Does HWMonitor display accurate temps for FM2 APUs?

[AThurst1990]

I've seen a lot of mixed opinions on this. Many people have told me that the package temp displayed in HWMonitor is usually 10c or so above the actual core temp, Iv'e also tried using CoreTemp and cant' seem to get a reading at all. My package temperatures in HWMonitor while gaming at different performance levels seem like they would be accurate, but I'm running with an open case, and even when my temps are approaching 74c the air from my cpu fan is cool and the heatsink seems cool to the touch. I've also seen a lot of posts stating that HWMonitor doesn't give accurate readings for these APU's ( A8 5500 ). I'm unsure if it's safe for me to have my cpu locked at 90-100% utilization while gaming because temps float between 65-70c and sometimes approach 75-78. If I lock my cpu to 90%, my temps normally don't exceed 65c even while recording, but I notice a slight performance loss (playing WoW very cpu intensive, and horribly optimized for amd chips). I would rather run at 100% for better performance, if I can do so safely without burning up my cpu. All of the mixed opinions make me unsure if these temps are accurate or if they are on average above the actual core temps.

TJ Maxx for this APU is 71.3c

If these temps are accurate, I think I'll be safe parking at 90% and taking a minor hit to performance

If these temps are inaccurate, I need a way to get accurate readings, because I'd really like to be able to run at 100%

Reason for setting cpu minimum so high, is because WoW is very cpu intensive, performance is much more stable when doing this, and temps seem fine if locked at 90%.

Any help is appreciated, thanks.

Temps while parked at 90% and showing Core Temp readings???

Temps while parked at 90 and gaming

Temps while set to 90-100% gaming + recording

 

[pbm86]

Your motherboard should come with some kind of monitoring software from the manufacturer. I think that should give more accurate readings. I have also tried AIDA64. That also doesn't seem to give plausible results.

 

[AThurst1990]

I've tried downloading MSI PC Alert 4, but when I try to run it, it says the driver isn't digitally signed and I got it directly from the site. Really don't want to have to disable my UAC to monitor temps.

 

[Rocking Durgesh]

I've seen a lot of mixed opinions on this. Many people have told me that the package temp displayed in HWMonitor is usually 10c or so above the actual core temp, Iv'e also tried using CoreTemp and cant' seem to get a reading at all. My package temperatures in HWMonitor while gaming at difference performance levels seem like they would be accurate, but I'm running with an open case, and even when my temps are approaching 74c the air from my cpu fan is cool and the heatsink seems cool to the touch. I've also seen a lot of posts stating that HWMonitor doesn't give accurate readings for these APU's ( A8 5500 ). I'm unsure if it's safe for me to have my cpu locked at 90-100% utilization while gaming because temps float between 65-70c and sometimes approach 75-78. If I lock my cpu to 90%, my temps normally don't exceed 65c even while recording, but I notice a slight performance loss (playing WoW very cpu intensive, and horribly optimized for amd chips). I would rather run at 100% for better performance, if I can do so safely without burning up my cpu. All of the mixed opinions make me unsure if these temps are accurate or if they are on average above the actual core temps.

TJ Maxx for this APU is 71.3c

If these temps are accurate, I think I'll be safe parking at 90% and taking a minor hit to performance

If these temps are inaccurate, I need a way to get accurate readings, because I'd really like to be able to run at 100%

Any help is appreciated, thanks.

Temps while parked at 90% and showing Core Temp readings???

Temps while parked at 90 and gaming

Temps while set to 90-100% gaming + recording

Yes you're right. Hwmonitor and other third party softwares don't show the right temps on AMD APUs. They always show more temp than existing. The best choice to monitor the amd APUs temps is AMD overdrive. This software is available on official AMD website. It counts down temp not up. It gives the thermal margin that is the more temp needed to existing temp to cross the safe temp line. If you're temp is 50 ° c and the thermal margin shows 30 ° c means after raise in 30 ° c to your current temp that is 50 ° c you will tend to overheat. If the thermal margin shows 0 ° c then your APU is overheated and you have to stop immediately and keep it to cool. .... ( this readings are imaginary, so don't take it seriously) and if you have bundled software that comes with motherboard will be 2nd best choice monitor the temps like Gigabyte Easy tune. ....

 

[AThurst1990]

I've seen a lot of mixed opinions on this. Many people have told me that the package temp displayed in HWMonitor is usually 10c or so above the actual core temp, Iv'e also tried using CoreTemp and cant' seem to get a reading at all. My package temperatures in HWMonitor while gaming at difference performance levels seem like they would be accurate, but I'm running with an open case, and even when my temps are approaching 74c the air from my cpu fan is cool and the heatsink seems cool to the touch. I've also seen a lot of posts stating that HWMonitor doesn't give accurate readings for these APU's ( A8 5500 ). I'm unsure if it's safe for me to have my cpu locked at 90-100% utilization while gaming because temps float between 65-70c and sometimes approach 75-78. If I lock my cpu to 90%, my temps normally don't exceed 65c even while recording, but I notice a slight performance loss (playing WoW very cpu intensive, and horribly optimized for amd chips). I would rather run at 100% for better performance, if I can do so safely without burning up my cpu. All of the mixed opinions make me unsure if these temps are accurate or if they are on average above the actual core temps.

