Thermal Throttling: why does heat slow your PC?

The so-called Thermal Throttling or processing limitation is a thermal protection designed to keep the computer running, when in a specific (and high) temperature range. This excess heat happens for several reasons such as overheating by blocking air vents, many tasks being performed at the same time, problems with outdated video card driver or with the BIOS.

What is Thermal Throttling?

According to Intel, the manufacturer of Intel® Core ™ processors, there are two modes of thermal protection: throttling (reducing the clock) and automatic shutdown.

When a core exceeds the set and recommended temperature, the processor begins to reduce power (activates throttling) to bring the temperature back to what is ideal. This ideal temperature may vary according to the settings.

If the conditions are so severe that the throttling limitation is unable to keep the temperature low, such as a thermal solution failure or a set of associated problems (obstructed air vents, accumulated tasks and lack of update), the processor chooses to automatically shut down to prevent permanent damage.

That is, the heat caused by processing (added to the heat from hot environments) can slow down your PC due to the thermal protection, Throttling.

Symptoms of PC overheating

Intel also offers a list of symptoms and signs of overheating on the PC.

• The PC turns on, but turns off automatically after a short period of time;
• The reported operating frequency of the CPU is less than expected;
• Evidence of CPU acceleration;
• General slowness of the system;
• The noise of the CPU / system fan is in excess (noisy cooler).

Is reaching the maximum temperature a serious problem?

Still according to Intel, not necessarily. Some processors use Turbo Boost technology that allows them to operate at high frequency for a period of time (short and without overclocking). And when the processor is operating at (or close to) its maximum frequency, it is possible for the temperature to rise rapidly.

What about overcloking?

Overclocking is a process that can damage components, especially if the hardware was not designed for it or if you overdo it. You should only overclock if you have no problems with the possibility of damaging something.

If you are looking to increase your gaming performance, for example, you can look for more information about graphics card overclocking, always with care.

Microsoft words :