Core Temp Vs Socket Temp.

[sir_bacharach]

Hi, My case and CPU fans are controlled by the Socket Temperature of the board.

My CPU is watercooled with the Corsair H110 and it keeps the Package (I'm guessing this is core temp) down to around 36C maximum when under load with Prime95 (Depending on room temperature). However, the socket reaches up to 66C.

I'm guessing the Water cooling system is doing it's job and keeping the heat away from the cores, but is not really able to get it away from the socket very well.

My question is simply, does it matter?

I mean will a hot socket cause the computer to crash or only hot cores? I'm guessing the answer is no and I'm guessing the temperature sensor on the socket is to control the fans and keep the core temperatures down. I imagine it's better to control the fans based on socket temperature to keep the overall average temperature down as temperatures of cores can spike rapidly under load. For example under load I could have a 60C socket but a sudden drop of core temp to 10C but then it will shoot back up to 35C, which would mean that if the fan speeds were based on core temperatures the fan speed that was set would be completely erratic?

What are your takes on this?

 

[clutchc]

If you are reading "package temp" at 36C under Prime95 load, that does not have anything to do with the CPU. The socket temp will follow the CPU temp to some degree. What temp pgm are you using and what is the CPU and motherboard?

Core temp is what you should be reading.

 

[sir_bacharach]

I'm using CPUID HWMONITOR. I can't seem to see a value for Core temperature on there. Theres a section for the cpu then it just says package beneath.

 

[sir_bacharach]

Cpu is fx 9590 and mb is Asus M5a99x evo r2.0

 

[sir_bacharach]

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/answers/id-2226520/hwmonitor-readings-cpu-temps-package-temps.html

My hwmonitir screen looks similar to this guys. This thread seems to suggest the package temp is the core temp collected from multiple cores.

 

[clutchc]

HWMonitor doesn't always display core temps on AMD processors. And when it does, it isn't always accurate. AMD has... an issue with their temp sensors. When I had my FX-8350, FX-6300, and a couple APUs I ignored those 3rd party temp pgms and went with AMD Overdrive. Instead of core temps, it will display the thermal margin of the cores. That is more important anyway because it will show you at a glance how much room you have left until the processor throttles to save itself. I like to keep the TM in the double digits at max load.
http://www.techspot.com/downloads/4645-amd-overdrive.html

Here is a better explanation of reading temps on modern AMD processors since the demise of the K10 line (Phenoms, Athlons): http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-2122665/understanding-temperature-amd-cpus-apus.html

 

[sir_bacharach]

HWMonitor doesn't always display core temps on AMD processors. And when it does, it isn't always accurate. AMD has... an issue with their temp sensors. When I had my FX-8350, FX-6300, and a couple APUs I ignored those 3rd party temp pgms and went with AMD Overdrive. Instead of core temps, it will display the thermal margin of the cores. That is more important anyway because it will show you at a glance how much room you have left until the processor throttles to save itself. I like to keep the TM in the double digits at max load.
http://www.techspot.com/downloads/4645-amd-overdrive.html

Here is a better explanation of reading temps on modern AMD processors since the demise of the K10 line (Phenoms, Athlons): http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-2122665/understanding-temperature-amd-cpus-apus.html

Thank you very much, that's fantastic advice, I've downloaded AMD Overdrive and it's superb, I like the idea of the Thermal Margin telling me how many degrees I have left before my CPU will be throttled, very clever stuff.

I just need to make sure I don't mess with any of the over-clocking functions.

Thanks again, this advice is perfect.