# Possible causes of computer running hot? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 30, 2015, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-causes-of-computer-running-hot/729404 "2015-08-30T17:29:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2015, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-causes-of-computer-running-hot/729404/1 "2015-08-30T17:29:16Z")
My cheap laptop has an AMD Phenom II P650, which I find has a Thermal Design Power rating of 35 Watts, here: [PassMark - AMD Phenom II P650 Dual-Core - Price performance comparison](http://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=AMD+Phenom+II+P650+Dual-Core) I see that this is a Watt rating that is alongside the Haswell i5 chips from Intel (I know the i5 is getting more done for the same power) but my laptop’s fan is running hard basically all the time. I’ve blown out the dust from the fan’s air path, and I can’t see any blockages. Is the TDP not a good indication of what I can expect in the real world, concerning heat problems? I hear that AMD chips run hot, but is this not directly connected to the TDP? ---
**Author:** ![JKilez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@JKilez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKilez)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2015, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-causes-of-computer-running-hot/729404/2 "2015-08-30T19:00:07Z")
Heat problems are much about getting rid of heat, as they are about creating it. Laptops are cramped spaces and often constructed of materials that are insulators. It only takes a small source to heat them up. Combine that with poor ventilation and a cheap fan and you can easily have a laptop that is always running hot, but still within operating limits. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2015, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-causes-of-computer-running-hot/729404/3 "2015-08-30T19:07:43Z")
[Ice packs for Laptops](http://www.alibaba.com/showroom/laptop-ice-pack.html) … heat is a laptop’s enemy. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2015, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-causes-of-computer-running-hot/729404/4 "2015-08-30T19:23:42Z")
Heat ruined the memory of the company computer where I used to work. ---
**Author:** ![Archeonomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7cd45c/32.png) [@Archeonomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Archeonomist)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-causes-of-computer-running-hot/729404/5 "2015-08-31T04:13:38Z")
Cheap AMD chips are known to run hot. One of my old laptops is a budget AMD and has the exact same issues. I use a cooling pad with built in fans that are powered from one of the usb ports on the laptop, and that works very well for me. It’s something like this. [http://www.bestbuy.com/site/targus-dual-fan-chill-mat-cooling-system/8848369.p?id=1219371616011&skuId=8848369](http://www.bestbuy.com/site/targus-dual-fan-chill-mat-cooling-system/8848369.p?id=1219371616011&skuId=8848369) ---
**Author:** ![iljitsch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/77aa72/32.png) [@iljitsch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iljitsch)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-causes-of-computer-running-hot/729404/6 "2015-08-31T13:46:06Z")
35 W is a lot of heat to be generated by a small chip, so it makes sense that the fans are running when you’re running the CPU at full blast. The question is: why is the CPU busy 24/7? That’s not normal. Are you sure you don’t have a worm or virus mining bitcoins on your computer? Or you’re keeping a bunch of web browser tabs open at all times? ---
**Author:** ![chowching](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@chowching](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowching)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-causes-of-computer-running-hot/729404/7 "2015-08-31T16:47:55Z")
Is it a brand new laptop? If you have been using it for quite some time now then it is possible that dust has accumulated in the laptop’s fan. Or the thermal paste needs some replacing. Also, what programs are you running? These can contribute to how fast your laptop heats up. If it constantly heats up then it is good that the fan is running hard. You can actually change how the fan works in the BIOS. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-causes-of-computer-running-hot/729404/8 "2015-08-31T17:27:59Z")
Download [Speccy](https://www.piriform.com/speccy) freeware, which will tell you if your computer is actually running hot or in the normal range.