Graphics Card Temperatures
Graphics Card Temperatures
So here we'll have a look at GPU temperatures. First up, IDLE (desktop) temperatures as reported through software on the thermal sensors of the GPU. IDLE temperatures first, overall anything below 50 Degrees C is considered okay, anything below 40 Degrees C is nice. We threw in some cards at random that we have recently tested in the above chart. But what happens when we are gaming? We fire off an intense game-like application at the graphics card and measure the highest temperature of the GPU.
So with the card fully stressed (3DMark Firestrike Scene #1 looped) we kept monitoring temperatures and noted down the GPU temperature as reported by the thermal sensor.
- The cards temperatures under heavy game stress will reach 83 Degrees C (totally passive, no active fan airflow). We note down the hottest GPU reading, not the average.
- Under the same stress with a TINY bit of airflow that temperature would not pass 60 Degrees C. We tested that with a fan placed 35 cm away from the cooler at only 500 RPOM (silent). So a little airflow will (obviously) make a huge difference.
Above 100% passive no active fan airflow
Above 1 fan 500 RPM pointed at the card (tiny breeze easily similar to airflow inside a PC).
