Wirebook › Glossary › Thermal throttling
What is thermal throttling?
In one sentence: When a gadget slows its chip down on purpose because it is getting too hot, so it makes less heat and cools off.
A little more
Every chip has a temperature it shouldn't go past. When a gadget gets close, it turns its processor's speed down so it makes less heat. That's thermal throttling. Because heat grows faster than speed, slowing down a little cools things a lot.
You notice it as a game dropping frames, an app feeling sluggish, or charging slowing down. If the gadget keeps heating, for example in a hot car, it may show a 'too hot' warning and pause almost everything until it cools. It's a safety feature, not a fault.
It's a bit like… A runner slowing to a jog on a hot day so they don't overheat, then speeding up again in the shade.
See it in action
- BonusWhy do phones and computers get hot?Heat up a pretend phone with games, charging, a duvet or a sunny car, tug a pretend blanket to feel how insulation traps heat, and watch it slow down to protect itself.9 min · interactive
- BonusWhy does a full battery die in the cold?Your tablet said 45% and switched off on a snowy hill, then came back indoors.7 min · interactive