Modern graphics accelerators, unlike their predecessors, which appeared at the dawn of the development of computer technology and the entertainment industry, today have stepped far forward, providing users with unprecedented graphics and video playback capabilities. However, current computer applications, in particular, the latest games, impose rather serious requirements on such devices, and accelerators are very heavily loaded, as a result of which the operating temperature of the video card can rise to quite high limits. Moreover, on stationary PCs it is not always possible to determine such permissible values only because the adapter itself is located deep inside the system unit. About what the permissible temperature loads should be, how to determine them and what to do if they are exceeded, we will discuss further.
Modern graphics accelerators: problems with temperature conditions and cooling
Before considering the temperature characteristics of graphic accelerators, one should pay attention to the fact that, as a rule, the operating temperature of a video card is usually not indicated in its description or list of parameters (such information is at best only available on the manufacturer’s official resource). Therefore, the user, when purchasing such a device, does not always clearly understand what ultimate loads it can withstand.
In addition, you need to clearly understand that modern video adapters are entire systems with their own GPUs, which, as for central processors, require their own cooling system. Usually these are standard coolers (fans).
Since the operating temperature of the video card is not determined by its own means of Windows systems or in some physical way, it can be quite difficult to identify excesses of permissible values. In the simplest case, this can be done in a visual way. When the indicators increase to critical values related to the load, for example, when passing the game, colored bars, flickering dots may appear on the monitor screen, the frame rate will decrease, the system will freeze, a blue screen will appear, etc.
On the other hand, for accurate diagnostics, some program for the temperature of the processor and video card can be used (this will be discussed separately). It is with this software method that it is often possible to identify problems in the device in time, and then take appropriate measures.
What should be the normal operating temperature of the video card?
If we talk about temperature parameters in more detail, it should be understood that modern graphics accelerators can be divided into office and gaming. In addition, the installed type of cooling system (passive or active) should be considered. Finally, the operating temperature of the video card at rest and under load depends on the power of the GPU and manufacturer.
However, if you look at some averaged indicators, a generally accepted standard for normal temperature without load is considered to be a value of the order of 40-45 degrees, but not higher than 50-55.
What should be the operating temperature of the video card under load?
The situation is somewhat more complicated. The more powerful the graphics processor, the greater the value it must withstand.
The average value for most office chips, including integrated cards on laptops, is considered to be a peak temperature of 75-80 degrees. But, if you take into account gaming video chips, their parameters can vary quite significantly. For example, the operating temperature of the latest generation NVDIA graphics card for a couple of hours can easily reach 105 degrees. Naturally, you should not overdo it with the maximum load.
Programs for determining the temperature conditions of the graphics adapter
Since Windows does not have its own tools for viewing temperature indicators, third-party programs should be used.
The following are considered the best and most common:
GPU-Z
The CPU-Z / GPU-Z application is a program for the temperature of the processor and video card. The first variety is designed to view the characteristics of the central processor, motherboard, RAM, etc. But the second is specifically designed specifically for graphics accelerators.
The program is able to take measurements of normal temperature, values at the time of launching games, fixes the minimum and maximum limits and gives an average value.
Aida
AIDA is a portable utility that combines the capabilities of two previous applications. In addition to the basic characteristics of all the components of a computer system, it also determines peak temperature conditions.
By the way, this utility, according to information reports, is recognized as the most functional, because, in addition to the main parameters, it also determines the modifications of related elements such as transistors, the load parameters of one or another component, and God knows what.
Hwmonitor
The CPUID Hardware Monitor utility also proved to be quite good. It is universal and works like the applications described above.
For testing, it is enough to run the program, and then start any computer-demanding game. After that, the behavior of each element of the system will be recorded, including the peak temperature values of the graphics accelerator.
Temperature widgets on the "Desktop"
All previous applications are without a doubt good and functional. But you will not be in the process of passing the next level of your favorite game to constantly run them? And many users believe that it was good if the temperature of the video card was displayed on the "Desktop", so to speak, for the convenience of visual perception. As a rule, such monitoring widgets are not hidden when calling other applications.
What to use for this? Most experts recommend installing small utilities like GPU Meter, NVIDIA GPU Temp, or Rockstar Extras. The first and second programs are designed exclusively for outputting information on a video card. The third additionally offers a number of features, including placing on the "Desktop" calendar, radio and information about other components of the system.
What to do when exceeding the maximum temperature threshold?
Finally, let's see what to do if the peak temperature thresholds set for the video card are constantly exceeded. Overheating can lead not only to failure of the graphics adapter itself. It can also affect the entire computer hardware. And the motherboard will be the first to connect, which can lead to malfunctions of all other devices that connect to it.
For stationary computer systems, the solution looks simpler than similar actions in the case of laptops, because unscrewing the side cover on the system unit is much easier than getting to the components of the laptop.
But in any case, at the first symptoms, you should immediately clean the inside of the PC from dust, and also eliminate it from the cooler blades of the adapter itself. As an additional measure, it may be necessary to apply another layer of thermal paste between the processor and the heat sink. However, the most effective method, many specialists involved in the repair of computer systems, call the installation of an additional cooling system in the form of fans. All of their varieties have standard sizes, so installing such devices in the same system unit will not be difficult.
No less interesting is the option of installing cooling in laptops, for example, instead of an optical drive. True, in this case you will have to use an external CD / DVD-ROM. Not very convenient, of course, but as an option, such a solution looks like a very effective means.