How to eliminate laptop overheating in games: from cleaning to undervolting

you run Call of Duty: Warzone or The Witcher 3, and after 20 minutes the laptop begins to hum like a jet plane, the keyboard heats up to an unpleasant temperature, and FPS drops below the baseboard? Overheating is one of the most common problems with gaming laptops, and it not only ruins the gaming experience, but also reduces component life 2–3 times. Video cards NVIDIA RTX 40-series and processors Intel Core i9-13900H or AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX in a compact laptop case there are up to 150–200 W heat - it's like a little heater on your lap.

In this article - 7 proven methods reduce the temperature of the laptop without losing performance, from basic (cleaning and replacing thermal paste) to advanced (undervolting and limiting TDP). We will also look at what temperatures are considered normal for different models, why MSI GS66 gets hotter ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14, and what to do if the laptop shuts down due to overheating right during the stream. Spoiler: in 80% of cases the problem is solved without contacting a service center.

1. Temperature norms: when a laptop heats up “as it should”, and when it’s already dangerous

Before you rush to disassemble your laptop or limit the processor power, you need to understand what temperatures are considered normal for your model. Manufacturers often remain silent about real limits, but there are general guidelines:

Component	Normal under load (games)	Critical temperature	Consequences of overheating
Processor (Intel/AMD)	70–90°C	95–105°C	Throttling (FPS drop), shutdown
Video card (NVIDIA/AMD)	65–85°C	90–100°C	Artifacts on the screen, chip degradation
Hard drive (HDD/SSD)	up to 50°C	60°C+	Data loss, reduced service life
RAM	up to 60°C	70°C+	Blue screens (BSOD), errors in games

⚠️ Attention: If your Intel Core i7-12700H stays stable 95°C in Apex Legends, this is not the norm - even though the maximum temperature for this processor is stated as 100°C. Prolonged operation at the limit leads to thermal interface degradation and reducing the life of the chip by 30–40%.

How to check the temperature? Use programs:

• 🔥 HWMonitor — shows the temperatures of all components in real time.
• 🎮 MSI Afterburner + RivaTuner — displays GPU temperature directly in the game.
• 💻 Core Temp - specializes in processors Intel And AMD.
• 📊 ThrottleStop — for monitoring throttling (automatic reduction of frequencies).

2. Cleaning your laptop from dust: why it works better than any “cooler”

The main reason for overheating in 90% of cases is cooling system clogged with dust. Even in new laptops like Lenovo Legion 7 or Acer Predator Helios 300 After 6–12 months, dust forms a dense layer on the radiator and fan blades, blocking airflow. Result: CPU temperature rises by 15–25°C, and the coolers work at maximum, creating noise.

How to properly clean a laptop:

1. Turn off your laptop and disconnect the battery (if it is removable).
2. Use plastic spatula or a pick to gently open the back cover. In some models (for example, Dell G15) To do this, you need to unscrew all the screws, including those hidden under the rubber feet.
3. Blow off the dust with a compressor (not with a vacuum cleaner!) or use soft bristle brush for the radiator. Pay attention to the fan - its blades should rotate freely.
4. If dust has mixed with thermal paste and formed a “crust” on the processor/video card, it must be carefully removed with a cotton swab dipped in isopropyl alcohol (90%+).

⚠️ Attention: Never use for cleaning wet wipes or a household vacuum cleaner - static electricity can damage the motherboard. Also, do not blow with your mouth: saliva contains acids that will corrode contacts over time.

How much dust can there be in a laptop? On average, it accumulates per year 3–5 grams - this is enough to block 50-70% of the air flow. For example, in HP Omen 16 after a year of operation without cleaning the temperature RTX 3070 Ti rose from 78°C to 94°C in Red Dead Redemption 2.

Screwdriver (usually Phillips PH0 or PH1)

Plastic spatula for opening the case

Compressor for purging (or a can of compressed air)

Soft bristle brush

Isopropyl alcohol (90%+)

Cotton buds

Thermal paste (if you change it) -->

3. Replacing thermal paste: why the factory one “dries out” in 6 months

Thermal paste is thermal conductive material between the processor/video card and the heatsink. Over time, it dries out and becomes less effective. In budget laptops (for example, Acer Nitro 5 or MSI Katana) manufacturers often save money by applying cheap paste, which degrades after 3–6 months.

