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Idle is a state that a computer processor is in when it is not being used by any program. Every program or task that runs on a computer system occupies a certain amount of processing time on the CPU. If the CPU has completed all tasks it is idle. Modern processors use idle time to save power.
A good temperature for your desktop computer's CPU is around 120℉ when idle, and under 175℉ when under stress.
ACPI 1.0 (1996) defines a way for a CPU to go to idle "C states", but defines no frequency-scaling system. ACPI 2.0 (2000) introduces a system of P states (power-performance states) that a processor can use to communicate its possible frequency–power settings to the OS. The operating system then sets the speed as needed by switching between ...
The selection of a heat sink may end up with overheating (and CPU reduced performances) or overcooling (oversized, expensive heat sink), depending if one chooses a too high or a too low case temperature Tc (respectively with a too low or too high ambient temperature Ta), or if the CPU operates with different computational loads.
The dust buildup on this laptop CPU heatsink after three years of use has made the laptop unusable due to frequent thermal shutdowns. In operation, the temperature of a computer's components will rise until the heat transferred to the surroundings is equal to the heat produced by the component, that is, when thermal equilibrium is reached. For ...
Running a processor at high clock speeds allows for better performance. However, when the same processor is run at a lower frequency (speed), it generates less heat and consumes less power. In many cases, the core voltage can also be reduced, further reducing power consumption and heat generation.
In many applications, the CPU and other components are idle much of the time, so idle power contributes significantly to overall system power usage. When the CPU uses power management features to reduce energy use, other components, such as the motherboard and chipset, take up a larger proportion of the computer's energy.
In computing, computer performance is the amount of useful work accomplished by a computer system. Outside of specific contexts, computer performance is estimated in terms of accuracy, efficiency and speed of executing computer program instructions. When it comes to high computer performance, one or more of the following factors might be involved: