How to Monitor Fan Speed on a Gaming Laptop

The maker's control center

Gaming laptops generally carry a control center from the maker, the same app that lets you switch performance modes and set lighting. On ASUS laptops that app is Armoury Crate, on Lenovo it is Vantage, on MSI it is MSI Center, on Acer it is Predator Sense, on HP it is Omen Gaming Hub, and on Dell and Alienware it is Command Center. Open the app and look for a sensor page or a monitoring tile; the fan speed is listed there.

The fan readout appears as a number with a label such as CPU fan, GPU fan, or system fan. On a laptop with multiple fans, the software shows an entry per fan. The same page also shows the activity of the processor and graphics card, so you can read the fan value alongside the other sensor data.

On GeForce RTX 50 series laptops, the NVIDIA app handles Game Ready and Studio Drivers, while the fan readout stays in the maker's control center (NVIDIA's RTX 50 series laptop page describes the NVIDIA app).

Reading the value in RPM

RPM stands for revolutions per minute: the number of full turns a fan blade makes in a minute. The control center displays this value live and updates it continuously. A reading at the minimum of the scale means the fan is not turning. A reading above the minimum means the fan is turning at that speed.

You do not need to convert the value to anything else. The RPM number is the direct reading from the sensor on the fan. The maker software and a third-party utility both read the same sensor, so the number matches.

The control center may also draw a graph of the fan speed over time in the same window. A graph is useful if you want to see the value change over a session without writing down readings.

Utilities such as HWiNFO

A third-party utility such as HWiNFO reads the sensors on the laptop directly. Run it in sensors-only mode; the main window becomes a list of sensor entries. The fan entries appear with the same RPM values you saw in the maker software.

You can keep the utility open in a second window while you play. It does not affect the laptop's operation; it only reads the sensors. It also lets you save a log of sensor values to a file, which gives you a record of how the fan speed moved during a session.

The utility is an option when you want a second readout to compare against the maker software. It runs alongside the control center without changing any settings.

What Windows itself offers

Windows 11 has its own performance tools, but fan RPM is not part of the standard views. Task Manager shows how much of the CPU, memory, and GPU is in use. Performance Monitor can add counters for system activity, but fan speed is not among the counters it offers.

Microsoft's Windows 11 specifications page lists the system requirements for the operating system. The tools you need for reading fan speed sit outside Windows; use the maker software or a sensor utility for that specific value.

Windows remains useful for seeing what the CPU and GPU are doing. Open Task Manager and watch the utilization graphs next to the fan value in the control center.

A quick routine for a playing session

Set up the sensor window before you start the session. Open the maker control center, find the sensor page, and leave it open. If you use an external monitor, place the sensor window there; the game can run on the built-in screen (see gaming laptop external monitor support).

During the session, glance at the sensor window to read the current fan speed. The value on screen answers a single question: how fast is the fan turning right now. You can also compare the value at the start of the session with the value later in the session.

After the session, you can return to the sensor page and read the value again. The control center keeps the same page open, so you do not need to reopen anything.

Matching the laptop to your play

The fan readout is a standard feature of the maker control center, so the laptops covered in the site's buying guides all offer it. What you pick depends on how you play. For long sessions in large single-player worlds, see gaming laptops for AAA games. For competitive play at a high refresh rate, see esports gaming laptops.

If you carry the laptop to a friend's place, a portable gaming laptop makes it easy to keep the sensor window on the built-in screen. If you stream while you play, a laptop with more RAM, like the ones in the streaming guide, leaves room for the capture software and the sensor window at the same time.

For a larger display that shows the game and the sensor window side by side, consider a larger gaming laptop. The screen size is a personal choice; the fan readout works the same way on every panel.

Fan curves and further readings

Beyond a live reading, the maker control center usually includes a fan curve page. A fan curve sets how fast the fan turns at different points; you can adjust it if the laptop supports it. See how to adjust fan curves for the steps.

You can also compare the fan value with the CPU and GPU activity values in the same sensor window. Those values together tell you what the sensors report at any moment.

Intel's processor naming page lists the HX and H suffixes as the highest performance mobile parts; gaming laptops commonly use them, and the sensor page reports on the whole system.

What to pick for your play

Questions

Does Windows Task Manager show fan speed?

No. Task Manager shows CPU, memory, and GPU usage but not fan RPM. Use the maker's control center or a sensor utility such as HWiNFO for the fan readout.

Can I read fan speed without the maker software?

Yes. A utility such as HWiNFO can read the fan sensor directly and display the RPM value.

What does a stopped fan mean for the reading?

A stopped fan shows a value at the minimum of the scale. The software reads the sensor on the fan, and the minimum is the reading for a fan that is not turning.

Are there separate readings for each fan?

On a laptop with multiple fans, the sensor window shows an entry per fan, usually labeled CPU fan and GPU fan or system fan.

Can I record the fan speed over time?

A utility such as HWiNFO can save a log of sensor values. The maker control center shows a live value and sometimes a graph, but a saved log comes from the sensor utility.

Do I need a second display to monitor fan speed?

No. You can read the sensor window on the built-in screen before and after a session. A second display lets you keep the window open while you play, but it is not required.