i7 4790K Average Temperatures?

[michaeldx]

Hi, I just finished buiding my PC and was wondering if you guys could let me know whether the CPU temperatures I am experiencing are considered to be normal at the current room temperature.

I am not overclocking.

The BIOS shows the CPU being at 38 to 44 C while idle. Room temperatures are kind of higher than normal, at about 40 C during the day (again, this inside the house). We are experiencing a heat wave outside. It is now the night and we are at about 30-32 C indoors. I am assuming that this higher than usual temp could have an effect on the CPU temp? I have read 30-35 C CPU temp is what it should be, normally, although I have also read that the i74790K (and some i5) is known for running at higher temps than the previous generations and that some people were complaining about this to Intel.

While performing certain tasks, such as browsing, watching YouTube or playing games, it goes about 2-3 degrees higher. I haven't tested with heavy load tasks such as video editing.

-i7 4790k

-Gigabyte Gaming 5 z97 rev 1.0

-Hyper Evo 212 to cool the CPU

-2 modules of 8 GB, total of 16GB

-Nvidia Geforce GTX 970

-850 W Seasonic x-series gold

All components are brand new, including two hard drives.

Case has 4 fans for now: front(intake), back (exhaust), and two top ones(exhaust), running between 800 and 1300 rpm

CPU cooler is being reported by hwinfo as running between 1500 and 1800 rpm. I checked and it appears to be fully seated on the CPU. I did apply thermal paste, the one that came with the cooler, just a grain of rice in the middle, maybe a bit bigger.

I have also noticed Hwinfo shows yellow bars on the 4 cores most of the time, while idle. I am assuming this is due to the Turbo option on the motherboard?

CPU voltage is at 1.18

Intel Extreme Tuning Utility shows the CPU at about the same temperature, running at a frequency of about 4.40Ghz occasionally.


So, what do you think? Is it normal to have the extra degrees in this higher than normal temperatures? I have no air conditioning, just a few fans in the room.


I haven't performed any stress tests yet, so if you have any suggestions as to which software to use other than the ones I have been testing, please let me know.



Thank you so much for your help

 

[i7Baby]

At 20C ambient, CPU idle temp should be max 40C and Gaming max 60C.

 

[Danbuscus25]

Aslong as your cpu's max temps stay under 80c, you are fine, no matter what the room temp is.

 

[tigerg]

I think you're fine. People make way too big of a deal about CPU temps. You only need to worry about them when you are getting way higher.

Also, you're in a heatwave right now. Of course they will be higher during that time.

 

[i7Baby]

At 40C ambient, add 20C to the figures above.

 

[Darkbreeze]

People make way too big of a deal about CPU temps.

No, they don't. There is nothing else, short of clean, well regulated voltage from the PSU in sufficient capacity, that should rank as high on the list of priorities as making sure that your CPU temps are where they should be.

 

[Joseph DeGarmo]

In a very warm room, your CPU temps will obviously be higher. When my room temperature is at 24°C (A/C running), my CPU idle temp is around 32°C and with the room temperature at 29°C (A/C off), idle CPU temp is about 40°C.

 

[Darkbreeze]

If you really want to know the REAL deal on your CPU temps, rather than some questionable opinions, then read this. It tells you all you need to know:

Intel temperature guide: http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-1800828/intel-temperature-guide.html


And unlike the misinformation posted above, ambient temperatures have EVERYTHING to do with your ACTUAL temperatures and how much thermal headroom there is.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Here's a similar question with some additional good information: http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2700310/prime95-intel-4690k-temps.html

 

[tigerg]

People make way too big of a deal about CPU temps.

No, they don't. There is nothing else, short of clean, well regulated voltage from the PSU in sufficient capacity, that should rank as high on the list of priorities as making sure that your CPU temps are where they should be.

Yes, they absolutely do. People are so worked up about getting their temps down 1 or 2 degrees and go to unnecessary lengths to do so. People then freak out when they idle at 38C instead of 34C which some other guy on the internet claims to have. As long as you're not pushing a CPU up close to its thermal limits, you will be fine.

In nearly everyone's case, their CPU will be come obsolete before the higher temps degrade the lithography.

Don't believe me if you don't want to, but there is a reason why Google, Amazon, EMC, Microsoft, and all the big time data centers keep pushing up their temps up. It's not worth obsessing over having low temps. It's a waste of time and money.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Saying that there is no problem with running at higher temps, so long as they are below the thermal limit under full load, is a far cry from saying "People make way too big of a deal about CPU temps." Careless statements like that will have a noob thinking it's ok if they're running at 80 or 90°C.

 

[i7Baby]

I think its good practice to have some reaction limits. As I said, at 20C ambient, I go on 40C max idle and 60C max gaming. 99% of the time they are easily achievable. If I find they aren't then I'll ask why.

