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Door staff@engadget.com (Giancarlo Valdes) - 03 Oct 2026
One of the best tools you can use to check the temperature of your CPU is HWiNFO, a free diagnostic tool that gives you a ton of real-time data about the hardware in your PC or laptop. Once installed, open the program and click on the Sensors tab to bring up a new window with temperature readings (displayed in Celsius) about your CPU.
There are other free apps like Core Temp and HWMonitor that can provide the same information as well. Whichever you choose, it can be helpful to turn them on every so often to see how your CPU is doing under different conditions. For example, you can fire up a game, video editing software or some other resource-intensive program to see how the CPU temperature changes compared to idle.
While the exact figures vary by CPU, an average running temperature of 60 degrees Celsius or below is typically considered a good baseline for everyday use. But if the CPU is consistently hovering between 70 to 90 degrees Celsius, you should look into what's causing the spike and if it's becoming a long-term problem. Pushing 90 degrees and above could indicate some serious overheating and might reduce the CPU's lifespan if it doesn't cool down.
You'll know ahead of time if it gets to that point: Most modern CPUs will throttle performance once the temperature is too high, significantly slowing down your PC as a way of protecting itself. But if throttling still isn't enough to cool the CPU, you might also experience freezing and crashes.
Keep in mind that these temperature readings are just guidelines and that your experience will vary depending on which CPU model you have. But if you're curious about pushing the limits of your processor (like overclocking for better performance), it's best to consult the original manufacturer for more accurate temperature ranges.
There are other free apps like Core Temp and HWMonitor that can provide the same information as well. Whichever you choose, it can be helpful to turn them on every so often to see how your CPU is doing under different conditions. For example, you can fire up a game, video editing software or some other resource-intensive program to see how the CPU temperature changes compared to idle.
While the exact figures vary by CPU, an average running temperature of 60 degrees Celsius or below is typically considered a good baseline for everyday use. But if the CPU is consistently hovering between 70 to 90 degrees Celsius, you should look into what's causing the spike and if it's becoming a long-term problem. Pushing 90 degrees and above could indicate some serious overheating and might reduce the CPU's lifespan if it doesn't cool down.
You'll know ahead of time if it gets to that point: Most modern CPUs will throttle performance once the temperature is too high, significantly slowing down your PC as a way of protecting itself. But if throttling still isn't enough to cool the CPU, you might also experience freezing and crashes.
Keep in mind that these temperature readings are just guidelines and that your experience will vary depending on which CPU model you have. But if you're curious about pushing the limits of your processor (like overclocking for better performance), it's best to consult the original manufacturer for more accurate temperature ranges.