I5 3750k temperature concerns

[smithisize]

So I just built my new PC with an intel i5 3750k processor in it. Haven't overclocked it or anything, it's stock.

I'm concerned about it's operating temperatures. When it's idling, its temp hovers around 50 degrees celcius, which seems high to me! When I load it up it gets as high as 87 degrees celcius (all according to RealTemp).

Again, I haven't overclocked it or anything. Are these temps ok? Because they're certainly not characteristic (from what I've read) of ivy bridge CPUs.

Thanks a lot

Smith

 

[austing]

Update your BIOS (if you know how)

Check all of your motherboards power settings, see if something isn't wrong.

Are you using a stock cooler?

 

[oxford373]

just make sure you installed your CPU fan correctly ,your CPU temps mustn't exceed 75C, use motherboard user manual to help do that.

 

[smithisize]

Update your BIOS (if you know how)

Check all of your motherboards power settings, see if something isn't wrong.

Are you using a stock cooler?

Ok, I'll update the BIOS.

The power settings all seem swell. And no, not using a stock cooler. I'm using this with the thermal paste that came with it: http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0391302

And @oxford373 I am sure the CPU fan is installed correctly. It's seated flat against the CPU, and the fan runs.

 

[oxford373]

stock intel fan is better than this cheap FAN,so i suggest to try your intel stock FAN

 

[smithisize]

stock intel fan is better than this cheap FAN,so i suggest to try your intel stock FAN

Ok, I'll get it swapped out as soon as possible. Until then, I have another question.

The CPU temp fluctuates incredibly, from like 50 to 87. Is that reliable?

 

[oxford373]

i advise to dont do high multitasking until you change your fan,and do you have add on graphics card or you are working with integrated GPU because maybe gaming with integrated GPU is the cause of this high temperatures

 

[smithisize]

i advise to dont do high multitasking until you change your fan,and do you have add on graphics card or you are working with integrated GPU because maybe gaming with integrated GPU is the cause of this high temperatures

I have a dedicated graphics card.

But I'll stay away from multitasking in the meantime. Should I invest in some arctic silver?

 

[oxford373]

before buying new fan try installing intel fan then tell me the results it should work fine,but if you are going to overclock your cpu in the future its impossible with stock fan ,i saw arctic silver and its good OC fan.

 

[InvalidError]

but if you are going to overclock your cpu in the future its impossible with stock fan

Not impossible, just more limited and not recommended for people who get shivers when they start seeing core temperatures over 90C out of concerns over their CPU's lifespan.

 

[oxford373]

also make sure the integrated graphics card is disabled at bios

 

[smithisize]

Ok, so cleaned off the CPU and stock heat sync and used some arctic silver thermal paste and put the stock heat sync on.

I also disabled integrated graphics.

Now with a 9% load, temps are hovering at 52 degrees C. Still seems high to me? I played some TF2 and they never surpassed 75 degrees C though which is an improvement.

Any more ideas? Is this normal or should I swap the CPU out?

Regards

Smith

 

[oxford373]

45c is normal idle temperature especially at summer
you can add tow fans inside case to make sure it wont exceed 75c(one on the rear to push air out of the case and one on the side of the case to push air inside)
try to update your mobo bios ,if you dont know from where to download it or how to do it ,just give me the model number of your mobo .

 

[smithisize]

45c is normal idle temperature especially at summer
you can add tow fans inside case to make sure it wont exceed 75c(one on the rear to push air out of the case and one on the side of the case to push air inside)
try to update your mobo bios ,if you dont know from where to download it or how to do it ,just give me the model number of your mobo .

Well I left my PC running without touching it for a few hours with RealTemp running and it apparently reached 83 :/

I have fans in that configuration. Two blowing air out of the case on top, one on the side blowing in, one on front and one on back both blowing out.

 

[oxford373]

did you try to update your bios ,also try to set your bios settings to optimized defaults or clear CMOS

 

[InvalidError]

I have fans in that configuration. Two blowing air out of the case on top, one on the side blowing in, one on front and one on back both blowing out.

