Do temps matter no more? Next-gen Intel desktop CPUs might run as hot as Meteor Lake laptop chips

HardwareProcessorsDo temps matter no more? Next-gen Intel desktop CPUs might run as hot as Meteor Lake laptop chipsWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

(Image credit: Future)

Intel Core i9 13900K Raptor Lake chip on a promotional box

According to X user and hardware leakerJaykihn(viaTom’s Hardware), the TJMax for Arrow Lake (and Panther Lake) is going to be 105 °C. TJMax meansTemperature Junction Max, and refers to the maximum temperature the CPU can reach before it starts thermal throttling for safety.

Current-gen Intel desktop CPUs, like theIntel Core i9 14900K, have a TJMax of 100 °C and can get pretty hot. Their temperatures are nothing compared to those of Meteor Lake (Core Ultra) laptop CPUs, though, as Jacob found out with ahands-on earlier this year(I’ve also had one such laptop on my legs and those air vents can belethal). This is, to some extent, expected, because laptops don’t have the airflow space to work with that desktops do.

These laptop chips have a TJMax higher than the desktop ones, as they can safely reach up to 105 °C or 110 °C, with the high-end Core Ultra 9 185H falling in the latter bracket. If the rumour’s true, then, Arrow Lake might follow after Meteor Lake in the max temperature department.

Now, one may argue that max temps don’t necessarily correlate with actual feet-on-the-ground temperatures. A CPU could have a TJMax of 300 °C and run at 50 °C, sure enough. But the fact is, we’ve witnessed real-world temperature increases alongside TJMax increases. Think Meteor Lake, like I said. So, if this rumour’s true, there’s at least some reason to believe that Arrow Lake chips might run hotter than current-gen chips.

TJMax for Arrow Lake and Panther Lake is 105C.Lunar Lake retains the previous 100C.July 15, 2024

But even if they do, would it matter? Arrow Lake chips are not only going to use abrand new core layout, but they’ll also be built on a completely new process node (TSMC N3). In which case, perhaps all an increased TJMax means is that the new process and core layout allows for more heat without anything going awry… which is a good thing, right? Some AMD chips run pretty hot and work perfectly fine—just look at theRyzen 7 7700X.

Hotter, but better. Let’s just hope the new processors don’t run into thecrashing and chip failure problemsthat some top-end 13th and 14th Gen chips seem to be currently facing.

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals

More about processorsIf you’re a content creator and gamer looking for a CPU upgrade, this Ryzen 9 9900X deal will get you $90 offAMD accuses Intel’s Arrow Lake of being a ‘horrible’ product and implies a lack of options for consumers has caused the Ryzen 7 9800X3D shortageLatestSpeedrunning Crazy Taxi with a live band is an inventive way to dodge a DMCA takedownSee more latest►

More about processors

If you’re a content creator and gamer looking for a CPU upgrade, this Ryzen 9 9900X deal will get you $90 offAMD accuses Intel’s Arrow Lake of being a ‘horrible’ product and implies a lack of options for consumers has caused the Ryzen 7 9800X3D shortage

AMD Ryzen 9 9900X CPU on a blue background

If you’re a content creator and gamer looking for a CPU upgrade, this Ryzen 9 9900X deal will get you $90 off

AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D processor

AMD accuses Intel’s Arrow Lake of being a ‘horrible’ product and implies a lack of options for consumers has caused the Ryzen 7 9800X3D shortage

LatestSpeedrunning Crazy Taxi with a live band is an inventive way to dodge a DMCA takedownSee more latest►

Latest

Speedrunning Crazy Taxi with a live band is an inventive way to dodge a DMCA takedown

Crazy Taxi being speedrun with a live backing band

Speedrunning Crazy Taxi with a live band is an inventive way to dodge a DMCA takedown

See more latest►

Most Popular

Here’s a game about being a depressed, lonely maintenance robot on a long-haul space colony ship

Civilization 7 has been Steam Deck Verified ahead of its launch next month

23-year-old D&D RPG Neverwinter Nights just got a new update thanks to the ‘unpaid software engineers’ of its unkillable community

My Summer Car, the absurdly detailed Finnish life sim about vehicle maintenance and drinking in your underpants, smashes into 1.0 after nearly a decade in Steam early access

Assassin’s Creed Shadows takes a run at improving parkour, as Ubisoft strives to make the system less ‘like a gas pedal’

Today’s Wordle answer for Saturday, January 11

The Last of Us season 2 trailer is a brief look at a story you should probably just play yourself in April

Lords of the Fallen publisher embraces fear of the DEI boogeyman, says it will not include ‘any social or political agendas’ in its games

Epic CEO Tim Sweeney says tech leaders are ‘pretending to be Republicans’ to gain favor with Trump, skirt antitrust laws, and ultimately ‘rip off consumers and crush competitors’

If you’re trying to convince me your ‘companionship’ robot is ‘lifelike’, maybe don’t rip her face off in the demo video

HARDWARE BUYING GUIDESLATEST GAME REVIEWS1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads2Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop3Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most4Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands5Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: An anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review—like juggling chainsaws on horseback3WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review4Ikea Utespelare desk review5Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review

HARDWARE BUYING GUIDESLATEST GAME REVIEWS

1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads

A bunch of the best Steam Deck accessories on a blue background.

1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads

Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads

2Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop

Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop

3Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most

Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most

4Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands

Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands

5Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested

Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested

1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: An anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits

Thank Goodness You’re Here review

1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: An anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits

Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: An anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits

2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review—like juggling chainsaws on horseback

Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review—like juggling chainsaws on horseback

3WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review

WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review

4Ikea Utespelare desk review

Ikea Utespelare desk review

5Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review

Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals#

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals