2022-10-21

The graphics card is one of the key elements of the computer "stuffing", on which the quality and characteristics of the image depends. It is important not only for gamers who want to get perfect graphics in games even at maximum settings. For standard work with the computer without a graphics card also can not do, so it is important to monitor its work, namely the temperature to which it heats up. We have collected the best software and recommendations on how to know the current video card temperature and the maximum allowed values.

Speccy

A handy program with which you can check your video card temperature for free. You just need to go to the official page //www.piriform.com/speccy/builds and download Piriform Speccy as an installer or as a portable version. The second option is convenient because the user does not need to install the program, but can unpack the archive and run the Speccy.exe file.

Another Speccy feature is that the software shows not only the video card temperature but also CPU and hard disk temperatures. Moreover, you can open the graphics hardware section separately to get the full information about your graphics card. The interface uses either English or Russian language, which you can modify in the "Settings".

How to check the internal temperature:

1. Open Speccy
2. Go to the Graphics
3. Find the name of the video card (in this case it is an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070)
4. The field Temperature displays the searched value in degrees Celsius.

   

GPU Temp

One of the simplest programs without advanced functions.

How to use GPU Temp:

1. To start the test you should download the file from the official site //gputemp.com/
2. Install the program on your PC.
3. Run the GPU Temp.
4. In the GPU Core field you will see a numerical value with the temperature. This is useful if you want to know what was the maximum temperature of the graphics card during the game and the peak loads.

   One of the advantages of the GPU is the possibility to move the program to the Windows notification area. To do this, go to the settings, find the Start Minimized item and put a checkmark in front of it. From this point on, you can monitor your graphics card's actual performance by simply hovering your mouse over it.

   TechPowerUp GPU-Z

   Another simple and useful program which provides comprehensive information on your graphics card's performance. You can download GPU-Z from the official website //www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/. It then needs to be installed on your computer and you can use it free of charge.

   The main feature of GPU-Z is its informative and advanced functionality. The program displays not only the video card temperature but all the important parameters that allow you to assess the quality of the video card. This refers to memory frequencies and utilization, fan speed, memory and GPU core frequencies, supported functions and many other characteristics.

   In order to view the current GPU temperature,

   1. Go to the Sensors tab.
   2. Look at the value of the GPU Temperature,

      

   3. In addition to the digital value, on the right side there is a graph of the temperature evolution and this graph allows us to monitor the video card during the maximum load.

   AIDA64

   A very useful multifunction program which we can download for free from the official site //www.aida64.com/downloads. It can be used to examine and monitor different computer parameters.

   We are interested in the temperature of the video card in games and in a quiet working state. The temperature test is carried out as follows:

   1. Open the program AIDA64.
   2. Go to the left side column, find "Computer" and select the "Sensors" tab.

      

   3. Look for the line "GPU diode" (GPU - graphics processor).

      

   The AIDA64 program functionalities contain a useful addition for the user - the possibility to check the system stability. To do so:

   1. Go to the menu item "Tools"
   2. Select "System stability test".

      

   3. In the open window find the task list (at the left top of the screen),
   4. Uncheck all the items except the "Stress GPU(s)"
   5. Keep "Start".
   6. Click Stop at any time to stop the graphics card testing.

      

   While testing the program puts the load on the graphics card, as a result the desktop might become a bit "slow". However you have the possibility to monitor the performance of the video card and to record the temperature changes during the test. As a rule you can draw conclusions about the cooling system's performance already after 10-15 minutes.

   CPUID HWMonitor

   The 5 most convenient programs to check the video card's temperature are the ones to end with, HWMonitor. It's available as a free download from the official website //www.cpuid.com/softwares/hwmonitor.html. The main feature of HWMonitor also lies in its versatility. Users can monitor memory frequency, memory usage, check fans, get information about supported functions, and much more with this program.

   The only drawback of HWMonitor users call the lack of a Russian-language interface. Nevertheless the program is well designed and quite friendly, therefore it is possible to understand it on an intuitive level.

   Checking the GPU temperature:

   1. Launch the HWMonitor.
   2. Find the graphics card by its name in the list.
   3. The line Voltages displays the current temperature of the GPU.

      

   4. The line FANs shows the cooling statistics.

   Optimal graphic card temperature

   As we have already understood it is not possible to have a fully working computer without graphic elements. So it is important not only to monitor the performance, but also to find out what the video card temperature should be under standard conditions and at the time of peak loads. Knowing the optimal range and maximum values, you can avoid critical situations and video card overheating.

   The normal video card temperature is very dependent on the manufacturer and the specific model. As a rule, the exact figures are given on official websites and in the description of the card. Generally speaking, an increase in temperature up to 105 degrees Celsius is considered critical. At these figures, the driver starts artificially slowing down so that the card can cool down. If this does not happen, the system automatically shuts down. At that the maximum temperature of nVidia, AMD, IntelHD video cards is approximately at the same level, except for some models where the critical temperature is over 90 degrees.

   Although such high figures, it is important to understand that such heating in non-stop mode reduces the video card lifetime and its performance. Therefore, constant temperature rise up to 95-100 degrees says that video card needs to be checked. As for optimum rates, at the time of low loads is considered ideal range of 30-60 degrees, depending on the model. During peak loads in games or programs the temperature rises to 80-90 degrees. If it is an overclocked graphics card, the maximum allowable temperatures may be 5-10 degrees higher.

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