Could anyone tell me the ACTUAL ideal temperature of an old i7 950?

[Kenton82]

Hello girls and guys!
As the title says. I am still running my old trusty i7 950. I have read so many conflicting answers! I am getting max temps at full load (in prime 95) of 72 - 73oC. Idle temps are fluctuating a bit, from core 4 being 33-35oC and core one 39-40oC. I will be re-pasting very soon but wanted a CPU expert view on these temps first. I am in the uk and ambient indoor temps at the moment are about +/- 20oC.

EDIT: I do realise that the CPU cooler is in no way the best! And if necessary, i am willing to change it - maybe a 212 evo?

As ever, any answers or opinions are greatly appreciated!

Cheers!
K.

 

[jimmyEatWord]

if you're still using the stock cooler it could be anything , you're better off switching to an aftermarket cooler .

 

[Kenton82]

if you're still using the stock cooler it could be anything , you're better off switching to an aftermarket cooler .

Hello mate, thanks for the reply, I'm using an Arctic Freezer 7 Pro Rev.2 at the moment.

Full specs in my name badge.

 

[Roland Of Gilead]

Well the tcase max for that processor is 67.9 which is the temp measured at the heat spreader. so 72-73 oc and at full load, although high, will not kill your proc, but will reduce the lifespan over time. If your idling at mid 30's that's pretty good. If at gaming your roughly in the range of 45-65 (game dependant) that's okay too. With the temps fluctuating from core to core by 1-5 degrees is normal. I've had that before on my Q6600, and unless your gonna de-lid you'll have to accept that.

Couple of things to do:
1. Give your heat-sink/fan a good blow out (compressed air). Make sure it's clean and the Arctic 7 is spinning okay.
2. Consider re-applying thermal paste.
3. If those things don't reduce temps a few degrees then your OC is too much for your current cooler. Look at a better one with results. I'm not a cooler aficionado, so perhaps someone else can advice whats most appropriate.

 

[Roland Of Gilead]

if you're still using the stock cooler it could be anything , you're better off switching to an aftermarket cooler .

'if you're still using the stock cooler it could be anything'

Well, that's not really true now is it. Stock coolers are designed to perfectly suit the processor they are bundled with and are proven to keep the CPU cool at a certain wattage rating. in this case, they are designed to remove heat from a 130w CPU. So of course, the temps won't be just anything, but rather within defined parameters, providing the hardware (in this case the stock cooler) is functioning correctly. So you can expect temps within a certain range. Of course the temps will fluctuate regardless of the cooler, as the CPU cycles and does different background tasks, or depending on load. Regardless, the OP doesn't have a stock cooler, and me need to do some simple housekeeping, or just get a higher rated cooler.

 

[jimmyEatWord]

if you're still using the stock cooler it could be anything , you're better off switching to an aftermarket cooler .

'if you're still using the stock cooler it could be anything'

Well, that's not really true now is it. Stock coolers are designed to perfectly suit the processor they are bundled with and are proven to keep the CPU cool at a certain wattage rating. in this case, they are designed to remove heat from a 130w CPU. So of course, the temps won't be just anything, but rather within defined parameters, providing the hardware (in this case the stock cooler) is functioning correctly. So you can expect temps within a certain range. Of course the temps will fluctuate regardless of the cooler, as the CPU cycles and does different background tasks, or depending on load. Regardless, the OP doesn't have a stock cooler, and me need to do some simple housekeeping, or just get a higher rated cooler.

well i remember i always had trouble with stock coolers , switching to an aftermarket always worked for me i don't know about you

 

[Kenton82]

Well the tcase max for that processor is 67.9 which is the temp measured at the heat spreader. so 72-73 oc and at full load, although high, will not kill your proc, but will reduce the lifespan over time. If your idling at mid 30's that's pretty good. If at gaming your roughly in the range of 45-65 (game dependant) that's okay too. With the temps fluctuating from core to core by 1-5 degrees is normal. I've had that before on my Q6600, and unless your gonna de-lid you'll have to accept that.

