I7-3960X on ASUS Rampage iv Extreme - Core Temperature ?

[CYT]

Just build myself a rig that uses the ASUS R4E board with i7-3960x CPU and installed with 64GB Sport Ballastic Ram @1600mhz. The CPU is cooled using CORSAIR H100 using Push-Pull Configuration. It is now overclocked to 4.5ghz and my core temperatures varies from 36-42 degrees celcius at idel. When stressed test with Linx 0.64 (with avx), the core temperatures jump to 75-83 celcius range when testing 12GB RAM size problem. If the problem size is set to 4GB RAM, the temperature gone up further to 78-88 celcius. Ambient temperature is about 26 celcius. Do you think my CPU temperature is a bit too high when stressed on load ?

By the way my brother's rig, who has an exact setup as myself except that he uses the i7-3930k CPU, runs much cooler and on load the maximum core temperature does not exceed 79celcius. At idel, it varies from 33-37celcius. Any experts here care to give your comments whether my core temperatures are alright or is it due to the extra 3MB cache of the i7-3960x.

This is the second attempt by me to build my own rig.

MY OC SETTINGS (TO STABLE AT 4.5GHZ):
==========================
BIOS: 1101
CPU CORE VOLTAGE : MANUAL
CPU VCORE OFFSET VOLTAGE: 0.025
VTT CPU VOLTAGE : 1.25
MEMORY FREQUENCY : 1600MHZ
CPU VCCSA VOLTAGE: 1.25
DRAM VOLTAGE (A,B,C,D) : 1.68
CPU PLL VOLTAGE: 1.9
CPU LOAD-LINE CALLIBRATION : MEDIUM
CPU CURRENT CAPABILITY : 140%

 

[Haserath]

Try lowering your PLL voltage to 1.8V and your VTT voltage to 1.05V.

Before lowering the VTT voltage, what is your rated ram specifications? Decent ram these days should run at 1600Mhz with 1.5V or so; that platform isn't supposed to run with such a high voltage on the ram.

Definitely not due to the extra L3. It's most likely due to different settings than anything else.

 

[CYT]

Thanks for your reply. The DRAM voltage is set by default by the bios at 1.68v when I load optimized default settings. The RAM is rated at 1.5v by the way. I have read somewhere that the DRAM voltage should not exceed 1.58v. Will try to lower the VTT voltage and PLL Voltage to see if there is a drop in temp. By the way, when running prime95 (blend), the power usage shown by the core temp program is about 224watts! (TDP is only 130watts). Is that normal ?

 

[Haserath]

Thanks for your reply. The DRAM voltage is set by default by the bios at 1.68v when I load optimized default settings. The RAM is rated at 1.5v by the way. I have read somewhere that the DRAM voltage should not exceed 1.58v. Will try to lower the VTT voltage and PLL Voltage to see if there is a drop in temp. By the way, when running prime95 (blend), the power usage shown by the core temp program is about 224watts! (TDP is only 130watts). Is that normal ?

When overclocking, the TDP would rise significantly, but software monitoring is inaccurate. All you have to worry about during overclocking is temperatures and voltages.

 

[CYT]

Hi Haserath,

Have just modify the DRAM voltage = 1.58 and PLL voltage = 1.80. Finished testing now using LinX (with avx) using 4gb ram with 4.4ghz oc. Max core temps vary from 71 to 82 celcius. Is that still too high for this mild 4.4ghz oc ?

Here is my Bios Settings for my ASUS R4E:

Extreme Tweaker \

Extreme OV = Disabled
BCLK Skew = Auto
Ai OverClock Tuner = Manual
CPU Level Up = Disbaled
BCLK Frequency = 100.00
CPU Strap = 100 mhz
ClockGen Full Reset = Enabled
Turbo Ratio = By All Cores
By All Cores (can adjust in os) = 44
Memory Frequency = DDR3-1600mhz
CPU Clock Gen Filter = Auto
Extreme Tweaking = Disabled
EPU Power Saving mode = Diabled

