Why do computers generate so much heat?

+1 vote
asked Jul 23, 2018 in Hardware by Lonnie Selv (420 points)
Why do computers generate so much heat?

1 Answer

0 votes
answered Jul 25, 2018 by Ronka (280 points)
The major component in a computer that generates the most heat is the CPU or central processing unit that does calculations for the computer and tells the computer what you type into it or tell the computer to do.

A CPU is a resistive heating circuit and the more processes the CPU has to do the more heat it will generate.

This is why a fan usually sits directly on top of the CPU to cool it down and why a computer can start to slow to a crawl if the computer gets too hot.

Other components such as the hard drive and power supply generate some form of heat but not as much as the CPU.

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