Couple of things to do:
1. Give your heat-sink/fan a good blow out (compressed air). Make sure it's clean and the Arctic 7 is spinning okay.
2. Consider re-applying thermal paste.
3. If those things don't reduce temps a few degrees then your OC is too much for your current cooler. Look at a better one with results. I'm not a cooler aficionado, so perhaps someone else can advice whats most appropriate.

Hello Keith, great advice there! I am going to re-paste very soon.
One thing i will say is, i have not OC'd my i7 so is runnig at stock 3.07Ghz and turbo 3.2Ghz as i have not got the balls to do it yet, but maybe something i will consider soon too. This is why the temps are starting to make me wonder!

Also the cooler, the case and all components for that matter are always kept clean and clear using air cans.

Regards,
K.

 

[SENOR BURTOS]

Hello mate, thanks for the reply, I'm using an Arctic Freezer 7 Pro Rev.2 at the moment.

Full specs in my name badge.

72-73 c for that CPU under prime 95 sounds very reasonable to me

It is a 130W TDP, it has to get hot, especially after running prime 95, that is a very unrealistic benchmark.

It stresses your hardware to the limits. You are never going to see those numbers under normal conditions at full load

I would only recommend grabbing a new cooler if you want to OC, because as far as I know those CPUs can OC very well

and I don't think the 212 EVO is the best cooler. You can just replace your thermal paste for that matter, it is the most common problem on PCs that have been left untouched for a while

 

[Rakanyshu]

Well the tcase max for that processor is 67.9 which is the temp measured at the heat spreader. so 72-73 oc and at full load, although high, will not kill your proc, but will reduce the lifespan over time. If your idling at mid 30's that's pretty good. If at gaming your roughly in the range of 45-65 (game dependant) that's okay too. With the temps fluctuating from core to core by 1-5 degrees is normal. I've had that before on my Q6600, and unless your gonna de-lid you'll have to accept that.

Couple of things to do:
1. Give your heat-sink/fan a good blow out (compressed air). Make sure it's clean and the Arctic 7 is spinning okay.
2. Consider re-applying thermal paste.
3. If those things don't reduce temps a few degrees then your OC is too much for your current cooler. Look at a better one with results. I'm not a cooler aficionado, so perhaps someone else can advice whats most appropriate.

Hello Keith, great advice there! I am going to re-paste very soon.
One thing i will say is, i have not OC'd my i7 so is runnig at stock 3.07Ghz and turbo 3.2Ghz as i have not got the balls to do it yet, but maybe something i will consider soon too. This is why the temps are starting to make me wonder!

Also the cooler, the case and all components for that matter are always kept clean and clear using air cans.

Regards,
K.

i had that same cpu for 9 years, i still like it changed it just because i wanted to build a new system and ran out of friends willing to spend money on a pc (i still have the 950 but as a weekend game server and back up rig) your temps are fine imho, if you want to oc i think that cooler will still be sufficient, you can always swap it for a new one with better performance like Noctua NH D15, the Be quiet Dark Rock Pro 3, etc... these are big air coolers, you can go with performance and looks for a closed water loop. There is not really need to rush and buy a new cooler just if you want to change it to get a better cooler or to "make it look better" .

 

[SENOR BURTOS]

you can always swap it for a new one with better performance like Noctua NH D15, the Be quiet Dark Rock Pro 3, etc... these are big air coolers, you can go with performance and looks for a closed water loop. There is not really need to rush and buy a new cooler just if you want to change it to get a better cooler or to "make it look better" .

Yeah but take the case into account

You have to make sure those bulky air-coolers fit because only higher-end cases support them.

I know they are great but at those price points people would rather buy watercooling. Nedless to say AIO coolers aren't perfect either.

 

[Karadjgne]

At your current settings, your temps are perfect. Intel cpu's have a sensor strip right on the core and is checked several times a second. Even the slightest change in loads (watch the changes in task manager) can and do respond with almost instant changes in temp. This is a well known, documented thing about Intel cpu behavior, so you right now are perfectly normal. As long as you keep the cooler cleaned of dust there's absolutely no need to repaste at all, unless you are using Arctic Silver 5, inwhich case repaste every year.