TJ Maxx for this APU is 71.3c

If these temps are accurate, I think I'll be safe parking at 90% and taking a minor hit to performance

If these temps are inaccurate, I need a way to get accurate readings, because I'd really like to be able to run at 100%

Any help is appreciated, thanks.

Temps while parked at 90% and showing Core Temp readings???



Temps while parked at 90 and gaming



Temps while set to 90-100% gaming + recording

Yes you're right. Hwmonitor and other third party softwares don't show the right temps on AMD APUs. They always show more temp than existing. The best choice to monitor the amd APUs temps is AMD overdrive. This software is available on official AMD website. It counts down temp not up. It gives the thermal margin that is the more temp needed to existing temp to cross the safe temp line. If you're temp is 50 ° c and the thermal margin shows 30 ° c means after raise in 30 ° c to your current temp that is 50 ° c you will tend to overheat. If the thermal margin shows 0 ° c then your APU is overheated and you have to stop immediately and keep it to cool. .... ( this readings are imaginary, so don't take it seriously) and if you have bundled software that comes with motherboard will be 2nd best choice monitor the temps like Gigabyte Easy tune. ....

Don't I still need to know the actual socket temp to help interpret the thermal margin? Or does this mean im 70c from overheating? This is at idle with my cpu fan running at 60% (2800 rpm), cpu parked at 90%, and an open case. So I would expect it to be cool, but that cool?

When I set mt cpu to 90-100% the thermal margin drops to about 60-62c

 

[Rocking Durgesh]

No, actually not the thermal margin does the job. If the thermal margin reaches to 2-5°c then you will know that your cpu is heated a lot amd you have to stop and keep it to cool. ....

 

[AThurst1990]

No, actually not the thermal margin does the job. If the thermal margin reaches to 2-5°c then you will know that your cpu is heated a lot amd you have to stop and keep it to cool. ....

Ok sweet, thank you. I have a couple more questions if you wouldn't mind helping. This APU is 3.2 ghz ( 3.7 turbo), if I set it to run at 90-100% the max frequency seems to go between 3.2-3.5. Does this mean that the turbo isn't enabled, could I enable it to get more performance safely? I've also read that overclocking these apu's provides too little performance for it to be worth it. .I'.m not .the MOST tech savvy person and would really like to get the most performance I can, but don't want to fry my cpu.

Afraid to touch any of these settings without help from someone with a little more experience

 

[Rocking Durgesh]

2800 rpm is really good. 60-62 thermal margin means your cpu temps are approximately around 35-40 which is obvious if you are using a good cooler. ....

 

[AThurst1990]

I'm actually using the stock coolder but I'm using speed fan to make it work harder >.< ... I'm just wondering if it's safe to enable this apu to the full 3.7 ghz turbo instead of 3.5 ghz.... I assume if my temps are still low that it's ok?

P.S. I'm actually unable to set it to 3.7, if I bring the slider up to 3.7 and save the settings it doesn't apply

 

[Rocking Durgesh]

At the main window of AMD overdrive on the top right corner, near preferences button, you enabled the overclocking button. First disable it, then your frequency will be under or equal to 3.2 GHZ. I can't belive you're thermal margin is such high with stock cooler! !! Great, you are pretty lucky man!!! Third thing, don't overclock with any software not even by AMD overdrive. Because overclocking is not the thing that can be done by any software. .. You can overclock your cpu. If you want to overclock your cpu then create a new forum on this site about overclocking and we will continue this forum with the new one because this forum is going to be lengthy and if you craft a new forum anyone having same overclocking problem can see that. So create a new forum about overclocking and give is link to me by personal message because I want to sleep now because you don't know the time here 1:32 AM lol

 

[Rocking Durgesh]

You can push your APU to more than 4.2- 4.3 GHZ definitely by increasing the multiplier in bios. If you want to do, I told you to create a new forum and give a link to me. ... Trust me it is so easy. ... and if you only want to boost your APU to 3.7 GHz
That is given by the factory and increase a performance a little them just enable the overclocking button on the main window of AMD overdrive on the top right corner, the circle at the left side of preference button. If that circle shows Green light without flowing means type APU is not overclocked. If you click that circle and if it glows with red light and you have overclocked your APU. No need to change the slider of frequency. ... When you click that circle to overclock and if it glows with red light, then stress testyour APU by prime95 26.6 from here:
http://www.ocaholic.ch/modules/wfdownloads/singlefile.php?cid=101&lid=758
From this software when you stress test your APU, you will notice that the frequency shows by AMD OD will on red light. Means your APU is overclock to factory overclock settings that is 3.7 GHz. Bios overclocking is the same as this but only difference is that we have to increase the frequency ratio in bios and do the stress tress, that's all. .....