[SOLVED] Incorrect CPU temperature readings

Jul 20, 2021
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I ran a random Intel Burn test on my PC which I've never had any problems with and after 2 seconds of starting the test, my temperatures sky rocket to 100 degrees.

I've used CoreTemp and HWMonitor and they both give me the same temperature readings of an idle of 40 - 45 degrees and a high of well it only goes up to 100. Corsair's CPU cooler software iQUE gives me a reading of between 29 and 39 degrees depending on the load.

On Intel Burn Test, I have ran it in standard, high and very high all to run 20 times, and the PC acts perfectly normal with absolutely no sign of throttling. Performance is still as smooth as butter.

With regards to heat coming from the PC, it is minimal. Last night I even reapplied thermal compound on the CPU and made sure all screws were tight, and no change.

Temperatures still go from 40 - 45 degrees to starting Intel Burn Test and within 2 seconds are at 100 degrees, then stop the test and they immediately fall back to 40 -45 degrees.

I know for a fact these temperature readings are incorrect, there is no way my PC is running over 100 degrees, surely it would be throttling a little bit at least.

The PC is only two years old and when I last tested I was getting a maximum temperature of 65-70 degrees after Prime95 had been running for a few hours.

My CPU is an i7-9700k and my MOBO is an ASUS PRIME Z390M-PLUS.

I've added a screenshot showing my temperatures after running Intel Burn Test for 2 seconds.

View: https://imgur.com/a/wGIpb01


If anyone else has had a similar issue, please let me know how you resolved it.

EDIT: I just checked the temperature in the BIOS when CoreTemp and HWMonitor were reading fluctuations between 60 and 95 degrees, and it read the CPU temp as 46 degrees with PCH temp at 53 degrees and a motherboard temp of 34 degrees.
 
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Solution
You are in denial. Your CPU is overheating and thermal throttling. There is nothing wrong with your core temperature sensors.

BIOS temperatures are less than core temperatures. BIOS temps are meaningless and so are iQUE temperatures. Thermal throttling is controlled by your core temperature sensors. Multiple core sensors are telling you that there is a problem. They are not all bad. Your CPU is throttling.

Your CPU voltage is too high. That is why your CPU is running so hot. Reduce the voltage and replace the thermal paste. Fix the problems and trust what the core sensors are telling you.
You are in denial. Your CPU is overheating and thermal throttling. There is nothing wrong with your core temperature sensors.

BIOS temperatures are less than core temperatures. BIOS temps are meaningless and so are iQUE temperatures. Thermal throttling is controlled by your core temperature sensors. Multiple core sensors are telling you that there is a problem. They are not all bad. Your CPU is throttling.

Your CPU voltage is too high. That is why your CPU is running so hot. Reduce the voltage and replace the thermal paste. Fix the problems and trust what the core sensors are telling you.
 
Solution
EDIT: I just checked the temperature in the BIOS when CoreTemp and HWMonitor were reading fluctuations between 60 and 95 degrees, and it read the CPU temp as 46 degrees with PCH temp at 53 degrees and a motherboard temp of 34 degrees.
Temperature readings in BIOS are only good enough as a sanity check to make sure you installed the CPU cooler correctly. The CPU is kept at a fixed clock speed (likely base speeds) and it doesn't change because:
  • It keeps BIOS simple
  • It helps verify that the CPU is actually configured at the speed it's guaranteed to run at (i.e., its base speed)
Also would suggest switching to HWiNFO, as it seems to be trusted in more places.
 
D

Deleted member 1560910

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Please for the love of god dont run your CPU that hot. I can hear the thing screaming from here
 
Jul 20, 2021
3
1
15
You're quite right, voltages were too high, I forgot to even check them I'm that rusty.

Computer was in wrong OC tuner profile. Easily resolved and temperatures are normal again with a high of 70 degrees under load.
 
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