Question HELP!!! i9-9900 seems to be running way too hot.

Sep 16, 2019
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I recently built a pc for After Effects, Premiere and C4D work after returning to the freelance life. I essentially decided to copy the Puget Systems build on their site. I've noticed that my temp readings are really high under load and it's affecting performance.
My system is below. Any suggestions on how to narrow down what's going on would be incredibly appreciated.
CPU temps immediately jump into the 90s-100 when the stress test starts (AIDA 64) and they often go into the upper 80s and 90s when rendering.
My studio space is on the 3rd floor with a window unit, so it's a little warmer but still probably in the mid to upper 70s (fahrenheit).

-i9-9900k
-Noctua NH-U12S 55 CFM cooler
-Gigabyte z390 Designare ATX LGA 1151
-64 GB (CORSAIR Vengeance LPX 32GB (2 x 16GB) 288-Pin DDR4 SDRAM DDR4 2666) X2
-Intel 600p Series 512 GB M.2-2280 (startup)
-Samsung 970 EVO 500 GB M.2-2280 (cache)
-Gigabyte OC RTX-2070
-Fractal Design Define R6 USB-C ATX Mid Tower Case
 

jon96789

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My guess is that the Noctua is not capable of cooling down the i9 9900K. You would probably have to get the Noctua 15 cooler or a AIO instead, preferably a 280 or 360 system. I have a AMD Ryzen 9 3900X and even with a Corsair H115 RGB Platinum, the temps hits 90 degrees under load...
 
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Sep 16, 2019
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I recently built a pc for After Effects, Premiere and C4D work after returning to the freelance life. I essentially decided to copy the Puget Systems build on their site. I've noticed that my temp readings are really high under load and it's affecting performance.
My system is below. Any suggestions on how to narrow down what's going on would be incredibly appreciated.
CPU temps immediately jump into the 90s-100 when the stress test starts (AIDA 64) and they often go into the upper 80s and 90s when rendering.
My studio space is on the 3rd floor with a window unit, so it's a little warmer but still probably in the mid to upper 70s (fahrenheit).

-i9-9900k
-Noctua NH-U12S 55 CFM cooler
-Gigabyte z390 Designare ATX LGA 1151
-64 GB (CORSAIR Vengeance LPX 32GB (2 x 16GB) 288-Pin DDR4 SDRAM DDR4 2666) X2
-Intel 600p Series 512 GB M.2-2280 (startup)
-Samsung 970 EVO 500 GB M.2-2280 (cache)
-Gigabyte OC RTX-2070
-Fractal Design Define R6 USB-C ATX Mid Tower Case

I'm getting similar high CPU temp indications with a liquid cooled i9-9900k . I'm trying to determine the appropriate version of Prime95 to test this CPU. As I understand it, Prime95 provides the closest approximation of the Intel thermal solution test. In an earlier discussion someone mentioned Prime95 ver 26.6 as appropriate for an older Intel CPU, but what about the i9-9900k?

Windows 10 Pro (64bit)
Intel Core i9-9900K (5.0 GHz Turbo) (16-Thread) (8-Core) 3.6 GHz
ASUS ROG Strix Z390-H Gaming (Intel Z390 Chipset) (Up to 3x PCI-E Devices)
32GB DDR4 3200MHz
850W Corsair RM850x (Modular)
1 x M.2 (512GB Samsung 970 PRO) (NVMe)
2 x SSD (250GB Samsung 850 EVO) (SATA6Gb/s)
GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER 8GB
H20: Stage 2: Digital Storm Vortex Liquid CPU Cooler (Dual Fan)
 
Sep 16, 2019
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Thanks guys, appreciate the quick replies.
So, jon that was my first thought: I need liquid cooling because I’ve read comments saying just that. But, I think there’s some reason to doubt that my Noctua air cooler is just too weak to handle the i9:

1-Puget systems uses air cooling in their pre-built machine (and it's the same cooler as mine). Now they could be overlooking something, but my impression is that those guys test, test, test and then re-test everything. It’s possible, but hard to see how they would miss something like that.

2-I have a friend with almost the exact same setup (ASUS motherboard, Dark Rock Pro 4 50.5 CFM CPU Cooler instead of Noctua, and 2 RTX 2080s) and he's not having any issues with high temps. Full load and he's only in the low 70s.

3-Scooterguy's reply. If he's got a liquid cooling setup and still getting too hot, it would seem that we might have the same issue and it's not a problem with the cooling. Although, it's also possible that both of our cooling setups are too weak for different reasons.
My friend who's i9 is doing great was wondering if my 2070 might be the culprit. Many of the non-founder's edition cards don't blow the hot air from the gpu out the back of the case. That may be contributing, but given that I'm running 15-20 degrees too hot, that doesn't seem like it would account for all of the temp spikes.

Maybe contact Intel? I have no experience with their customer service but I'm not hopeful...
 

