Strange GPU temperatures

[Jon33]

I have just checked the temp on the graphics card and its reading around the mid 80s when idle and getting over 100 when playing games.

XFX GeForce 6800 GT 256MB DDR3 TV-Out/Dual DVI (PCI-Express)

Is the card I have nothing is overclocked as far as I know, are these readings wrong surely the thing would have broke by now if they are right?

 

[Zefan]

My 6800 gets 80-90 in some games, I think they just run hot.

I know it may sound stupid but check the fan is spinning properly, I had been fiddling once and left the fan cable unplugged and it hit 115 degrees and it didn't break. They can withstand 85+ degrees quite well it seems compared to newer cards.

If you're in a particularly hot room then that will have something to do with it aswell.

Try re-seating the heat sink with some decent thermal paste, it can make quite a lot of difference.

 

[Dingleberry88]

Clean out any dust.

When I had my 6800GT on the stock cooler it got clogged quite frequently.

 

[MetalStorm]

Graphics cards do run rather hot compared to CPUs, the latest 2900XTXs draw the same or more power than a high end prescot core and have a much smaller heatsink, its obviously going to be hotter.