Intel i7 6700k high temperature issue

[Kitiara]

Hello, i recently bought some new components to upgrade my pc. It looks like my cpu is operating at too high temperatures such as 90C with no load at all. I observed temperature readings and cpu fan speed from BIOS and it is some thing around 56C-91C. There is no temprature change even though i set cpu fan speed to max. I replaced thermal compound on the CPU and reinstalled the fan but still no change. I think these cpu readings are incorrect because i checked the heatsink with my finger and it's not even hot. I didn't try to update BIOS yet. My specs:

CPU: Intel i7 6700k
Motherboard: MSI Z170A Gaming M5

 

[Darkbreeze]

If the temperature you are reading is IN the bios, then it is right. There is either something wrong with the motherboard or CPU, or you don't have a good enough CPU cooler, or you don't have the CPU cooler mounted correctly.

What CPU cooler are you using?

Where did you buy these parts? Used?

 

[Kitiara]

I bought these parts from a local pc shop, they are brand new and i'm pretty sure that the cooler mounted correctly. I had 3470 before the new one and the cooler was working fine. Btw i have a standart intel cooler.

 

[CompuTronix]

... i7 6700K ... I had 3470 before ... standard intel cooler.

Kitiara,

On behalf of Tom's Moderator Team, welcome aboard!

The i7 6700K is 91 Watts TDP (Thermal Design Power), but it doesn't include a stock cooler; it's sold separately, and is a 130 Watt TDP cooler. Your posts suggest that you repurposed the 95 Watt TDP cooler from your 77 Watt TDP i5 3470. If this is the case, the cooler is inadequate according to Intel's specifications. If your local PC shop didn't make you aware of this and offer to sell you a proper cooler, then they were either negligent or incompetent.

i7 6700K - https://ark.intel.com/products/88195/Intel-Core-i7-6700K-Processor-8M-Cache-up-to-4-20-GHz-
i5-3470 - https://ark.intel.com/products/68316/Intel-Core-i5-3470-Processor-6M-Cache-up-to-3-60-GHz-

Although using your old cooler is most definitely problematic, it doesn't entirely account for such high temperatures. It's very likely that your stock cooler has popped a push-pin loose from the motherboard, which is a very common problem. This causes poor contact pressure between the cooler and the CPU, resulting in high temperatures in BIOS, as well as in Windows at idle, and especially at 100% workload.

You can troubleshoot this problem by pushing firmly on each corner of the cooler for about 30 seconds while watching your load temperatures. When you see a significant drop, you've found the loose push-pin.

The push-pins can be deceivingly tricky to get them fully inserted through the motherboard and properly latched.

(1) To re-seat a single loose push-pin, rotate the latch mechanism in the direction of the arrow counterclockwise 90° then retract the pin by pulling upward. Rotate the latch clockwise 90° to reset the pin, but do NOT push on the latch yet.

(2) To get the pin fully inserted through the motherboard, push only on the leg, NOT on the top of the latch.

(3) While holding the leg firmly against the motherboard with one hand, you can now push on the top of the latch with your other hand until the latch clicks.

(4) If you're re-seating the entire cooler, then be sure to latch the pins across from one another, rather than next to one another. Use an "X" pattern, so as to apply even pressure during installation.

Intel Stock Cooler Installation - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qczGR4KMnY

If properly installed, as long as you don't put much load on your 6700K, the old cooler will serve temporarily. However, I strongly urge you to replace it with a decent aftermarket cooler that uses proper fastening hardware with a backplate.

Once again, welcome aboard!

CT

 

[Darkbreeze]

Well, I'll tell you what. This might be a combination of things. If that is the stock cooler, the ORIGINAL one, from the 3470, then it is probably quite old and there is a very good chance that the motor has become weak after all these years of service. When you add that on top of the fact that it wasn't designed for the TDP of this CPU, TOO, those two things I think could easily account for the failure to adequately cool the CPU.

I'd definitely replace that unit with an aftermarket cooler as soon as possible. I wouldn't skimp and get some cheap, weak cooler either. The smallest cooler I'd recommend for use with that CPU would probably be the Gammaxx 400. Recommendations would go upwards from there including the Cryorig H7 or H5, or Noctua NH-U12S or U14S. Something designed to handle at least 130w, preferably more like 150w, much as Computronix has indicated.

When it comes to CPU coolers, obviously more is better and less is often not an option if you don't want to end up right back in a problem situation.

 

[Kitiara]

I just got a new cooler as you suggested and now i'm getting random readings between 30-50C in windows. I didn't test for gaming though but it feels like it's gonna work just fine. Thank you!

 

[Darkbreeze]

So long as your maximum core and package temperatures remain below 80°C, you are thermally compliant. If you start seeing things go beyond a maximum of 80°C, or consistently getting pretty close to it, then there is probably an issue of some kind.

It would be advisable to download and run Prime95 version 26.6 (And ONLY version 26.6) and run the Small FFT option for 15 minutes. If you remain below 80°C for the entire test period then your thermal situation is well in hand.

What cooler did you get?

 

[Kitiara]

Everest Rampage Wind Chill-420, now the temp is below 70C at all times even with 100% load.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Yes, that seems good to me. Good luck to you.