Guys, IMHO this is a pointless argument. Granted, folks who build their own gaming rigs tend to ensure that they have top-notch cooling and appropriate clock frequencies, voltages, etc. However, your average player that buys a pre-built machine or a laptop can't be expected to have a know-how for that. RPM of their GPU fan could be grossly inadequate or overall air flow could be bad, and they may not even realize that something is off until GPU goes south.
With respect, i think they can 'be expected to have the know-how'.
If people want pick up and play, with no know-how need, theres console gaming.
PC gaming requires a little know-how, knowing how to monitor FPS, temps, and fan speeds, how to maintain and optimise a PC, and basic trouble shooting ..its all Basic know-how when it comes to PC's.
You dont need to know how to build a PC, but you should be able to maintain it, to understand the simple things like why a 'simple' looking game may max out a GPU while a 'complex' game does not, what to check to figure that out. (Check FPS, if the former is 100+ and the later is locked at 60, there you go)
Its like owning and drivng a car. You dont just learn to drive a car, buy one, and thats it.
You learn some basic 'know-how'. How to refuel it, how to top up the wiper fluid, how to change a tire with ur spare, how to check oil levels. What all the gauges mean, what the warning lights mean, etc. You dont have to be a mechanic, u just learn the basics beyond how to simply drive it.