My computer gets super hot, what should I do?

[skillz22]

I have a Dell laptop with an i7 8550U and a Radeon 530 GPU. This isn't a recent thing, it has been happening since I got it, which was about a year ago (the problem may have increased without me noticing). Every time that I stress test the CPU or even just play a game, the CPU and GPU temps get crazy high, I'm talking above 90 degrees Celcius for the CPU and 84 Celcius for the GPU (furmark stress test and CPU stress test at the same time). If I run a benchmark inside XTU, the maximum temperature is displayed as 99 Celcius. This is with the graphics not being used at all. Basically, both the CPU and GPU thermal throttles really bad, for example, If I run the stress test on CPU-Z, the multi-core performance reaches peaks of 2100 when I first start it and slowly starts dropping off as the CPU heats up, once the boost period ends, it comes to rest at 1650. While the GPU bench is also running, I get dips of CPU multi-core performance down to 1400 in CPU-Z.

 

What's going on? Is my laptop's cooling system just really garbage? I attempted undervolting the CPU, but using that XTU benchmark, the maximum temperature was the same. I have actually thought about opening up the laptop to clean out the fan since it never stops spinning completely now (it used to when completely idle). Any other fixes that I should know about? is reapplying thermal paste a good idea?

[Bananasplit_00]

Cleaning and repasting with good paste could get you some thermals back but it likely won't fix it entirely 

[Shimejii]

That pretty much  is it, you just have to clean the vents making sure they dont accumulate dust, and just have it running like that. Stress benchmarks arent very good for laptops, they pretty much push them to the max. 90 and 84 isnt all that bad concidering some go to 100.

[NelizMastr]

Nothing you can really do about it but repaste or go liquid metal (not recommended). The ULV quad cores simply run hot.

[191x7]

If the laptop is still under warranty (probably is), send it to an official Dell repair service for them to clean it. Or try blowing it out with a compressor or DataVac/CompuClean or compressed air, a vacuum cleaner etc. Opening it if it's under warranty would void the warranty.

If it's not under warranty or if you strictly want to do it - replace the stock thermal paste with a better one, maybe even the thermal pads with graphite pads.

 

And get a cooling stand. Those help a lot.

[skillz22]

38 minutes ago, 191x7 said:

If the laptop is still under warranty (probably is), send it to an official Dell repair service for them to clean it. Or try blowing it out with a compressor or DataVac/CompuClean or compressed air, a vacuum cleaner etc. Opening it if it's under warranty would void the warranty.

If it's not under warranty or if you strictly want to do it - replace the stock thermal paste with a better one, maybe even the thermal pads with graphite pads.

 

And get a cooling stand. Those help a lot.

Pretty sure opening it up doesn't void the warranty, I had a dell service agent come and repair my keyboard, and he told me that I should add a bit more RAM. Kind of inferring here, but it seems like it's fine to open it up.

[skillz22]

36 minutes ago, PacketMan said:

It's just normal, it's an ultrabook (most likely) and it's not meant to be stressed with heavy tasks, I have the Xiaomi Notebook Pro with i7 8550U and MX150 and it runs as hot as yours while playing Overwatch

You have to live with it or sell it and buy another one (gaming laptop if that's what you are gonna do)

Not an ultrabook (Dell Inspiron 15 5000). I think it just has horrible cooling tbh.

[boggen]

with others

 

check if the fan is actually running. might be a bad fan, or some how unplugged.

 

remove heat-sink off cpu, and then re paste heat sink back on to cpu.

 

==================

if your heavy user on the laptop, think about getting a laptop fan / cradle that sets under the laptop. to help cool it down. 

 

myself use 1/2" thick strip of foam under laptop. quick easy. and lets laptop set on uneven surfaces nicely. 

 

 

[OPG Godsend]

Everyone seems to be on the same page for what can('t) be done.  
However, you can try buying a laptop cooling pad.  
Near the end of my old laptop's life, it would get so hot it would shut down.  
$10 cooling pad from Menard's remedied the problem.  
I don't know how far it dropped the temps, but it was at least far enough to keep it from shutting off.  
Plus, if it doesn't work, you're only out $10, so no big deal.