How to understand when it's time to change thermal paste:

• 🌡️CPU temperature under load increased by 10–15°C compared to the “new” state.
• 🔊 Coolers work at maximum, but the temperature does not drop.
• 🖥️Laptop starts throttle (reduce frequencies) already at 80–85°C.
• 🕒 After switching on, the temperature quickly rises to 90°C even in the BIOS menu.

Which thermal paste should I choose? Optimal for gaming laptops:

• 🥇 Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut — the best balance of price and efficiency (service life ~2 years).
• 💎 Noctua NT-H2 — easy to apply, does not conduct electricity.
• 🔥 Arctic MX-6 - a budget option with good thermal conductivity.
• ⚠️ Liquid metal (Conductonaut) - only for experienced ones! Dangerous if applied incorrectly (can short out the motherboard).

How to apply thermal paste:

1. Remove old paste from processor and heatsink cotton swab with isopropyl alcohol.
2. Apply a pea-sized drop (≈0.1 ml) to the center of the processor. For AMD Ryzen 9 or Intel Core i9 maybe a little more.
3. Reinstall the radiator and tighten the screws evenly criss-crossto avoid distortions.

What happens if you apply too much thermal paste?

Excess paste can leak past the edges of the processor and onto motherboard components, causing a short circuit. This is especially dangerous for liquid metal - it conducts electricity and can destroy a laptop in seconds. The optimal layer is 0.1–0.3 mm (thin film).

4. Undervolting: how to reduce the temperature by 10–15°C without losing FPS

Undervolting - this is a reduction in the voltage supplied to the processor without reducing its frequencies. In practice this means that Intel Core i7-12800H or AMD Ryzen 7 6800H will heat up less, but at the same time will not lose performance. In games like Assassin’s Creed Valhalla or Starfield this can give an increase in stability and a decrease in temperature by 10–15°C.

How to do undervolting:

1. Download ThrottleStop (for Intel) or Ryzen Controller (for AMD).
2. B ThrottleStop go to the tab FIVR and lower the value CPU Core And CPU Cache on 50–100 mV (for example from 1.250V to 1.150V).
3. Click Apply and test stability in Prime95 or Cinebench R23.
4. If the laptop does not turn off and does not display errors, reduce the voltage by another 10–20 mV and repeat the test.

⚠️ Attention: Not all processors lend themselves well to undervolting. For example, Intel Core i9-13900HK may be “locked” by the laptop manufacturer (as in some models Alienware m16), and the voltage change will be blocked. In this case, it will only help TDP limit (see next section).

Example of undervolting results on ASUS TUF Gaming A15 (Ryzen 9 5900HX + RTX 3060):

• 📉 Temperature in Cyberpunk 2077: was 92°C, has become 78°C.
• ⚡ Energy consumption: decreased from 85W to 70W.
• 🎮 FPS: no drop detected (100–110 frames on Ultra).

5. TDP limit: sacrifice 5% FPS for 20°C

If undervolting doesn't help or your processor is locked (as in many Legion or ROG Strix), you can compromise - limit TDP (thermal package). This will reduce the maximum processor power, but the temperature will drop by 15–20°C.

How to limit TDP:

• 🖥️ For Intel: use ThrottleStop → tab TPL → reduce Long Power Limit And Short Power Limit at 10–15W.
• 🖥️ For AMD: in Ryzen Controller reduce STAPM Limit And Fast Limit.
• 🎮 In some laptops (for example, MSI Raider GE76) there are proprietary utilities like Dragon Center, where you can select the mode Cool & Quiet.

Example for Lenovo Legion 5 (Ryzen 7 5800H + RTX 3070):

• 🔥 Original TDP: 80W, temperature in Far Cry 6 — 90°C.
• ❄️ After limit to 65W: temperature - 75°C, FPS dropped from 110 to 103 (~6% loss).

