i5 4670k Overheating

[Defbeat]

Hi all, new tomshardware user here. I have an i5 4670k, cooled by a Corsair H60, in a Corsair 250D case, overclocked to 4.0 ghz and at 1.171V. While gaming the processor sees temps up to 96C and prime95 shoots the temps up to 100C in seconds. I have a 140mm fan in the front and the radiator is on the side. I have reseated and reapplied paste to the block twice. I out of ideas on what the problem could be. Idle temps are at 40C. Thanks in advance!

 

[damric]

H60 is probably worse than the stock cooler. Re-install stock cooler.

 

[shivababbli]

Clean the fans and inside your cabinet, make sure nothing blocks the air flow
Update the BIOS and drivers
go for a better air cooler or liquid cooler

 

[Defbeat]

Ok, thanks for the replies. A few more details to add, this is a new build so there is no dust, there is pretty much nothing between the intake and the rad, and the bios and drivers are all up to date. When I had my setup in a Zalman Z11 Plus the temps were lower (don't remember exact temps but prob at least 20C lower), so airflow might be the issue, but there's not much of anything I can do due to the 250D's layout. Also the rad was in push/pull in the Z11 and its in pull in my 250D. Is there anything else it mught be? As a last resort if it really is a crappy cooler than what is a good air cooler to buy, as the H60 was pretty much the only liquid cooler that can fit in my setup?

 

[MarkW]

Some CPU's just do not handle being overclocked as well as others. And sometimes, they produce more heat than another of the exact same model CPU at the same voltages. If you cannot get the cooling situation resolved, reduce the voltage, and bring the overclock down a little. You really gain so little with most overclocks that its almost not worth it in the first place anymore.

 

[Defbeat]

So I tried removing the overclock and running stock and prime95 still brings the temp to 100C.. :/

 

[MarkW]

Prime95 is a test program. NOTHING ELSE out there will push your CPU that hard. So that is a FAKE measurement.

 

[Defbeat]

GTA V brings the cpu to 90C as well.

 

[MarkW]

Somehow, your CPU is getting enough power to produce that heat. Or, the CPU cooler is not cooling well enough. Maybe its not installed correctly. Maybe the pump is not pushing the fluids like it should. Maybe the voltage to the CPU was raised during an overclock attempt and not reset. But something there is causing that heat problem. And since we are not there, we cannot be more specific.

 

[damric]

The i5-4670K has a noted problem with the internal thermal interface material (the goo under the lid), so even if your cooler was doing its job, temps would still be high. Combine that with the H60 which has

1) small radiator for heat dissipation,

2) low volume of liquid causes quick saturation (really needs a reservoir), and

3) it's not even water, it's mostly propylene glycol.

and yeah it's easy to see why you are overheating.

To solve this, you could either spend more money on a better case and CPU cooler, or void your warranties and modify your existing products. Lot's of enthusiasts have delidded the i5-4670K to deal with the TIM issue, and lot's of people mod the H60 by adding reservoirs, changing the coolant to DI water, ect.

 

[MarkW]

The CPU I have is also the I5-4670K. I have chosen not to overclock it.

For the first 8 months, I ran it with the stock Intel cooler. Then one day, my system started throttling, and I discovered that the CPU fan was not spinning. When I discovered this, it was because I was in my BIOS looking for something that might be causing the throttling, and noticed that the CPU temp was at 95c. Until that point, I had not looking inside the case. I powered down, opened the case, and powered back up. Saw the fan was not spinning, and shut the power off. I used another machine to order a Cooler Master 212 EVO, and the next day I installed that. Once it was in place, I downloaded SpeedFan, and started monitoring my temps, both in and out of games.

Right now, I see the CPU at 37c. In games, I see temps ranging from the low-40c, to about 60c. GTX 770 ranges from 37c to about 65c, but I do have the video card limited to 60 FPS in the games I play.

I know that no two CPU's are the same. But I do not see my CPU ever getting much over 60c.

 

[Defbeat]

Thanks all for the help. I guess the combination of the tight case and small rad was the reason for the overheating. I went out and bought an H100i and GTA V temps went from 95C to maxing at 60C, so I guess that was the solution. Corsair Link is also a big help for custom temp curves. Prime95 still brings the temps to 100C, which is weird, but whatever.