Why Does My Computer Get Hot or Overheat? — Updated 2025

On a hot summer’s day here, well 26 degrees (That’s hot in Wales lol) a common issue is that a computer may get hot or overheat!…

As mobiles, laptops, even desktop personal computers are getting thinner, there may be less room for cooling down or even just for air to circulate.

With desktop computer systems, better processors along with huge video cards are creating more heat.

In this specific article, I will describe just why your personal computer may get hot or overheat, but most importantly as always, I will provide you with ways to fight it be that if you use a computer or laptop!

Laptops

The industry-led craze for laptop computers is smaller, slimmer, along with being lighter. At exactly the same time they want to seek more power out of these, yes to the technically minded this is a challenge, to say the least!.

Not to mention you could have a virus, malware, or rootkit putting extra strain on your system along with increasing heat yet never even know it!

However, to the public, it’s, generally, an excellent direction to move. Who doesn’t want the computer they need to use every day, to ponder less than possible.

But nonetheless be solid enough to take care of the tasks they throw at it, all the while being as thin as a piece of paper?

Regrettably, all of this demand comes at a cost. Not in just £’s, although the price will appear to increase compared to the size of the computer or laptop.

That is clearly a subject for another post. I’m discussing the hardware. It seems sensible, that in the search for ever-thinner devices, something would need to be sacrificed to attain the desired proportions.

That sacrifice is cooling.

Today’s ultraslim PCs have either shrunk to the point that their effectiveness is debatable, or taken away altogether with only passive air flowing via awkwardly designed heat sinks, so there is no wonder they get hot or overheat so easily.

This combined with distinct insufficient airflow AND heat made by the latest era of CPUs & GPUs makes overheating an all too common disorder for laptop computers as they get older.

Desktops (PC Towers)

Desktop computers remain very much used today. While they will have been a staple available sector, these are experiencing renewed reputation in games and bespoke build enthusiasts.

The primary reason is the variety of construction along with enhancement.

Gamers are going after the most effective game frame rates with the largest, badest video cards, frequently overclocking (DIY increasing the rate of) their CPUs!

Those such options will noticeably enhance the heat produced of one’s computer, hence a lot of gaming builds run on water cooling, like mine for instance Overclocked 4.2Ghz Core I7 running cool at 36 degrees…

Oh, and it’s a hot July summer’s day here at 26 degrees 🙂

Business desktops have a tendency to not get updated or checked over as often as consumer personal computers, thus will expedite conditions that affect overheating such as the thermal paste drying over time.

Or not being replaced in a timely manner before this even happens,

Dust is another factor as workplaces are never as clean as they could be, especially when you have a statically charged computer gathering dust, which too can cause heat issues when it clogs fans, etc.

The Solution

If your personal computer is more than 12 months old and is also experiencing high temps, the first step is always to replace the CPU’s Thermal Conductive Paste (thermal paste).

If you’re not familiar with computer repair, I would suggest contacting a computer repair and maintenance specialist to handle this in order to prevent harm to your components.

Updating the thermal paste along with blowing any dust from the fans along with heat sink fins is called a “heat sink service.”

The heat sink allows the heat to sink that is in touch with your CPU to draw the heat made by the chip from it, so that it doesn’t overheat itself or short circuit.

This thermal paste will usually dry out with time, however, the amount and other cooling down factors regulate how quickly it’ll need to be replaced, I like to do mine once every 6-12 months max.

Just to be on the safe side.

However, I am a heavy user, so some may be able to go longer, I just prefer to be safe than sorry.

After all as above I am also overclocked to 4.2Ghz could probably go to 5 in the future if needed but for now I am happy with my temps.

For desktops, another hardware solution is to include more fans! More fans will raise the air circulation, which can only help lower the ambient temps in the tower.

Again, probably best kept to a specialist as adding more fans could require re-configuring inside components, after all.

You don’t want to cause a vacuum effect inside your case for hot air, we want to move the hot air out.

Yet a lot of custom-built computers that people build with no knowledge end up exactly like this, just a hot bottlenecked PC.

Water coolers are also often installed by Overclockers (like myself) to get the best cooling possible, but we advise that only experienced users who are comfortable monitoring their systems and updating components themselves go ahead with water options.

Since adding water to the computer risks harming other components even whether it’s marketed as a “closed-loop” I have seen inexperienced system builders destroy a few thousand pounds worth of goods with a cheaply installed water cooler that burst.

Laptop computers are definitely more restricted because of the insufficient space. Apart from the heat sink service mentioned previously, the key thing you can certainly do to keep laptop computers cooler is to be sure they have enough airflow around them.

This means put them on a HARD, flat surface, like a desk or stand. No blankets, bedrooms, carpet, or even laps. Another hint is to keep the air vents clean from dust particles and dust by sometimes blowing them out using canned compressed air.

Some individuals also use laptop cooling down pads with extra fans to beat overheating, nonetheless they are not necessary if everything is working as it should (the thermal paste is fresh, fans work, are free from dust, and the machine is placed on a hard surface with good airflow).

If you follow the tips above you will definitely be able to keep cool not just in the summer but all year as your computer or laptop will keep working well the cooler it is!

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