Need a better cooler? Nope. Your current cooler working just fine. Want a better cooler is a different story. With your temps, even a better cooler isn't going to change temps much at all, you don't have the wattage output needed. Better coolers are not about lower temps, they are about higher range of ability. Lemme explain.
I5-3570k @4.3GHz. Under p95 26.6 small fft 70°C, idle 32°C, gaming @55°C max.
I7-3770K @4.9GHz. Under p95 26.6 small fft 74°C, idle 33°C, gaming @54°C max.
Those are my 2 pc's. The i5 has a Corsair H55, 120mm AIO. The i7 has a Nzxt Kraken X61 280mm AIO. Temps don't change at all with either pc, still well within normal parameters, however, the wattage output of the i7 at that OC would fry the smaller H55 very quickly, it cannot dissipate that kind of heat fast enough, doesn't have the ability.
For you, a move to something like the hyper212 isn't going to really change your temps, all it will do is raise the bar on just how high you could push the OC. You could move upto a Noctua NH-D15 and not significantly change your temps, but you could easily push very high OC and not roast the cpu.

Unless you have plans to change things for a reason, you are good with what you have.

 

[SENOR BURTOS]

At your current settings, your temps are perfect. Intel cpu's have a sensor strip right on the core and is checked several times a second. Even the slightest change in loads (watch the changes in task manager) can and do respond with almost instant changes in temp. This is a well known, documented thing about Intel cpu behavior, so you right now are perfectly normal. As long as you keep the cooler cleaned of dust there's absolutely no need to repaste at all, unless you are using Arctic Silver 5, inwhich case repaste every year.

Need a better cooler? Nope. Your current cooler working just fine. Want a better cooler is a different story. With your temps, even a better cooler isn't going to change temps much at all, you don't have the wattage output needed. Better coolers are not about lower temps, they are about higher range of ability. Lemme explain.
I5-3570k @4.3GHz. Under p95 26.6 small fft 70°C, idle 32°C, gaming @55°C max.
I7-3770K @4.9GHz. Under p95 26.6 small fft 74°C, idle 33°C, gaming @54°C max.
Those are my 2 pc's. The i5 has a Corsair H55, 120mm AIO. The i7 has a Nzxt Kraken X61 280mm AIO. Temps don't change at all with either pc, still well within normal parameters, however, the wattage output of the i7 at that OC would fry the smaller H55 very quickly, it cannot dissipate that kind of heat fast enough, doesn't have the ability.
For you, a move to something like the hyper212 isn't going to really change your temps, all it will do is raise the bar on just how high you could push the OC. You could move upto a Noctua NH-D15 and not significantly change your temps, but you could easily push very high OC and not roast the cpu.

Unless you have plans to change things for a reason, you are good with what you have.

Put simply, the higher the OC or the higher the heat, the bigger the diffence between low-end and high-end cooler will be

Otherways it won't make much of the difference other than noise maybe.

 

[Karadjgne]

In a nutshell. Yep. You can get a easy 5 to 10°C difference with a higher efficiency cooler, like the new cryorig H7 lumi is extremely high efficiency, as is the little 92mm Raijintek Aidos which beats the 120mm Hyper212 all day long (by only a few °C at best, but still 92mm vrs 120mm.) Higher efficiency in the same size class makes a difference, to temps, but not ability. You'll still get roughly the same ceiling. The NH-D15 gets better temps all the way upto it's ceiling than most 280mm aios, the difference there being it's ceiling is still lower, so when actually reached, it tops out the temps long before the big aios. Reaching those limits isn't hard on the older cpus, especially the extremes like the 950, but almost impossible on new gen, you'll hit voltage limits before hitting temp ceilings, putting the NH D15 at a premier position.

