on video cards can fail to perform properly, become noisy, or cease working altogether.You will void the video card’s warranty if you remove or replace the fan yourself.

Is it worthwhile to cool a CPU with water?

Yes, it’s worthwhile to cool a CPU with water. To put it another way, it’s more economical to do so. Water cooling brings down temperature better than air cooling but it has diminishing marginal returns.

Final Thoughts

That was all from us on Does CPU or GPU get hotter? We hope now you have got the right answer to your inquiry.

A special tip for you would be to liquid cool your GPU. That would help to cool down your computer better. And also distribute the heat evenly.

Hope you have a good day!