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CPU fan recommendation for i7-4790k

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naripeddi

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Nov 4, 2014
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Hi,

I have built my new PC with i7-4790k processor (Socket LGA 1150) on Asus Z97-A motherboard. I fitted the stock cooler that came with the Intel processor. During idle time, the CPU temperature averaged about 36°C. Is this normal? I did not test it with any stress software. I plan to do heavy video editing and encoding. I am sure in that case the temperature will go higher. Should I go for an aftermarket CPU cooler? If yes, then which CoolerMaster product is compatible with my CPU and motherboard? I read good reviews about Hyper 212 Evo, but its specifications do not list LGA 1150. Also, does CoolerMaster air coolers come with thermal paste or we need to purchase it separately?

By the way, my case is CoolerMaster K380.

Thanks for your help.
 
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-What software do you get those idle temps with, and what is your ambient temp?

-Stress test with Prime95 or AIDA64 or Intel Burn test, and report the temps, upto 75C is fine with stock cooler (80C if ambient is like 28C).

-CM EVO 212 supports LGA1150, but your case isn't compatible, EVO 212 is 159mm and case supports 155mm max cooler height.

-Most af coolers (including EVO) come with their own thermal paste or pad.
 
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I would highly recommend picking up an aftermarket for that CPU. I have it myself and found when running stress tests that it would auto throttle when put to a full load with the stock cooler. Granted you will never find yourself at the point where Prime95 tests put the CPU at, but its more telling about the cooling performance that the stock cooler offers.

Like MeteorsRaining mentioned your case is just shy of what the EVO needs. You could look at the Noctua NH-C14, which falls within your case compatibility or the CoolerMaster Hyper 103 if you can find one. The problem is most of the aftermarket tower air coolers that are out there are going to just peek over your cases options. You could also look at water coolers, while I don't think your case is setup for a double fan cooler on the top of the case, you can use a single fan radiator setup on the rear fan.
 
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Thank you for your reply. I used a piece if software called 'HWMonitor' to check the temperatures.

It is a bad news for me about Hyper 212 Evo being not compatible with my case.

I will do stress testing with the softwares you mentioned (Prime...etc) and report the CPU temperatures. Should I be using the same HWMonitor software to measure the temp while stress testing?

 
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Thank you for your reply. I will look at the models you have mentioned. However, water cooling is too expensive for me right now.

 
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It all depends on how much noise is too much noise for you. I wanted a near silent build, so I went extreme with my air cooler (Noctua NH-D15), but your case and your budget are going to have find a balance with your personal preference. Take a look at the dB for a general idea of noise level, the lower the better. RPM can be misleading since a bigger fan doesn't need as high a RPM to push as much air as a smaller fan. Instead look at the CFM rating (some fans will list m3/h instead). The bigger the cubic feet per min rating, the more air its pushing through.
 
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Check the CD that came with your motherboard (or the downloads section of Asus website) for a program called AI Suite 3, it should come bundled with your board. Its going to have a whole ton of options in there, included will be your CPU temp, your CPU fan speed, and your CPU speed. This will also let you see if you're getting throttled and at what temp so you can get a better idea of what your system is doing.
 
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I am back with the results of the stress test. I used Intel Burn Test.

During the test, the CPU temperature went upto 97C. The test lasted only for about 5-10 minutes. I selected STANDARD option.

Regards
 
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I can go upto $50.

Is my stock cooler defective? Should it have contained the temperature to well below 97%? I read in forums, everyone says that unless we don't overclock, the stock cooler is perfectly fine. Then why it failed in my case?

Regards
 
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Ok I will try that. When the computer was built, the store guy did not use any thermal compound. I asked him why he was not using it, then he said the compound comes along with the CPU stock fan pre-applied, so we just need to attach the fan to the CPU using screws. I wonder that is one of the reasons??? Should I buy a thermal paste and then apply it before reseating the stock fan?
 
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Sorry but I haven't tried reseating the stock cooler yet. But I noticed the computer is overclocking automatically to 4.4 Ghz, and that is one of the reasons the temp was going so high as 100c with the stock cooler. I went into BIOS and disabled Turbo mode, which now resulted in 84c MAx at full load. The computer is now running at a maximum clock speed of 4 GHz and maximum temp of 84c with the stock CPU fan. Am I okay for a couple of months or should I go ahead and buy a new CPU fan immediately?
 
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Thank you very much for the assurance. I will try and reseat the CPU stock fan and post the result here.

regards
 
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