PC overheating is an ever-present issue when it comes to gaming or intensive workload.
But is it normal or a potential fire hazard?
Lets dive into this article to know exactly what would happen when your PC starts to overheat.
Can an Overheated Computer/CPU Catch on Fire?
But a PC catching on fire due to overheating is extremely small (thats what she said).
Although its an incorrect term, some people refer to the whole PC case as CPU.
So you shouldnt worry about your desktop bursting into flames when it overheats.
Does the system burst into flames?
Or does it remain unruffled?
First, lets unmount the CPU fan and remove all the case fans.
Then disabling the GPU fan curve from the MSI Afterburner should do the trick.
Now lets seal off the PSU fan intake to maximize the temperature within our PC case.
Time to run a stress test.
This will ensure that the system is under extreme torture test & generates as much heat as possible.
As expected, the system immediately started to overheat without any active cooling.
For GPU, the temperature reached 87-88 degrees Celsius, which is the highest temperature limit.
At this point, the GPU starts thermal throttling to save itself from overheating.
As a result, the GPU frequency dropped from 1830MHz to 1350MHz.
Both SSD and hard drive were super hot as well, running at around 94 degrees Celsius.
Hence, it will draw more power from the wall outlet.
The second time, the system just shut down without any warning.
But still no sign of any smoke or fire.
Ilowered the CPU temperature properlyand ran the test a few more times.
The results were the same every time.
Unless any electrical component short circuits or experiences any power surge, theres no fire hazard for your box.
Since laptops are much more congested, they usually dont have enough headroom to implement a proper cooling system.
Laptop CPUs/GPUs will start throttling down their frequency and power consumption to get to generate less heat.
Lets run a stress test and create an extreme overheating scenario to test whether the laptop catches on fire.
The keyboard deck becomes extremely hot to touch as the CPU and GPU are directly below it.
After around 7 minutes mark, the laptop suddenly shuts down.
When the laptop cools off a few minutes later, it turns back on and functions as intended.
But still no fire!
Todays computer hardware has advanced so much & made by talented engineers who know what theyre doing.
So theres no chance of fire ignition inside a computer from CPU overheating.
Will CPU Overheating Cause Damage?
Silicon degradation due to overheating isnt uncommon.
It can even cause permanent damage to critical components such as VRM or power IC.
A computer running at high temperatures while playing video games is common and doesnt call for an alarm.
Because overheating and high temperature is not the same.
Use HWMonitor or CPU-Z tocheck how hot the CPU temperature is.
You also refer to thisdetailed guide on CPU temperatureto know the safe limit.
Just after a year, my laptop wasnt turning on anymore.
So I took it to Acer customer care.
They told me that the VRM module has been damaged due to overheating.
So I would highly recommendfixing any overheating issueson your box ASAP.
Check for CPU throttling and regularly clean the internal of the PC case.
Dont run your system for a prolonged period when the CPU temperature is above 90 degrees Celsius.
FAQs
What happens if a CPU overheats?
If a CPU overheats, first it will lower the clock speed and power consumption to lower the temperature.
Is it OK if your PC overheats?
It is totally normal if your PC gets pretty toasty during a prolonged gaming session or a heavy workload.
Will PC shut down if the CPU overheats?
Your PC will shut down during CPU overheating to save its parts from being damaged.
Hopefully, youve got your answer.
Have a nice day!
