What is one potential consequence of overheating hardware components?

Overheating hardware components can lead to hardware failure due to the excessive heat causing physical damage to the internal structures of the component. Most electronic devices are designed to operate within specific temperature ranges. When these components exceed those limits, various issues can arise. For example, overheating can cause solder joints to weaken, materials to warp, or even semiconductor junctions to become damaged. This can result in permanent malfunction, rendering the device inoperable or severely affecting its performance.

The other potential outcomes listed, such as improved performance or extended lifespan, are not associated with overheating. Typically, heat decreases performance and can shorten the lifespan of hardware. Corrupted data may occur as a secondary effect if hardware failure leads to unexpected shutdowns or other malfunctions, but the primary and most direct consequence of overheating is indeed hardware failure.