Intel i7 920 temp problem

[mazion]

Processor: Intel i7 920
Stock Heat Sink.

Case: Thermaltake Element G Mid Tower Case @ http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?Sku=T925-1321
Case contains: 1x230mm fan, 2x200mm, 1x140mm


Mainboard: EVGA X58 SLI Classified Intel X58 Socket LGA1366
Ram: Corsair XMS3 6GB DDR3 Tri PC12800 1600MHz (3x2GB)
SSD: Hitachi 1TB Serial ATA HD 7200/32MB/SATA-3G
HDD: OCZ Vertex Series 120GB SATA 2
Power Supply: Kingwin Mach 1 700w ATX Modular
Video: Sapphire Radeon HD 5870 1GB PCIe DDR5 w/HDMI & DVI
Operating System: Windows 7 Premium

THIS SYSTEM IS NOT OVERCLOCKED IN ANY WAY.
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Hey everyone,

I just built this system 2 days ago and right out of the box I started to test the temperatures of the processor with the stock heat sink and without overclocking at all. I have not adjusted the bios in any way so everything is running at the auto detected levels.

My idle temps are 46°c and max load is 79°c.

I've read a lot about the temps for these processors and people that are overclocking them with aftermarket coolers. I've seen people saying that they are getting idle temps of 25°-30° overclocked at 3.6Ghz and max load temps of 50-60°c.

I am reading that these chips run hot but have yet to see ANYONE saying they are running as hot as mine is. Even with the fact that I don't have an aftermarket heatsink on it, I would only expect it to drop the temperatures by 10°c maximum once i did add one, which doesn't leave much room for overclocking it (Yes, I'd like to overclock to 3.6Ghz).

So what I'm looking for is if you guys think I got a bunk processor or am I just crazy and missing something here?

I have the option to return it for an exchange at no cost.

Thanks for any help in advance.

 

[Scotteq]

I would suspect the Heat Sink/Fan assembly isn't properly installed.

 

[mazion]

I would suspect the Heat Sink/Fan assembly isn't properly installed.

It's definately properly installed. I used as5 the first time and after having an issue with the temperatures, I cleaned and reinstalled both the chip and fan with as5 again.

Temperatures were at 46c both times.

The clips on the heatsink are all functioning properly and all clicked tightly into place.

 

[mazion]

I guess i should be more clear about my query.

Do those temperatures utterly suck and therefore the chip may be defective and should be returned?

would YOU return that chip or do you think that a nice aftermarket heatsink is all I need?

Do you think once I put an aftermarket heatsink on it, my temps will be idle 30c and load 50-60c @ 3.6ghz? (this seems unlikely to me).

Seems to me that it's a defective chip but I haven't been a tech for over 10 years and only whip out my computer knowledge every 3 years to build a new machine.

Thanks!

 

[mazion]

Sorry for the bump, but I'd love to return this tomorrow if the case is that these temps are way too high.

Anyone have any insight on this?

Thanks!

 

[LePhuronn]

There's nothing wrong with those temps if you're using the stock heat sink.

The i7 series pump out a lot of heat and therefore are designed to handle a lot of it. I'd personally get a new cooler anyway - with the money you've dropped into your system so far it's almost heresy to keep your CPU at stock with that shitty fan.

 

[mazion]

There's nothing wrong with those temps if you're using the stock heat sink.

The i7 series pump out a lot of heat and therefore are designed to handle a lot of it. I'd personally get a new cooler anyway - with the money you've dropped into your system so far it's almost heresy to keep your CPU at stock with that shitty fan.

Thanks for the response, LePhuronn.

Yeah this is along the lines with what I've read but I am confused about something:

How is it that with stock heatsink, not overclocked, im getting 45c idle but with an aftermarket heatsink and chip overclocked to 3.6ghz people are getting 30c idle?

 

[LePhuronn]

the aftermarket coolers are a lot better at transferring and dissipating heat - copper heatpipes, more fins, better fans, etc.

And a chip at idle will dial down to bare minimum speeds anyway, regardless of if it's clocked or not

 

[mazion]

the aftermarket coolers are a lot better at transferring and dissipating heat - copper heatpipes, more fins, better fans, etc.

And a chip at idle will dial down to bare minimum speeds anyway, regardless of if it's clocked or not

so with these current temps it may be possible for me to get max load of 60c overclocked to 3.6 if i put an aftermarket cooler on it?

 

[LePhuronn]

it depends on the cooler, your specific chip, your ambient temperatures and other things.

Don't worry too much about specific temps - if you run below 70c you'll be fine.

To be safe, go top-end cooling, so Prolimatech Megahalems or Thermalright Ultra-120 Rev C (MUST be a Rev C) with a pair of 120mm fans in push/pull. Both those coolers come in black too (Mega Shadow/TRUE Black Rev C) to keep your theme going with the X58 Classified.

 

[mazion]

it depends on the cooler, your specific chip, your ambient temperatures and other things.

Don't worry too much about specific temps - if you run below 70c you'll be fine.

To be safe, go top-end cooling, so Prolimatech Megahalems or Thermalright Ultra-120 Rev C (MUST be a Rev C) with a pair of 120mm fans in push/pull. Both those coolers come in black too (Mega Shadow/TRUE Black Rev C) to keep your theme going with the X58 Classified.

Well I guess I'll not know until i get a new cooler on there and attempt to overclock it.

Right now the vendor was willing to swap it out so i was making sure that it wasn't above what a normal i7 920 would do. If stock could be lower i thought i'd exchange it but...

Thanks for the advice/help. I'll check out those coolers and see if they'll fit in my box.

Thanks again.

 

[gensurg]

Must be your ambient temperature.

Running a Core i7 920 D0 @stock clocks and stock hsf on a cramped Silverstone SG03 but with an 18 deg C ambient temp:

 

[mazion]

Must be your ambient temperature.

Running a Core i7 920 D0 @stock clocks and stock hsf on a cramped Silverstone SG03 but with an 18 deg C ambient temp:

http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m220/gensurg/Sig1/Silverstone/i7920_R2G_coolesttempstock.png
http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m220/gensurg/Sig1/Silverstone/DSC00157.jpg

This was more along the lines of what i was wondering.

if what you say is true, then there is now way i should be idling at 45c.

the ambient temp in my box is 22c. there is no way this would cause that significant a difference in idle temps comparitively.(I gotta say bravo keeping ur box at 64°f... my room isn't even that low in temperature).

but if the norm is that people getting this chip are able to run at 20-30c idle with stock conditions than since i have the option of returning this at no cost to myself for a replacement, I may as well do that.

what i was trying to avoid is sending the chip back and getting another one that idled at 45c because thats the norm...

if anyone has any further feedback, it would still be appreciated.

 

[crazy359]

First of all, your computer is SEXY
Second of all simply buy a aftermarket cooler. For like $40

 

[mazion]

The core temps on this chip raised up to 49°c so I sent it back and ordered a Zalman 9900 NT to cool the new chip with.

I think I'll be all set from here on out but thanks for the feedbkack.

 

[mazion]

Best answer selected by mazion.