🌡️ GPU Temperature & Hotspot Checker
Your GPU temperature is an average across the chip; the hotspot is its single warmest point. Read both under load (a game or benchmark for ten minutes) in a tool such as GPU-Z or HWiNFO and enter them here.
What the numbers mean
A card with a well-seated cooler and properly applied thermal paste typically shows a gap of about 12 to 20 °C under load. A gap above 25 to 30 °C points to poor contact between the chip and the cooler, most often uneven mounting pressure or thermal paste that has dried out or "pumped out" over time.
The hotspot has its own ceiling. Nvidia's cards throttle at a hotspot of 107 °C according to its internal diagnostic tool, and AMD has called up to 110 °C "expected and within spec". Running close to that limit is not an instant fault, but the card will slow itself down to stay below it.
What to do about a large gap
First check the basics: dust in the cooler, fan curves and case airflow. If the gap stays high on a card that is still under warranty, contact the maker rather than opening it. Out of warranty, replacing the thermal paste or pads is the usual fix, but only if you are comfortable doing it.
Sources
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