So what's needed before any cooler upgrade is expected ceilings. I expected a low ceiling on my i5, planned on nothing more than 4.2-4.3GHz, so cooler class choice reflected that. I also planned on pushing the i7 hard, so far it's at 4.9GHz @1.32v, so I have room for more yet, and that batch of cpu can hit 5.1GHz @1.4v or less. So the cooler was appropriate for the application. A soy no point in a NH-D15 or 280mm aio for stock settings, a smaller class will get similar temps at a much reduced price and case ability needs. Not every case can physically fit the larger 160mm towers or even 280mm radiators. So there's several factors that go into cooler choice, not just temps.

 

[Roland Of Gilead]

Well the tcase max for that processor is 67.9 which is the temp measured at the heat spreader. so 72-73 oc and at full load, although high, will not kill your proc, but will reduce the lifespan over time. If your idling at mid 30's that's pretty good. If at gaming your roughly in the range of 45-65 (game dependant) that's okay too. With the temps fluctuating from core to core by 1-5 degrees is normal. I've had that before on my Q6600, and unless your gonna de-lid you'll have to accept that.

Couple of things to do:
1. Give your heat-sink/fan a good blow out (compressed air). Make sure it's clean and the Arctic 7 is spinning okay.
2. Consider re-applying thermal paste.
3. If those things don't reduce temps a few degrees then your OC is too much for your current cooler. Look at a better one with results. I'm not a cooler aficionado, so perhaps someone else can advice whats most appropriate.

Hello Keith, great advice there! I am going to re-paste very soon.
One thing i will say is, i have not OC'd my i7 so is runnig at stock 3.07Ghz and turbo 3.2Ghz as i have not got the balls to do it yet, but maybe something i will consider soon too. This is why the temps are starting to make me wonder!

Also the cooler, the case and all components for that matter are always kept clean and clear using air cans.

Regards,
K.

Ah, i missed that or, assumed it was high temps from over-clocking. My bad. Either way, if your temps are as mentioned in my last post, or close to it, you have nothing to worry about.

As one of the other posters mentioned, Prime95 small ffts really max out the CPU, and are extreme circumstances/temps for the CPU to be running at 24/7. However, with that said, if it passes Prime for 8hrs (that's my own chosen length of time - others choose 24 hr runs, and others even just an hour or two) and the temps don't go above rated, then your cooler as is will be fine. If you have headroom at that max point with your current cooler, then you can play with an OC. And keep your eye on temps, as Senor Burtos said, the higher the OC the more heat produced (as you have to raise core voltage, which increases the heat). So you can gauge, and roughly estimate how much more you can push the CPU, if you choose to OC.

 

[Karadjgne]

Well many times, you could just raise the multiplier, on my cpus it was from 3.5 to 4.3 and not have to touch anything but the eco settings. Intel is notorious for setting stock voltages far higher than most cpus need for stability, only some actually need what's set, so to cover all the bases, Intel goes high. For stock settings, honestly you could lower voltages. Stock voltage on my i5 was 1.23v, dropped that to 1.114v, raised the multiplier to 43 and actually lowered temps by @7°C-10°C depending on load. Speedstep is still enabled, C1-E enabled, C1-3 enabled, C4-6 disabled, and a few other eco settings disabled, vcore set to 1.119 (runs at 1.114) rest is factory default. So pc runs complete like a factory stock system, even sleeps and drops to 1600MHz idle, but runs 4.3GHz under loads and upto 10°C cooler than it did with the same cpu cooler at stock settings.

So it's entirely possible that you could undervolt the cpu, same as OC, and drop some °C with little or no effort. Just use Cpu-Z to check actual usage, and back off on the vcore in small increments until either reaching instability or set vcore gets really close to running vcore and running vcore hasn't changed in a drop or 3.

 

[Kenton82]

Many thanks to you guys for all the messages! I really appreciate the time and effort taken!
I will for now just re-paste and after looking at the settings explained by Karadjgne, i will be having another look at O/C'ing my i7. I have also been reading about lots of people saying how 'easy' it is to O/C with the old MOBO i have, as it was designed to O/C. Apparently simply by upping the BLCK alone??...

Many thanks again people, and i will update the thread as i continue along my journey with my old i7 setup.

K.