The Microsoft Surface Studio is one of the best computers on the market, though many people find it difficult to use the screen as a regular monitor. The device was created mainly for creators, which means it is powerful enough to play some games.
Surface Studio overheating while gaming
Many owners have been using their Surface Studio to play all sorts of games, and with that comes a lot of problems. The latest we’ve come across is a user complaining about his Surface Studio overheating while gaming.
This particular user was having issues with Rainbow Six Siege and other unnamed games. Considering this, we summarize that the problem had nothing to do with the games themselves but rather the computer.
Gaming-related heat is nothing new, but when it comes down to the Surface Studio 2, we have to look into these because it is not a common occurrence:
- Surface Diagnostic Toolkit
- Heat transfer and airflow
- Do not play demanding games
- Update drivers and firmware
We will now talk about this problem in more detail.
1] Surface Diagnostic Toolkit
Most problems related to the Surface line of computers can be fixed by running the Surface Diagnostic Toolkit. The Microsoft Surface Diagnostic Toolkit is a lightweight, portable diagnostic tool that runs through a suite of tests to diagnose the hardware of Surface devices.
If the diagnostic tool can fix any problems, it will. However, there are times when the toolkit isn’t capable of getting the job done, so in that case, let’s look at some other options.
Related: Windows PC shuts down while gaming
2] Heat transfer and airflow
One of the main culprits that cause a Surface computer to overheat is the ventilation airways under the system. Some units also have these openings at the side and rear.
The user must check these vents to ensure that nothing stops proper airflow. If dust is clogging the airways, bring the device to a professional if you’re not versed in cleaning it yourself. We recommend a can of compressed air if you want to do it yourself.
In some situations, depending on the extent of the dust, a complete pull-down of the Surface Studio may be the only option for properly cleaning the components.
3] Do not play demanding games
Yes, the Surface Studio is a powerful computer, but it was not built primarily for gaming. Therefore, you should consider running games at low graphical settings to avoid placing a lot of stress on the graphics card and CPU. If running the game at the lowest setting still doesn’t resolve the issue, then play something else.
One should also close all apps running in the background so that the game can gain access to all available memory and CPU resources.
4] Update drivers and firmware
Chances are that the problem has a lot to do with outdated drivers and firmware. The first thing we will want to do is check the build of the Windows operating system. Get this done by pressing the Windows key + I to launch the Settings app, and from there, navigate to System > About.
The next step, then, is to download the latest drivers and firmware files if they are available. Simply visit microsoft.com to download the latest drivers and firmware for Surface. From here, you will want to choose the .MSI file that matches your current Windows OS build and hit Next.
Once the download is complete, run the file right away, then restart your computer to get things going.
We hope this post helps you.
Now read: Surface shuts down after black screen with Thermometer icon appears.
