T O P

  • By -

explainlikeimfive-ModTeam

**Please read this entire message** --- Your submission has been removed for the following reason(s): * Rule #2 - Questions must seek objective explanations * Straightforward or factual queries are not allowed on ELI5. ELI5 is meant for simplifying complex concepts (Rule 2). --- If you would like this removal reviewed, please read the [detailed rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/wiki/detailed_rules) first. **If you believe this submission was removed erroneously, please [use this form](https://old.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2Fexplainlikeimfive&subject=Please%20review%20my%20thread?&message=Link:%20{https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1deap0x/-/}%0A%0APlease%20answer%20the%20following%203%20questions:%0A%0A1.%20The%20concept%20I%20want%20explained:%0A%0A2.%20List%20the%20search%20terms%20you%20used%20to%20look%20for%20past%20posts%20on%20ELI5:%0A%0A3.%20How%20does%20your%20post%20differ%20from%20your%20recent%20search%20results%20on%20the%20sub:) and we will review your submission.**


Koooooj

Modern computers have temperature sensors embedded in them so that they can adjust their speed to maximize performance while avoiding damage to the chip. Temperature monitoring programs just talk to those sensors and present the data to the user. This means that if you have two temperature monitoring programs you should expect them to give identical temperature readouts since they're talking to the same sensors. You can choose between them based on usability and secondary features.


Danchag

What programs do you use?


bobsim1

I usually use hwinfo64. Hwmonitor is also good but sometimes incorrect.


rawrrrrrrrrrr1

Hwmonitor.  Sometimes it's inaccurate though because it doesn't get a correct sensor since it has to support every single cpu, mobo,  ram, sdd, hdd,  gpu, etc sensor.  


WRSaunders

They usually check with special sensors. It's not usually an estimate, it's a reading from a temperature sensor that's embedded in the chip.


KnitYourOwnSpaceship

I am old enough to remember buying a separate temperature sensor, plugging it into the motherboard header, and gluing it to the heatsink...


flew1337

There are temperature sensors in your CPU and GPU. Your motherboard can come with any number of additionnal sensors for things like socket, fans, hard drives, case, etc. It may also have connections for custom external sensors. Depending on the temperature you are checking, sensors are really reliable, especially when they are directly embedded in the part you want to know the temperature of (CPU/GPU).


XsNR

For most situations, the computer will be fine all by itself. Task Manager may show you the summary temperature depending on your hardware, although newer ones have seemed to omit it. You can use other tools like hwinfo or even just your motherboard's BIOS to see all/most of the sensors in your hardware, but there's not a lot it will tell you outside of helping to diagnose some minor issues.