 

[Darkbreeze]

To clarify, idle temps are irrelevant, unless your idle temp is more than 40°C in which case there MIGHT be an issue, or you could just have a very high ambient temp where you are. Max temps under full steady state load is what is far more important. If you're not exceeding the recommended thermal limit, as outlined in Computronix Intel temperature guide for your specific CPU model, when under 100% steady state load, steady state being the key, then you're fine no matter what your idle temps are at.

 

[power2015]

You don't have any problems

 

[tigerg]

Saying that there is no problem with running at higher temps, so long as they are below the thermal limit under full load, is a far cry from saying "People make way too big of a deal about CPU temps." Careless statements like that will have a noob thinking it's ok if they're running at 80 or 90°C.

Did I say that? No, I did not. You misrepresented what I said by carelessly quoting only part of my comment. LOL there is a second part there!

 

[Darkbreeze]

You and I realize that, but the average user sees "blah, blah, blah, blah People make way too big of a deal about CPU temps blah, blah, blah", and moves on.

 

[michaeldx]

Wow, so many answers so fast, thank you very much everyone.

I will have to perform a stress test on it and see how it goes. I have seen it go up to 56 C just browsing or watching a video, but it was temporary, and then go down. I've read quite a bit about some intel owners complaining about this CPU in particular and suspected a defect. However, you guys gave me peace of mind.

Please, if you have any software suggestions to monitor the temps and to perform the stress test, let me know!

Thanks again everyone.

 

[Danbuscus25]

Aida64 to stress it, HWmonitor to monitor temps.

 

[i7Baby]

Use your mobo utility software to monitor temps. Or HWInfo - Sensors. HWMonitor goes a bit screwy sometimes.

Use Intel Burn Test, OCCT, Prime 95 v26.6 for the stress test.

 

[Danbuscus25]

Use your mobo utility software to monitor temps. Or HWInfo - Sensors. HWMonitor goes a bit screwy sometimes.

Use Intel Burn Test, OCCT, Prime 95 v26.6 for the stress test.

is prime 95 fixed for haswell cpu's now?

 

[i7Baby]

Prime 95 v26.6 is OK

 

[Danbuscus25]

ah, good to know.

 

[michaeldx]

Ok, I will go ahead and perform the test with one of the software you suggest. If I don't come back it means it's all good. I will still monitor the thread in case someone posts additional information.

In the mean time, thanks for the kind and prompt replies.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Aida64 to stress it, HWmonitor to monitor temps.

Aida64 is the last of the recommended stress tests I would use.

P95 v26.6 works equally well across all platforms. Steady-state is the key. How can anyone extrapolate accurate Core temperatures from workloads that fluctuate like a bad day on the Stock Market?

I'm aware of 5 utilities with steady-state workloads. In order of load level they are:

(1) P95 v26.6 - Small FFT's
(2) HeavyLoad - Stress CPU
(3) FurMark - CPU Burner
(4) Intel Processor Diagnostic Tool - CPU Load
(5) AIDA64 - Tools - System Stability Test - Stress CPU

AIDA64's Stress CPU fails to load any overcloked / ovevolted CPU to get anywhere near the rated TDP, and is therefore useless, except for giving naive users a sense of false security because their temps are so low.

HeavyLoad is the closest alternative. Temps and watts are within 3% of Small FFT's.

HWmonitor and Open hardware monitor are very flaky. It's common for them to fail to report certain sensors, misreport sensor readings or have generally buggy behaviors in some cases. HWinfo and Core Temp are far more reliable IMO.

 

[Joseph DeGarmo]

Aida64 to stress it, HWmonitor to monitor temps.

Aida64 is the last of the recommended stress tests I would use.

P95 v26.6 works equally well across all platforms. Steady-state is the key. How can anyone extrapolate accurate Core temperatures from workloads that fluctuate like a bad day on the Stock Market?

I'm aware of 5 utilities with steady-state workloads. In order of load level they are:

(1) P95 v26.6 - Small FFT's
(2) HeavyLoad - Stress CPU
(3) FurMark - CPU Burner
(4) Intel Processor Diagnostic Tool - CPU Load
(5) AIDA64 - Tools - System Stability Test - Stress CPU

AIDA64's Stress CPU fails to load any overcloked / ovevolted CPU to get anywhere near the rated TDP, and is therefore useless, except for giving naive users a sense of false security because their temps are so low.

HeavyLoad is the closest alternative. Temps and watts are within 3% of Small FFT's.

HWmonitor and Open hardware monitor are very flaky. It's common for them to fail to report certain sensors, misreport sensor readings or have generally buggy behaviors in some cases. HWinfo and Core Temp are far more reliable IMO.

HWInfo is fine, but avoid CoreTemp as that software can cause Windows to crash.