If I read this correctly, you have a single intake fan and four exhaust, which sounds horribly wrong/imbalanced.

Front fan as exhaust? Turn that around, I cannot think of any circumstance where someone would want to do that. HDDs do not dissipate enough heat to significantly warm up front intake air.

You could probably improve your cooling efficiency by disconnecting the top-front fan so more airflow will go through the CPU area - I suspect that second top fan is robbing airflow from other components: there are no components between your side-intake and top-front fan that dissipate significant heat, you are mostly wasting airflow that your CPU could make better use of there.

 

[smithisize]

@oxford Yes I updated the BIOS and have optimized defaults loaded.

@invalid Ok, I'll do that. The fans came pre-mounted to the case lol. I'll get on that ASAP.

 

[oxford373]

the best cooling efficiency set is like this picture
http://www.coolermaster-usa.com/upload/product/2912/gallery/full/17.jpg?63610850

 

[smithisize]

I stand corrected. Fan on front is intake, as well as side fan. All other fans are exhaust (rear and top). I disabled the front most top fan. Seems to be running a few degrees cooler.

This is the case I have:

http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0395527

PS what's more reliable, RealTemp, or the "Intel CPU Usage" gadget seen here: http://blog.orbmu2k.de/sidebar-gadgets/intel-core-series-sidebar-gadget

 

[InvalidError]

I disabled the front most top fan. Seems to be running a few degrees cooler.

Hehe, proof that strategically located fans are better than putting fans everywhere just for the heck of it. Things would be different if you installed a H100 or similar there.

As for monitoring software, they all get their data from the SMBus. As long as the software correctly identifies SMBus sensors, they will all report the same values give or take some wiggle room due to sensor noise, short-term variations and sampling intervals.

 

[oxford373]

both of them must be good

 

[smithisize]

Hehe, proof that strategically located fans are better than putting fans everywhere just for the heck of it. Things would be different if you installed a H100 or similar there.

As for monitoring software, they all get their data from the SMBus. As long as the software correctly identifies SMBus sensors, they will all report the same values give or take some wiggle room due to sensor noise, short-term variations and sampling intervals.

Yeah ha I guess so! But thanks for the info about the temperature stuff, much appreciated! going to trial run this for a while!

 

[InvalidError]

both of them must be good

Must be good for what?

If you are talking about the fan OP has disabled which yielded improved CPU core temperature, this is not due to the fan being of poor quality but due to the fan being located somewhere where it robs airflow from a path that can make much better use of it, namely the front-to-back corridor between the motherboard's inner edge to the rear/top-rear exhaust. The 2nd top fan does not cool anything unless there is something like a H100 installed there. Otherwise, the best option for that 2nd top fan is to not use it: using it as exhaust robs airflow from the CPU area which can use all the airflow it can get, using as intake would re-ingest hot air from the top-rear fan. With a H100, Corsair's unusual recommendation for the rear fan as intake would apply.

 

[smithisize]

Would moving my graphics card closer to my PSU increase airflow??

In case you didn't view the pics of my case, the PSU is mounted to the bottom of the case. So, I figure by moving the graphics card lower, that gives more air immediately around the CPU to circulate?

 

[InvalidError]

Would moving my graphics card closer to my PSU increase airflow??

Most likely not since the GPU effectively creates a duct to keep the rear/top-rear exhaust air stream as close to the CPU as possible. If you put the GPU further away from the CPU, there is more space for air to pass by the HSF and out the rear fan without contributing much to cooling anything.

Another thing that might help improve cooling without adding fans might be some sort of baffle between the side-panel and GPU card edge to 'seal' the gap and force air to go length-wise around the GPU before reaching the exhaust fans (aside from the GPU's own) to get out instead of simply flowing over the top.

The name of the game is not allowing air to get out without making it do some useful work first.