Phaaze88

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@JLootch
NH-U12S is simply not capable of cooling a 9900k.
Only a handful of air coolers can do so combined with performance-focused case fans and the cpu at STOCK settings:
-Cryorig R1 Ultimate/R1 Universal
-NH-D15/D15S, NH-D14(discontinued by Noctua)
-be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4
-Thermalright Le Grand Macho RT
-Phanteks PH-TC14PE

Your friend did it right.

@Scooterguy
You're in the same boat as JLootch here. 240mm is insufficient for cooling this cpu. 280mm - without overclocking, anything else is 360mm and custom loop territory.
The five air coolers I listed would've easily done better than that 240mm AIO, and outperform some 280mm as well.
Air cooling currently can't touch the performance of 360mm and up.


You both underestimated the power of this cpu.
 

jon96789

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There are many variables regarding temps... One issue maybe the Fractal Design Define R6 USB-C ATX Mid Tower Case... This is a silent type of case which means it is lined with rubber pads to reduce noise... But the problem with this case is that they also retain heat. IIRC, this particular case is not conducive for proper air flow which means it will build up heat. Ambient temp inside the case will also affect CPU temps. Remember, the i9 9900K is also one of the hottest CPUs out there so thermal control is a must.
 

jon96789

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Make sure the air cooler fits the case... All of the beefier ones are pretty huge and may not clear the case depth... Another factor is that some of these are very heavy, over two pounds so the weight does put a stress on the boards...
 
Sep 16, 2019
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What's the best way to figure the compatiblity? I can obviously do the measuring, but weight?
I did see that the product picture of the Dark Rock Pro 4 appears to be on my mobo, or a similar gigabyte model. I guess that's hopeful.
 

Joakim Agren

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I recently built a pc for After Effects, Premiere and C4D work after returning to the freelance life. I essentially decided to copy the Puget Systems build on their site. I've noticed that my temp readings are really high under load and it's affecting performance.
My system is below. Any suggestions on how to narrow down what's going on would be incredibly appreciated.
CPU temps immediately jump into the 90s-100 when the stress test starts (AIDA 64) and they often go into the upper 80s and 90s when rendering.
My studio space is on the 3rd floor with a window unit, so it's a little warmer but still probably in the mid to upper 70s (fahrenheit).

-i9-9900k
-Noctua NH-U12S 55 CFM cooler
-Gigabyte z390 Designare ATX LGA 1151
-64 GB (CORSAIR Vengeance LPX 32GB (2 x 16GB) 288-Pin DDR4 SDRAM DDR4 2666) X2
-Intel 600p Series 512 GB M.2-2280 (startup)
-Samsung 970 EVO 500 GB M.2-2280 (cache)
-Gigabyte OC RTX-2070
-Fractal Design Define R6 USB-C ATX Mid Tower Case

Try running it with the case side panel and front panel removed. If situation improves to acceptable levels then we know it was the case that was not breathing enough in the room you have the computer in. If that was not the issue next thing to check is thermal paste application. Sometimes when thermal paste is not applied carefully there will be hot spots on the CPU (especially on a larger chip such as this one) and that can cause the issue with temps you are having. Also make sure the rear bracket on the motherboard is secured properly. If it is a little loose it means the mounting pressure of the CPU Tower Cooler is insufficient. When it comes to your cooler it is a little on the weak side for this CPU though. It should be able to handle stock speeds though. But for overclocking I recommend a good 280 mm to 360 mm AIO cooler like the Kraken X62/X72.
 
Sep 16, 2019
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opening the front and sides did bring the temps down a little bit at idle, but as soon as I started the stress test everything jumped up to 90+ right away. I'm leaning towards needing to go with a bigger cooler at this point.
I don't totally understand why the discrepancy between idle and under load is so big. Shouldn't my idle temps be a lot higher if my cooler is insufficient? The 4 cores (as listed in AIDA64) are generally bouncing around in the mid-upper 30s at idle. CPU temp (an avg?) is listed around 28-29.
 
Sep 16, 2019
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@JLootch
NH-U12S is simply not capable of cooling a 9900k.
Only a handful of air coolers can do so combined with performance-focused case fans and the cpu at STOCK settings:
-Cryorig R1 Ultimate/R1 Universal
-NH-D15/D15S, NH-D14(discontinued by Noctua)
-be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4
-Thermalright Le Grand Macho RT
-Phanteks PH-TC14PE

Your friend did it right.

@Scooterguy
You're in the same boat as JLootch here. 240mm is insufficient for cooling this cpu. 280mm - without overclocking, anything else is 360mm and custom loop territory.
The five air coolers I listed would've easily done better than that 240mm AIO, and outperform some 280mm as well.
Air cooling currently can't touch the performance of 360mm and up.


You both underestimated the power of this cpu.
Thank you!
Any recommendations out of those you listed? My instinct is to go with the Dark Rock since my buddy's is working fine...
 

Phaaze88

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Thank you!
Any recommendations out of those you listed? My instinct is to go with the Dark Rock since my buddy's is working fine...
Any one of those coolers will work, that's why I listed them. The only real restriction is the height available between your mobo and the case side panel, which is 185mm - there isn't one that wouldn't fit, in that case.
Make your choice between price and looks(if it matters at all).

