# How high is too high for CPU temps when I'm gaming? What can be done about high operating temps? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** computer-hardware\ **Created:** [August 10, 2026, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-high-is-too-high-for-cpu-temps-when-im-gaming-what-can-be-done-about-high-operating-temps/1032271 "2026-08-10T16:15:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 4
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2026, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-high-is-too-high-for-cpu-temps-when-im-gaming-what-can-be-done-about-high-operating-temps/1032271/4 "2026-08-11T12:40:05Z")
Wow, two very different replies! First, I appreciate and value both replies, and despite how different they are, I don’t think either one is completely wrong or completely right. @BigT’s reply, beyond simply being the most reassuring answer, is in line with AMD’s operating temperature recommendations, which are higher than for other CPU brands. I am aware of this, but a max of 95C still seems very high to me-- that’s over 200F. Seems pretty damn hot. @Askance , to answer your questions, I haven’t been tracking my GPU temps. The Aura software ‘smart’ setting just says it tracks ‘temperature’ which I assume only means my CPU, though I have separate software that can track my GPU temps-- I’ll check what they peg out at next time I try to play Cyberpunk. My fans seem to be working as they should. A reapplication of thermal paste seems like it couldn’t hurt to do. Oh, and as for 80C being the ‘red zone’ in the Aura software, that was my setting, not Aura’s. It was recommended in a thread I started for advice on this computer that for AMD I could do a range of 50-80C for the yellow zone. So, theoretically at least, I could go 85C for my red zone setting and still be 10C under the operating limit. > [@Help me spec out a new work at home PC?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-spec-out-a-new-work-at-home-pc/952008/109): > > Keep in mind that the thermal limit for your CPU is 95C (at which point it will start throttling to lower heat before ultimately turning itself off if necessary) so you still have a lot of safe working room over 60C in the red. You wouldn’t want to leave it at 92C constantly but it could spend its life at 72C and be perfectly fine. I guess I’m just saying not to start worrying each time the LEDs turn red. If I was setting the temps, I’d probably put red at 80C+ which is where I’d start wond… --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-high-is-too-high-for-cpu-temps-when-im-gaming-what-can-be-done-about-high-operating-temps/1032271)._