Will higher temperatures damage a computer over time, even when not reaching max? [closed]

Solution 1:

Parts that are more suseptable to heat just because of what the part is made of:
There are components of the motherboard that have a longer MTBF (mean time between failure) when they are cooler during operation. some Capacitor types for example.

The silicoln parts:
I have worked with other components that are used on motherboards, and they will also fail when under great stress of extreeme heat for a very long time. Mosfets, other transisters, and diodes for example.

MTBF (explained simply) Is not always a fixed time that a component WILL fail. A component could fail the first day, or never fail. So you cant know when, it just becomes more likely. http://www.ece.cmu.edu/~ganger/ece546.spring02/readings/mtbf.description

First times of operation:
Most of the components , drives , processors and all will have a higher likelyhood for fail the first days or months of use, then a lower fail rate as the item is actually working good running and just doing that for long times.

Old School
A processor which is millions of tiny transisters, in a very durable packaging, can be very happy running at <60C for a very long time. I have never lost any processors or other microcontrollers, disk controllers, or video processing chip items using <60c

It is going to be mostly linear to a point
I did not easily find temp MTBF graphs for intel or amd processors (needs good citations) some graphs for processor items are showing mostly linear to 80c.
Many of the Intel data sheets are how many hours they expect it will last at logical temps for the items. If I sumarised a lot of stuff that I have seen and just remember as a logic for it, cooler is always better, but if you follow recomendations it will be obsolete before the difference matters.

The New School
CPU and GPU items are now being pushed to the end of the graph 100*c where IMO the failure rate should increase by volumes. Overclockers taking them to there and over, and ALSO really stressing it with high voltage and 100% continuous operation, do kill processors at a much higher rate. Video cards speced to extreeme temps with smaller cooling capability are failing more. Techs are not paying extra for superior cooling because 100* is ok :-) The Max temperatures provided by manufactures has increased some, the elements that make those componenents up has not changed that much. I prefer to be more cautious, as the paying customer.

20 more reasons to avoid extreemes
1) Something else fails: fans have much higher failure rates, especially sleeve bearing fans, and tiny fans. if you start at extreeme temps and a fan fails or runs poorly, temps will swing up high fast.

2) Dont depend on protections: Internal heat protections on components and processors (failsafes/throttle) cannot always save things, a fast heat increase in one area may damage that area before the failsafes react.

3) Time: Dust , reduced thermal connection, flexing over time, If your on the edge it doesnt get better in time.

4) There is not a sencor on that: Many many times people were worried about 1 temperature, even to excess, while other as important items were going way over recommended temperature, they are putting more sencors in more places, which helps, but doesnt prove what your temps are mere MMs away from that sencor. The sencors themselves and the interpretation of them has a percentage of inaccuracy.

5) Human factors when they collect data, be it from 10,000 servers alone in a building, or from users, failure rates could be effected by awareness of the human to temperature conditions, and proper maintance. Failure stats from labs might not reflect our own reality.

6) LEDs used for display in portable computers, and desktop monitors have cooling needs also, the "lifetime" (light output to 50%) is reduced at the high temperatures.

I am sure there are 14 more :-)

I am not advocating either extreeme, a good balance is enough.

Solution 2:

If the temperature within your machine gets too high it would damage the components yes. But most non custom machines these days have a cut off point which cuts the power to your machine if it gets too hot.

to be precise though, if the components in your machine would be damaged at 105 degrees and you were running it at 80, you should be fine.

But its generally good practice to keep your machine as cool as you can.

Solution 3:

It depends on your cooling.

Laptops are very prone to long-time high temperature damages. There are cases of laptop motherboards breaking when used to mine Bitcoins for a longer periods. Compact casings of laptops limit their cooling abilities.

Desktops are more immune to prolonged high temperatures, but it's still risky. Every device will break if exposed to high temps for a long time. Better cooling with extend your computer's longevity, but it won't prevent all damage.

Things that will probably break first are motherboard's CPU power section and graphics card's memory.