Why does the performance of a computer processor deteriorate when it overheats?
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It does not deteriorate with heat. The processor will be slowed down artificially as the temperature rises in order to prevent it from reaching temperatures that can damage or harm the hardware.
Most processor manufacturers consider running at 100-105 degrees Celsius as safe, even for long periods of time. Experiments show that severe hardware degradation only starts at temperatures above 120C. It makes sense to design the entire system (cooling, power control, performance control) so that the processor runs as close to 100C when operating at peak performance. If your cooling system is too weak the processor will heat up faster and might need to be slowed down, reducing performance. If your cooling system is too strong, you might be using additional power/weight/size to keep the processor colder for no additional benefit. This is especially an important consideration in laptops, where you want to find a right balance of size, weight, performance and battery life.
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