Checking the temperature of the main components of a PC is a task that must be solved extremely rarely. And not everyone will benefit from such an experience. Another thing is if the software starts to work unstably, the computer crashes or shuts down unexpectedly by itself. Especially in the case when such problems appear only in applications that use the maximum amount of machine resources. A program for measuring the temperature of the processor and video card is the first thing that will help in diagnosing such problems.
The main signs of overheating
As mentioned above, temperature testing is a fairly rare operation. Usually it is required when testing "iron" without overheating. The reasons for this suspicion may be:
- Noticeable performance loss when running an application in comparison with its functioning a few days earlier.
- Spontaneous termination of applications. As they sometimes say, the user throws to the desktop.
- Unexpected reboot or shutdown of the PC.
- Artifacts of the image (noise, excess elements, distortion or loss of color) or stripes on the screen.
- Operating system crash during boot.
- The regular occurrence of blue screens of death.
If one or more of the above symptoms occurs, a program must be used to measure the temperature of the processor and video card. Identifying such problems at the initial stage of their formation can save us from many troubles in the future.
Bad advice
Sometimes when an alarm occurs from some users, you can hear advice to remove the computer cover and try to touch each element of the machine to check whether the temperature level is within acceptable limits. In no case should you do this!
- Firstly , you can burn yourself corny. It happens that under load the core of the video card heats up to 120 degrees Celsius. Moreover, sometimes the manufacturer indicates that the values in this range are normal and will not cause harm to the device.
- Secondly , there is a risk of electric shock. Someone will say: “What's so terrible - just 12 Volts.” Do not underestimate this voltage, especially since the current can reach so many amperes that you will not want to look under the cover in case of punching for a long time.
- Thirdly , you can spoil expensive equipment. Shifting a component or touching a hanging wire to a bare section of the circuit board sometimes leads to a short circuit. If the power supply protection is high, the computer will simply shut down. If the PSU is not the most expensive, something will burn.
And the last: the program for measuring the temperature of the processor will show the user accurate data that can be remembered or recorded. Some applications allow logging. They will record all the readings over time. This makes troubleshooting easier.
Well, now - a mini-review.
Hwmonitor
A small application that can do nothing but display indicators of temperature, frequency and voltage of system elements. Importantly, it is absolutely free. There is a professional version for which you will have to give a little money, but the usual functionality is quite enough for the average user.
After installation and launch, the program for measuring the temperature of the processor will display a small window with four columns:
- In the first (sensor) you can see the name of the monitoring element.
- The second (value) will indicate the current temperature value.
- In the third (min) application, the minimum parameter is saved. That is, if during the software operation a temperature range from 37 to 70 degrees was recorded, then the number 37 will be written on this scale.
- And in the last (max) application, it will show the maximum value seen during its operation.
Speedfan
Another small program for measuring the temperature of the processor is SpeedFan. It is distributed absolutely free. It has support for almost all modern devices, this is facilitated by frequent software updates by the developer.
As soon as SpeedFan is downloaded, installed and launched, its main window will open. It will contain all the main information. First, pay attention to the right side, where the temperature values of the devices are located:
- HD0 (there can be any other index instead of zero) - a hard disk.
- CPU - total temperature of the central processor.
- CORE - CPU core temperature.
- MB - RAM.
- GPU is the core of a video card.
Monitoring cooling systems in SpeedFan
The left side of the window shows the speed of coolers installed inside the system unit. Information will only be displayed on devices that have a built-in tachometer. This approach is very convenient. You can correlate the number of revolutions per minute during the idle time of the PC and under load. If the program for measuring the temperature of the processor shows the same number in both cases, it is likely that the cooling system needs to be replaced. Usually, when running demanding programs, the speed of coolers increases along with the frequency of the central processor.
MSI Afterburner
MSI Afterburner differs from the previous products described in that this program for measuring the temperature of the processor and video card is in Russian. Its main application is overclocking the graphics adapter, however, the monitoring tools in the application are convenient.
After installation, the main window will open. The interface is made with a twist and will be unusual for the average user. But for us, the program is interesting not in design, but in informational content. In the right circle the temperature of the graphic adapter will be shown. In the lower field at this time, a lot of graphs are displayed, which can be scrolled using the usual scroll bar.
This program for measuring the temperature of the processor for Windows 7 has flexible settings, because not everyone needs the information that is issued by default. To change the number of graphs and their sets, go to the settings by clicking on the gear icon. Then you will need to go to the "Monitoring" tab, where you can set or uncheck the boxes.
By clicking on the "Minimize" button, you will see that the application will hide in the tray. When starting full-screen video games or programs that use a video accelerator, the temperature of the video card will be displayed on top of all windows in the upper left corner. This approach is very convenient for testing the device under load.
AIDA64
Perhaps the most famous program for measuring the temperature of the processor in Russian. I must say that this is not all of its functionality. The application provides the most comprehensive information about hardware, starting with the one that allows you to get the driver, and ending with the one that provides the BIOS and sensors installed in the controllers.
However, we will focus on the main thing - temperature monitoring. Pay attention to the character bar that is on top. There is an icon with a diagram, and you need to click on it. After clicking, a window with the settings set by the program manufacturer by default will open. I must say that the initial configuration does not monitor all parts of the PC, but the most important ones.
You can change the number of graphs and configure them by clicking on the "Settings" button (or Preferences, if the English version is used). In the utility that opens, the inclusion of diagrams for each sensor inside the computer is implemented. So, for example, a program for measuring the temperature of a processor and a laptop’s graphics card offers to choose not just a CPU, but each core separately.
Stress test
I must say that viewing information about the temperature of the main parts of the PC will not work if you perform a test during downtime (that is, with a minimum of programs running). If you run the “heavy” full-screen application, then the system will shut down due to overheating, leaving the user perplexed: did the peak values really exceed or did you need to look for the problem elsewhere?
This means that monitoring and loading the computer must be performed simultaneously. Not every laptop processor temperature measurement program provides such functionality. For example, Afterburner displays information only when full-screen applications are running. Data in SpeedFan and HWMonitor can only be read when the user switches to their windows. AIDA64, unlike them, simplifies the task and allows you to run a stress test.
This name hides a special tool that will load the system as much as possible, showing the user how this affects the temperature of devices and their power consumption.
Test run
To run this test, click on the same chart icon. Pay attention to the upper left corner of the window. There is a list of devices, and next to them are flags. This identifies the components that will be tested. It is advisable not to apply such measures in relation to the hard drive, although this is possible.
After setting the checkboxes, click on the "Start" button. At this time, computer testing will begin. It is advisable not to leave the monitor at this time and follow the diagrams. If the strip of any graph sharply creeps up and exceeds the critical value, it is better to immediately turn off the test to avoid equipment breakdown, because the problem can be considered identified.
It is because of the implementation of the stress test that many believe that AIDA64 is the best program for measuring the processor temperature in Russian.