Question Intel I9-12900K gaming temp question

[CyberZ2022]

I have been noticing my CPU hitting temps of 70s or max at 80 while playing the Metro Exodus Enhanced Edition at ultra settings. I have a Noctua NH-U12S chromax.Black 120mm cooler (not liquid cooling) so is the temp normal? The CPU goes up to 80 while playing the game and then drops to 75 or 70 randomly.

 

[alceryes]

Should be fine but if you want to be sure, load up HWiNFO64 in the background (sensors only, logging on) and jump into the game. Game for 30+ mins and then exit and go through the log file to see how much the CPU downclocks and at what temps. But if 80C is your high temp you're fine.

 

[CyberZ2022]

Hi. I downloaded HWiFO64 and used sensors but forgot the logon part. However, I do notice that the core max temp was 82 after I stopped playing. I will try again tomorrow while logged on and see what I find.

Z690 E. D
Asus TUF RTX 3080-TI
One exhaust fan at the back (noctua) and 3 intake fans at the front (Phanteks P500A case).

 

[CyberZ2022]

I ran the HWinFO64 sensor and reviewed the log after. The MAX cpu thread seemed to go up to 80, 82, 84, 85 and 87 a couple of times but the temps dropped back into the 70s or 60s after. Is that normal for this CPU?

 

[Phaaze88]

Looks normal.
Games normally don't pull much power from the cpu side of things, but the cooler doesn't just deal with the cpu load; those numbers are likely caused by the gpu.

 

[CyberZ2022]

Thanks. Under the PsyX settings for the Nvidia Control panel, there is an option to use the CPU OR GPU as the main processor or let the system auto select. Is the best setting for that the GPU? Or should I leave it to the system?

Also, does playing on Power Settings for High Performance VS Balanced make a difference in CPU usage and heat generated?

 

[Phaaze88]

Leave it to the system - it varies on a game by game basis.

You mean Windows power plan? A little bit, when the cpu isn't really doing much work. Full load? No noticeable difference.

 

[geofelt]

Your temperatures are normal and not alarming.
The cpu monitors it's own temperature and will downclock or shut off if it detects a dangerous temperature.
That is around 100c.
Since your high temperature is never 100c, you are good.

On power settings, use balanced.
Leave the max at 100% but
set the minimum cpu performance down around 20%.
That will allow the cpu to run at reduced clock and voltage when little is going on.

 

[CyberZ2022]

Thanks both!

 

[Phaaze88]

No problem!

But yeah, the reason you're likely seeing the cpu temperatures get up there is due to that 3080Ti below.
If it were something like a GTX 1060, it would be a little lower.

 

[CyberZ2022]

Would adding fans at the top of the case help with the additional heat from GPU? I recently upgraded to that GPU. I have a 140mm Noctua fan at the back (exhaust) and three at the front (intake).

 

[Phaaze88]

That would help the gpu yes, but might not do anything for the cpu cooler, since it can get air from the front+top.
The benefit of getting the gpu exhaust out faster usually overshadows the detriment to the cpu cooler.
If you have some spare fans lying around, try it out.

 

[alceryes]

I ran the HWinFO64 sensor and reviewed the log after. The MAX cpu thread seemed to go up to 80, 82, 84, 85 and 87 a couple of times but the temps dropped back into the 70s or 60s after. Is that normal for this CPU?

Cufrious whether your CPU frequency was throttling down while gaming too.
Not necessarily an issue as CPUs will throttle dynamically with what is being displayed. Like when you open up and are moving around inside a game menu.

 

[CyberZ2022]

Yep, my CPU constantly seemed to move the temps down whenever it hit the 80s. Usually to 70s or 60s. The 80s seemed not that frequent though.

As Phaze88 also pointed out, it could be the newer GPU I just installed. I had a 2080TI before that and the temps were not that high for the CPU. With an RTX 3080TI, the temps are higher though. The GPU is usually at 62C while gaming.

 

[mdd1963]

I don't think Noctua's NH-U12S , a single stack cooler with about half the 'heft' and likely the TDP capacity of the NH-D15, is really adequate for the 12900K....(for that matter, I would not expect even expect the NH-D15, or any current air cooler to allow the 12900K to fully stretch it's legs for very long at temps that would not force downclocking....)

 

[alceryes]

Yep, my CPU constantly seemed to move the temps down whenever it hit the 80s. Usually to 70s or 60s. The 80s seemed not that frequent though.