Cryorig has become bloody expensive in the US due to the trade war. They had fairly reasonable prices too... you might want to skip over them.
 
Sep 16, 2019
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Any one of those coolers will work, that's why I listed them. The only real restriction is the height available between your mobo and the case side panel, which is 185mm - there isn't one that wouldn't fit, in that case.
Make your choice between price and looks(if it matters at all).

Cryorig has become bloody expensive in the US due to the trade war. They had fairly reasonable prices too... you might want to skip over them.
I get that they’ll all work, just wondering if any are of a quality that’s above the others. Sounds like no.
 

jon96789

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opening the front and sides did bring the temps down a little bit at idle, but as soon as I started the stress test everything jumped up to 90+ right away. I'm leaning towards needing to go with a bigger cooler at this point.
I don't totally understand why the discrepancy between idle and under load is so big. Shouldn't my idle temps be a lot higher if my cooler is insufficient? The 4 cores (as listed in AIDA64) are generally bouncing around in the mid-upper 30s at idle. CPU temp (an avg?) is listed around 28-29.

Any cooler is sufficient when the CPU is at idle... Under stress the CPU temps will skyrocket and that's when the cooler shows that it is insufficient...
 

Phaaze88

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I get that they’ll all work, just wondering if any are of a quality that’s above the others. Sounds like no.
The ones I hear about the most are:
-Noctua
-be quiet!

-Thermalright. I've heard a few boast about this one due to it's price(cheaper) and thermal performance(on par) - compared to Noctua's NH-D15/S. But the heatsink is MASSIVE.
The heatsink is the bulk of an air cooler's cooling performance - that's why all the strongest air coolers are all large - so it makes sense that the Le Grand Macho performs so well even though it only has a single fan.
But the size of that heatsink makes it impractical for some user's cases, mainly the smaller ones.
 

j3ster

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i have a Kraken x52 cooling my 9900k i had OC'd it to 5ghz @ 1.29v so when running prime 95 i reach 81c which is fine for me since i doubt id be reaching that by just purely gaming or editing.

but i do have a chill room, around 20-22c ambient (i blast my ac when im at my room) with CM h500p .


but if your ambient is a little bit higher id suggest getting a 280mm or a very good aircooler like the DRP4 or if you can afford a 360mm like the kraken x72 that could be your best option. if space is your concern tho id go for an AIO.
 

Mentosbandit1

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Sep 17, 2019
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I recently built a pc for After Effects, Premiere and C4D work after returning to the freelance life. I essentially decided to copy the Puget Systems build on their site. I've noticed that my temp readings are really high under load and it's affecting performance.
My system is below. Any suggestions on how to narrow down what's going on would be incredibly appreciated.
CPU temps immediately jump into the 90s-100 when the stress test starts (AIDA 64) and they often go into the upper 80s and 90s when rendering.
My studio space is on the 3rd floor with a window unit, so it's a little warmer but still probably in the mid to upper 70s (fahrenheit).

-i9-9900k
-Noctua NH-U12S 55 CFM cooler
-Gigabyte z390 Designare ATX LGA 1151
-64 GB (CORSAIR Vengeance LPX 32GB (2 x 16GB) 288-Pin DDR4 SDRAM DDR4 2666) X2
-Intel 600p Series 512 GB M.2-2280 (startup)
-Samsung 970 EVO 500 GB M.2-2280 (cache)
-Gigabyte OC RTX-2070
-Fractal Design Define R6 USB-C ATX Mid Tower Case

in all honestly i have the same chip but the KF version and it runs hot even with a 800$ custom loop so i am going for a fish tank chiller too cool it route
 
Sep 16, 2019
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i have a Kraken x52 cooling my 9900k i had OC'd it to 5ghz @ 1.29v so when running prime 95 i reach 81c which is fine for me since i doubt id be reaching that by just purely gaming or editing.

but i do have a chill room, around 20-22c ambient (i blast my ac when im at my room) with CM h500p .


but if your ambient is a little bit higher id suggest getting a 280mm or a very good aircooler like the DRP4 or if you can afford a 360mm like the kraken x72 that could be your best option. if space is your concern tho id go for an AIO.

Hi- You mentioned running Prime95 - Can you tell me what version you have and a link to where you downloaded it?
 
Sep 16, 2019
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i run the 26.6 version, but you can just use the latest version and get it direct from https://www.mersenne.org/download/.
but if i remember i got mine way back from guru3d website.

just run a test with no avx.

Thanks to you and jon96789 for your replies. Also, you're right about the AVX which can stress the system beyond normal usage limits. The older 26.6 version seem to better simulate the Intel tests recommended in their PDF.
 
Rumor has it the latest version is no longer the 110% overload as it once was, and is 'approved'., so the 'use V26.6 only' caveat is no longer needed...(I tested both and found them to give the same temps now at least with my 7700K)

The poor NH-U12S looked to be less than half the mass/fin surface area of the D15....just not enough for a 9900K.

Hope the next cooler fairs better!
 
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