I5-2400 overheats too much

[xRush]

Hello.

I'll go straight to the point - my CPU is an Intel Core i5 2400 @ 3.10GHz. I'm using Core Temp to track the temperature. It goes up to 70ºC when I'm doing simple tasks like browsing the Internet, listening to music, using text processors...
When I'm playing games, it reaches 90ºC sometimes. Min is 80ºC when I'm playing AoE3 which I believe is not much of a high-spec demanding game.

I've deeply cleaned the heatsink and fan - it's intel's stock cooler. Though I don't have any thermal paste to reapply (it's been using the same thermal paste for like 2 years). However I've never had any temperature problems and I'm worried. I ordered a new CPU cooler (this one) which comes with some thermal paste pre applied to it and a complementary cooler for my case. Should that be enough? What else should I do?

Oh, and no I don't OC.

Thanks in advance.

 

[prototype18]

LOOOOOOOOOOOL 2 years the same Thermal Paste. You should buy it lol !

Did you buy that cooler ?

If not get Hyper 212 Evo. Just great and it comes with thermal paste so you can apply it. My cpu never touched 40C

 

[mbarnes86]

Hi

Usually modern motherboards have a BIOS page showing Temperature & Voltage + fan speeds
these results are more accurate than most software

Do not use your PC until you have some thermal paste to apply (A lot cheaper than a new heat sink)

the stock heatsink for I5-2400 should have a copper core and aluminium fins and is ok providing no serious over clocking
(which is hard to do if not a K series cpu)

A review by Toms Hardware of thermal compounds found there was not a lot of difference between different brands and even mayonase was a lot better than no thermal compound.

Are there any other fans sucking air in or out of case apart from the PSU + CPU fans?
Are any case filters clean ?

regards

Mike Barnes

 

[storm slider]

If you've been using the same thermal paste for 2 years, I'm 80% sure it's that. Can't count on that other 20%. There cheap, like $5. Here's one that I used, great thermal paste:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835100007

 

[xRush]

Okay, so I gave the processor/heatsink a wipe and removed the old thermal paste remains, then applied new paste. Though it's a cheap one (idk which one was it exactly, it's bronze coloured) the temperatures improved considerably. It's now at like 55ºC average temperature. Goes up to 72º max temp while doing things that used to make it go to 90º.

My CPU fan speed goes @ 1500-1600RPM. Yes, it's still intel's default one. My comp has 3 fans right now: 1 PSU, 1 CPU, 1 complementary one right below the PSU. I became a bit hypochondriac about this... what else should I do to get an even better temperature? Still feel like it's a bit high. Will it get better when I upgrade my CPU fan and use an extra complementary one apart from the one I already have?

Thanks a lot for the quick replies!

 

[cgner]

How well is your case ventilated? What profile did you set CPU fan to? Default coolers pretty much must run on turbo settings which you can change in bios. Try opening the side of the case.

 

[storm slider]

Okay, so I gave the processor/heatsink a wipe and removed the old thermal paste remains, then applied new paste. Though it's a cheap one (idk which one was it exactly, it's bronze coloured) the temperatures improved considerably. It's now at like 55ºC average temperature. Goes up to 72º max temp while doing things that used to make it go to 90º.

My CPU fan speed goes @ 1500-1600RPM. Yes, it's still intel's default one. My comp has 3 fans right now: 1 PSU, 1 CPU, 1 complementary one right below the PSU. I became a bit hypochondriac about this... what else should I do to get an even better temperature? Still feel like it's a bit high. Will it get better when I upgrade my CPU fan and use an extra complementary one apart from the one I already have?

Thanks a lot for the quick replies!

Some things you can do is:

- Upgrade to watercooling

- Add more case fans (case fans are cheap)

- Upgrade CPU heatsink

- Do some cable management for better case ventilation

- Theres more, but those are just some examples.

 

[xRush]

How well is your case ventilated? What profile did you set CPU fan to? Default coolers pretty much must run on turbo settings which you can change in bios. Try opening the side of the case.

CPU Fan Profile was set to 'Standard' - switched it to Turbo, but the difference was not too big. Fans are running @ max 1800 RPM now. Here's how the insides look:

Some things you can do is:

- Upgrade to watercooling

- Add more case fans (case fans are cheap)

- Upgrade CPU heatsink

- Do some cable management for better case ventilation

- Theres more, but those are just some examples.

Water cooling seems quite expensive and I don't think it's worth the money because it's not even my main computer. I plan on adding more case fans and upgrade CPU cooling as I said. Hope that improves things. Don't know what else to do.

 

[cgner]

I see a spot for another fan. I suggest corsair high performance fan. It will blow a good amount of air without creating much noise. I have one on my system and LOVE it 😀

 

[amuffin]

Do a reinstall of the cooler with new paste.

 

[lilotimz]

As amuffin said, immediate thing to do is to get yourself a tube of any thermal paste and apply it properly on the CPU and heatsink.

Then look into a new cooler.

 

[xRush]

OK I'll summarize for you all what I've done up until now.

■Have an i5-2400 processor
■High temps, gets too hot while in full load (90-95ºC)
■Decided to order 2 new fans - a CPU one (Arctic Cooler 11) and a complementary one (some cheap 6$ one) - they're on his way (4-5 days till they arrive).
■Posted it here
■Following the forum members' advice, reapplied thermal paste (some cheap one I found), cleaned my case and coolers, switched my CPU Fan's profile to Turbo
■Right now it's about 55ºC idle, 75º while on heavy load
■Still want to make it lower

If there's anything else I should do, please tell me. I'll update this when I install new fans anyway. Thanks for the replies.

 

[lilotimz]

To make it lower, you need a quality heatsink that also preferably has at least a 120mm fan [or options for 2\ as two large fans allow greater air flow at every speed setting compared to smaller ones.

The one you purchased will at most only decrease it by a few more degrees and will not be that substantially different than your current temperatures.

If you want a noticeable decrease in heat than you gotta go for something excellent such as this.

CM hyper 212 + $24.71 [newegg is selling it for $34.99 -.-]
http://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-Hyper-Plus-RR-B10-212P-G1/dp/B002G1YPH0

 

[koreanzombie]

intel stock coolers are TERRIBLEEEEE IF YOU'RE DOING any moderate to heavy gaming...or moderate to heavy multitasking. It's just terrible. Also with cheap intel stock thermal paste which u haven't changed in 2 years...come on LOL

 

[cgner]

^Whats wrong with not changing paste for 2 years? My old computer used the same paste for 5 years and never broke 55C under full load. Never knew it was an issue.

 

[amuffin]

You might have installed it wrong.