⚠️ Attention: Limiting TDP may result in microstutters in games, if the processor does not have time to process physics. For example, in Elden Ring or Star Citizen this manifests itself as short-term “freezes” when loading new locations. If you notice such symptoms, increase the TDP by 5W.

6. External cooling: which coolers really work

External coolers (cooling pad) are additional”, but not the main one way to combat overheating. They are effective if:

• 🖥️ Your laptop has holes for air intake from below (like ASUS TUF Dash F15).
• 🌡️CPU temperature does not exceed 85°C (if it’s already 95°C, the cooler won’t help).
• 💨 You are using a model with active airflow (fans) rather than a passive stand.

Top 3 cooling pads for gaming laptops:

Model	Cooling type	Temperature reduction	Price (2026)
Cooler Master NotePal X3	1 fan 200 mm	5–8°C	~3 500 ₽
IETS GT500	5 fans 120 mm	8–12°C	~5 000 ₽
DeepCool N60	2 fans 140 mm	6–10°C	~4 200 ₽

⚠️ Attention: Cheap stands with USB power (for example, for 1,000 ₽) are often worsen cooling, because they block the ventilation holes of the laptop. Before purchasing, please check if the stand is compatible with your model - some laptops (eg. Razer Blade 15) have a non-standard arrangement of air intakes.

7. Software settings: what to disable so that the laptop does not heat up

Even if the laptop hardware is fine, background processes and incorrect settings can add unnecessary load. Here's what to do:

• 🚫 Disable unnecessary programs in startup:
  • Click Ctrl + Shift + Esc → tab Autoload.
  • Disable NVIDIA GeForce Experience, Discord, Steam (if you don't use it) Razer Synapse and other background utilities.
• 🎮 Optimize your game settings:
  • B NVIDIA Control Panel install Preferred refresh rate on maximum, and Power management mode on Prefer Maximum Performance.
  • Disable it in the game settings RTX (ray tracing) And DLSS/FSR set to mode Quality (not Performance).
• 🔋 Set up your power plan:
  • Go to Control Panel → Power Options.
  • Select a scheme High performance, then click Set up power plan → Change advanced settings.
  • Install Maximum CPU Performance on 90–95% (not 100%).

⚠️ Attention: If you are using Windows 11, disable the function Core Isolation (Memory Integrity) in Windows Security → Device Security. She can add 5–10% CPU load in games, which leads to unnecessary heating.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about laptop overheating in games

🔥 My laptop turns off while playing. Is this due to overheating?

Most likely yes. Most laptops are configured to automatic shutdown at 100–105°C. Check the temperature in HWMonitor before turning off. If it is close to critical, clean the cooling system and change the thermal paste. If the laptop turns off at 80–90°C, the problem may be faulty sensor or BIOS (needs to be updated).

💻 Is it possible to play on a laptop without connecting to the network (on battery) so that it does not heat up?

Yes, but with reservations. When running on battery power, the laptop automatically limits performance (usually to 30–50% from maximum). This will lower the temperature, but FPS will drop by 2-3 times. For example, in Fortnite instead of 120 frames you will get 40–60. For light games (CS:GO, Minecraft) this method is suitable, but in Cyberpunk 2077 it will be impossible to play.

❄️ Do “cooling” stickers on the laptop case help?

No, it's marketing ploy. Stickers with a “gel” or “metalized layer” can reduce the temperature of the case by 1-2°C, but they do not affect the temperature of the processor/video card do not affect. It's better to spend money on a quality cooling pad or thermal paste.

🔧 Do I need to disassemble the laptop myself if it is under warranty?

If the laptop is under warranty, do not open it yourself - this will void the warranty. Contact the service center with a request clean the cooling system and replace thermal paste (this should be free if the problem is not your fault). If they refuse, request a written refusal and contact Rospotrebnadzor or contact the manufacturer via social networks.

🎮 Why does the new laptop get hotter than the old one?

Modern games (Alan Wake 2, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor) optimized for multithreading and use CPU/GPU 100%. Old laptops (for example, with GTX 1050 Ti) simply could not produce as much heat due to poor performance. In addition, new processors (Intel 13th generation, AMD Ryzen 7000) have higher transistor density, which increases heat generation at the same frequencies.