Are you interested why someone would toss a PC from the roof? Well, let me explain. As a tech geek, I recently ran a series of tests to test the boundaries of gaming PCs and reveal some fascinating facts. One of the experiments entailed removing the CPU cooler to determine if it would effect the system's performance. But before I go into the specifics of that experiment, let me give some background information.
My buddy, Mr. Yeester, who is also a computer geek, dropped over with a suggestion to try some TikTok tech hacks. This aroused my interest and pushed me to examine my own beliefs and assumptions regarding gaming PCs. I wanted to find out whether they would fail or not under particular scenarios. So, I went on a series of tests to push the frontiers of gaming PC performance.
The Importance of CPU Cooler in Gaming PCs
The CPU cooler is a key component in any gaming PC as it helps disperse the heat created by the CPU during operation. It comprises of a heat sink and fans that work together to maintain the CPU temperature within safe limits. Without a properly working CPU cooler, the CPU may rapidly overheat, resulting to performance deterioration or even system shutdown to protect the CPU from harm.
To evaluate the effect of removing the CPU cooler, I began by measuring the temperature of the CPU with the stock cooler installed. The system was functioning nicely, and the CPU temperature was at a constant 29 degrees Celsius. However, when I removed the CPU cooler, the temperature jumped from 33 to 50 degrees Celsius within seconds. This was a large rise and suggested that the CPU was not being effectively cooled without the cooler.
I continued to watch the temperature, and as predicted, it kept increasing slowly. At roughly 100 degrees Celsius, which is close to the maximum temperature limit for most CPUs, the CPU throttled down to lessen the heat production. If this didn't work, the CPU would shut itself off, or the motherboard would intercede and switch off the CPU to avoid any harm. This was clear from the red LED on the motherboard, suggesting that the machine was not performing efficiently without a CPU cooler.
Unexpected Results with Lenovo AI Engine+
Just when I believed the experiment would conclude with the CPU shutting down due to high heat, something unexpected occurred. The temperature immediately steadied and leveled off, showing that the CPU was able to cool down to some degree on its own. I was astonished by this conclusion, since it went against my first thoughts.
To further test the system's robustness, I opted to start Windows without a CPU cooling and examine the clock speeds. To my astonishment, the system was still operating, but with lower clock rates of roughly 2 gigahertz. Core Temp revealed that the CPU was sucking roughly eight to nine watts of electricity and running at temperatures ranging from 83 to 100 degrees Celsius, depending on the load.
I chose to stress test the CPU using Prime95, a common application for measuring CPU performance under extreme pressure. As predicted, the CPU throttled down to 1.4 gigahertz to handle the heat, but it was still working. This was a clear indicator that the CPU was performing as planned by automatically decreasing voltage and clock speeds to reduce the heat created without a cooler.
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