CPU Core Voltage = offset mode
offset mode sign = +
CPU VCore OffSet Voltage = 0.025
VTT CPU Voltage = 1.250
2nd VTTCPU Voltage = Auto
CPU VCCSA Voltage = Auto
CPU VCCSA Voltage = Manual Mode
CPU VCCSA Manual Voltage = 1.250
DRAM Volatge (CHA, CHB) = 1.580
DRAM Volatge (CHC, CHD) = 1.580
CPU PLL Volatge = 1.800
PCH 1.1v Voltage = Auto
VTTDDR Voltage (CHA, CHB) = Auto
VTTDDR Voltage (CHC, CHD) = Auto
CPU SPread Spectrum = Auto
PCIE Spread Spectrum = Auto

Extreme Tweaker \ Digi + Power Control
CPU Load-Line Callibration = Medium
CPU Current Capability = 130%
CPU Voltage Frequency = Auto
VRM Over Temperature Protection = Auto
CPU Power Duty Control = T.Probe
VCore Mos Volt. Control = 7v
CPU Power DutyControl = Auto
VCCSA Load-line Callibration = Auto
VCCSA Current Capability = 100%
VCCSA Fixed Frequency = 300
CPU VCCSA Boot Up Voltage = Auto
CPU VTT Switching Freq = 1.3x


Advanced > Sata Configuraion
Sata Mode = AHCI Mode
S.M.A.R.T Status Check = Enabled

Advanced > CPU Configuration
Intel adapative thermal monitor = Enabled
Hyper-Threading = Enabled
Active Processor Cores = All
LIMIT CPUID Maximum = Disabled
Extreme Disable Bit = Enabled
Hardware Prefeter = Enabled
Adjacent Cache Line Prefetch = Enabled
Intel Virtualization Technology = Enabled

> CPU Power Mnagement Configuraion
CPU RATIO = AUTO
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology = Enabled
Turbo Mode = Enabled
CPU C1E = ENABLED
CPU C3 Report = Enabled
CPU C6E Report = Enabled
CPU C7 Report = Enabled

 

[JackNaylorPE]

Thanks for your reply. The DRAM voltage is set by default by the bios at 1.68v when I load optimized default settings. The RAM is rated at 1.5v by the way. I have read somewhere that the DRAM voltage should not exceed 1.58v. Will try to lower the VTT voltage and PLL Voltage to see if there is a drop in temp. By the way, when running prime95 (blend), the power usage shown by the core temp program is about 224watts! (TDP is only 130watts). Is that normal ?

Most DRAM "rated at 1.5 volts" jumps to 1.65 volts when XMP profile (DDR3-1600) is used.

Check these

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/x79-extreme4-dx79to-p9x79-benchmark,3138-21.html
http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/4435/intel_core_i7_3930k_lga_2011_cpu_review/index2.html
http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/4415/asus_rampage_iv_extreme_intel_x79_motherboard_review/index.html
http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/4414/intel_core_i7_3960x_extreme_edition_lga_2011_cpu_review/index5.html

 

[CYT]

Most DRAM "rated at 1.5 volts" jumps to 1.65 volts when XMP profile (DDR3-1600) is used.

Check these

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/x79-extreme4-dx79to-p9x79-benchmark,3138-21.html
http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/4435/intel_core_i7_3930k_lga_2011_cpu_review/index2.html
http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/4415/asus_rampage_iv_extreme_intel_x79_motherboard_review/index.html
http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/4414/intel_core_i7_3960x_extreme_edition_lga_2011_cpu_review/index5.html

Thanks. I have just reseted the dram voltage back to 1.68v (as originally set by default by the bios) as the system does not pass LinX test for DRAM at 1.58v. Have just finished 20runs of LinX test at 4gb RAM size with max core temps vary from 70 to 82 celsius for a mild 4.4oc. Also completed 12 hours of prime95 test without errors last night where max core temps vary from 72 to 83 celsius with vcore at 1.376v. Looks like I don't have a good chip. Max. stable oc is only 4.4ghz with max one core temp just over 80 celsius. Any suggestions to modify the Bios settings to lower the temperature ? I'm using the rig for some gaming, but more for engineering analysis using CFD and FEM softwares which use huge amount of ram. I have 64gb ram installed.