[SOLVED] CPU Health - Does only heat affect it?

ShangWang

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Mar 26, 2021
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Will a fluctuating frequency harm the CPU/a CPU running at a constantly high frequency?

Does frequency have no effect on the health of the CPU, but rather just the voltage increase which leads to higher temperatures?

Is it generally ok to run at 80-90 degrees Celsius consistently when playing demanding games and this won't majorly affect the health of the CPU?
 
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Will a fluctuating frequency harm the CPU/a CPU running at a constantly high frequency?

If you actually mean frequency, no. (I get the feeling English isn't your native language.) CPUs are designed to be able to change frequency as needed and don't suffer ill effects from doing so.

Does frequency have no effect on the health of the CPU, but rather just the voltage increase which leads to higher temperatures?

Correct. Lets pretend you buy a CPU that runs at 1GHz with a Vcore of 1A and a max temp of 50C, with a normal load temp of 30C. Now lets pretend you test your silicon lottery and are able to change the frequency to 1.2GHz with no change in Vcore or temp. This increase shouldn't shorten the lifespan of the CPU...

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Will a fluctuating frequency harm the CPU/a CPU running at a constantly high frequency?

If you actually mean frequency, no. (I get the feeling English isn't your native language.) CPUs are designed to be able to change frequency as needed and don't suffer ill effects from doing so.

Does frequency have no effect on the health of the CPU, but rather just the voltage increase which leads to higher temperatures?

Correct. Lets pretend you buy a CPU that runs at 1GHz with a Vcore of 1A and a max temp of 50C, with a normal load temp of 30C. Now lets pretend you test your silicon lottery and are able to change the frequency to 1.2GHz with no change in Vcore or temp. This increase shouldn't shorten the lifespan of the CPU. It's when you install the cooler wrong, don't clean the heatsink of dust, up the Vcore beyond what the CPU is rated for that you run into trouble.


Is it generally ok to run at 80-90 degrees Celsius consistently when playing demanding games and this won't majorly affect the health of the CPU?

This I disagree with. I NEVER run a CPU close to Tmax. Tmax might be 100C and your software says you are at 90C, so you think you are good. Problems are software might not be 100% correct. That leaves you with little to no room for temp loads or increases in ambient air temp. You also might not have checked for thermal throttling. I helped a guy one time fix stuttering in his game by bringing his temp down. Tmax was 72C? and his CPU was TT down to 70C. In general I suggest not going above 65C. That leaves you plenty of room in case something changes.
 
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ShangWang

Reputable
Mar 26, 2021
617
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4,885
If you actually mean frequency, no. (I get the feeling English isn't your native language.) CPUs are designed to be able to change frequency as needed and don't suffer ill effects from doing so.



Correct. Lets pretend you buy a CPU that runs at 1GHz with a Vcore of 1A and a max temp of 50C, with a normal load temp of 30C. Now lets pretend you test your silicon lottery and are able to change the frequency to 1.2GHz with no change in Vcore or temp. This increase shouldn't shorten the lifespan of the CPU. It's when you install the cooler wrong, don't clean the heatsink of dust, up the Vcore beyond what the CPU is rated for that you run into trouble.




This I disagree with. I NEVER run a CPU close to Tmax. Tmax might be 100C and your software says you are at 90C, so you think you are good. Problems are software might not be 100% correct. That leaves you with little to no room for temp loads or increases in ambient air temp. You also might not have checked for thermal throttling. I helped a guy one time fix stuttering in his game by bringing his temp down. Tmax was 72C? and his CPU was TT down to 70C. In general I suggest not going above 65C. That leaves you plenty of room in case something changes.
Sounds good, thanks! I use throttlestop to undervolt my CPU and prochot is 95 degrees. I wouldn't say I ever run close to 85 degrees, but I haven't experienced any thermal throttling being near that temperature.

I believe Intel CPU's are designed to be able to run at these temperatures fine nowadays but I will be monitoring my temperatures to adjust.
 

ShangWang

Reputable
Mar 26, 2021
617
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4,885
If you actually mean frequency, no. (I get the feeling English isn't your native language.) CPUs are designed to be able to change frequency as needed and don't suffer ill effects from doing so.



Correct. Lets pretend you buy a CPU that runs at 1GHz with a Vcore of 1A and a max temp of 50C, with a normal load temp of 30C. Now lets pretend you test your silicon lottery and are able to change the frequency to 1.2GHz with no change in Vcore or temp. This increase shouldn't shorten the lifespan of the CPU. It's when you install the cooler wrong, don't clean the heatsink of dust, up the Vcore beyond what the CPU is rated for that you run into trouble.




This I disagree with. I NEVER run a CPU close to Tmax. Tmax might be 100C and your software says you are at 90C, so you think you are good. Problems are software might not be 100% correct. That leaves you with little to no room for temp loads or increases in ambient air temp. You also might not have checked for thermal throttling. I helped a guy one time fix stuttering in his game by bringing his temp down. Tmax was 72C? and his CPU was TT down to 70C. In general I suggest not going above 65C. That leaves you plenty of room in case something changes.
Also I was just wondering if you know whether or not enabling windows snap can affect performance or not, I heard it on a video but I find the feature useful and likely it has no impact.
 

ShangWang

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Mar 26, 2021
617
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In a properly configured and cooled system, there is NO need for throttlestop.
I see, unfortunately this is not the case for most gaming laptops and I don't have the highest quality thermal paste so I use throttlestop to help.

Just curious do you know if rapidly fluctuating CPU temperatures would be stressful for the CPU? Like from 40 to 80 to 30 and then to 85.

I'm not saying this is the case for me, but would it be more or less as bad as having a constant 80 degrees temperature?