Question Help understanding CPU temps?

[field_studies]

Hi, I was compelled to look into my tower's CPU temp when my performance playing a CPU/GPU-demanding game suddenly plummeted yesterday (frame rates from ~50 to ~5, including in menus).

I shut down the game and—thinking I might be experiencing either CPU/GPU throttling—ran a couple diagnostic programs I had on hand: SpeedFan and Speccy. Both told me my CPU was running to nearly 90C, as I recall. When I let the computer idle, the CPU temp dropped to ~60C, where it's remained for the last day as I just do low-CPU-demand tasks.

As the fans all seemed to be functioning normally, I redid the thermal paste, but that hasn't affected the idle temp at all. So I'm looking for other ideas, and after doing some reading have a few questions I hope someone could help me with.

Here's some basic specs, first: it's a 2-year-old tower. AMD Ryzen 7 1800x CPU. Since purchasing the computer I've replaced two parts: added a M.2 SSD that sits just below the CPU on the motherboard, and upgraded my GPU to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060, which sits a little further below the CPU and runs quite a bit hotter than my original graphics card.

• Is it likely that the high CPU idle temps are being caused by the heat generated by these two added items? (the GPU seems to idle at around 40C; I can't get a temp reading from the SSD but it's quite warm to the touch).
• I've read a little about different ways CPUs report temps. Running NWiFO64, I see that while my CPU (Tctl) reads 60C, the CPU (Tdie) reads 37C. Is it maybe the case that my CPU isn't in fact running hotter than it should be? If so, is it possible that the CPU might be throttling itself unnecessarily in-game?

Thank you!

 

[tennis2]

What CPU cooler do you have?
What case do you have?
What fans are installed (size, location, and airflow direction) in the case.

 

[field_studies]

• The CPU cooler is the stock AMD heatsink plus 4" fan (I don't know the model).
• The case is a Corsair Carbide SPEC-05 Mid-Tower
• Other than the CPU fan and the pair on the graphics card, there's a 5" fan mounted mid front, which I suppose is meant to force air through the three slim vertical perforated areas on the case. There's no fan at the back; I suspect the <2" clearance between the back of the case and the CPU fan may prevent one being installed there.

Most of the heat seems to be vented out of the top of the case, the back 2/3 of which is vent material.

Here's a photo that I think captures the setup well.

 

[field_studies]

Just to update, after a little reading I think that my CPU temp may not be a significant issue.

For one, the sudden and dramatic performance drop off in-game might be a software issue; the seemingly-high CPU temps I only looked at because of that issue might have been a red herring.

More interestingly, from what I gather AMD intentionally skews CPU temps in order to control fan speed (this is probably a gross simplification)? The temp readings I was getting from simpler monitoring software was showing an idle temp of 60C, but HWiNFO gives multiple readings: CPU (T ctl) and CPU (T die). The former is what the more basic monitors were reporting, the latter is apparently closer to true temp and regularly reads 20C cooler.

So, if that's right, I'm idling at 40C (which still seems high, but more explicable considering a bit of dust build up and not-amazing fan setup?) and averaging 83C in a demanding game, which seems reasonable.

Anyhow, just updating in case it's useful to someone else, and in case I've misunderstood what I've read and anyone can correct me.