As Phaze88 also pointed out, it could be the newer GPU I just installed. I had a 2080TI before that and the temps were not that high for the CPU. With an RTX 3080TI, the temps are higher though. The GPU is usually at 62C while gaming.

I'm referring to the actual CPU frequency, not temp.
Check out the logs and see what the frequency is at while gaming. The high and low.

 

[geofelt]

Do not try to fix a problem that you do not have.
Your case is excellent, and having the included 3 140mm front intakes is all you need.
Whatever air comes in the front will exit somewhere, taking component heat with it.

Adding top exit fans will tend to divert that front intake up and out of the case before it can reach the cpu and gpu cooling fans. As an experiment, put a couple of books on top of the case, I would not expect much difference.

With a balanced performance power profile, you can expect to see a wide variety of clock rates and voltages. But if you never hit 100c. you have never throttled.
If you want, run a CPU-Z stress test and monitor clock rates and temperatures with HWmonitor.
With your NH-U12s, as good as it is, I might expect to see some cores at 100c.
But, the processor should still keep on trucking.
I see this on a few cores testing with my 12900K and a NH-D15s.

The Noctua CPU suitability chart shows the NH-U12s as being suitable for the best turbo and overclocking headroom. I am not so certain about the overclocking part:
https://ncc.noctua.at/cpus/model/Intel-Core-i9-12900K-1577

But for a gamer, overclocking is not as good as a good turbo boost.
The turbo boost on a few cores may well exceed what you could get with an all core overclock.
To get the best turbo boost, the cpu temperature should be under 70c.
That might argue for a stronger NH-D15/s.
But, I think since you are doing so well, I would not bother.

 

[CyberZ2022]

alceryes: Is there a way to share this file with you?

geofelt: I am mainly using my rig for gaming. I have never overclocked my CPU or GPU. But will the CPU degrade over time if it hits 80s or above temps and goes down to 60s? I notice it mainly happens with games which require heavy graphics rendering like Metro Exodus Enhanced edition.

 

[geofelt]

I am not a reliability engineer.
But, it seems to me that a cpu, will over time, degrade some when it runs at excessively high voltages. High voltages cause high heat, so there is a connection.
I think if one uses the default settings, that there will be no problem.
And, a highly capable processor like the 12900K can do what needs to be done for a gamer while loafing.

 

[CyberZ2022]

Goefelt: Can you clarify what you mean by default settings? I have not changed anything for the CPU but checking to be sure. I have never done OC for either component.

 

[geofelt]

Sometimes a motherboard will have some options to clear settings.
It varies by motherboard vendor.
Sometimes this will be called default settings.
That is what one should start with.
Select the xmp profile that sets your ram run at advertised speeds.
That is safe enough.

One choice may be to load optimized settings.
Be careful with that.
This may actually mean to load settings for maximum performance via some level of overclocking.

 

[Why_Me]

I don't think Noctua's NH-U12S , a single stack cooler with about half the 'heft' and likely the TDP capacity of the NH-D15, is really adequate for the 12900K....(for that matter, I would not expect even expect the NH-D15, or any current air cooler to allow the 12900K to fully stretch it's legs for very long at temps that would not force downclocking....)

This ^^ ... I'm surprised it took this many post on here before someone mentioned the obvious.

 

[jenniferchris]

If you're not sure, start HWiNFO64 in the background (sensors only, logging on) and play the game. Play for 30 minutes or more, then quit and examine the log file to see how much and at what temperatures the CPU downclocks. However, if 80°C is your maximum temperature, you'll be alright.
Do you require further information? Please see the link above for further information.

 

[CyberZ2022]

If you're not sure, start HWiNFO64 in the background (sensors only, logging on) and play the game. Play for 30 minutes or more, then quit and examine the log file to see how much and at what temperatures the CPU downclocks. However, if 80°C is your maximum temperature, you'll be alright.
Do you require further information? Please see the link above for further information.

Hi. Another person on this board advised me to do the same and I did. HWINFO64 showed that my CPU temp sometimes went up to 80, 82, 84, 85 and 87 a couple of times but the temps dropped back into the 70s or 60s after. This mainly happened with Metro Exodus and that game is demanding on Ultra settings.

 

[Phaaze88]

It's just a game, it's not the likes of blender.
@CyberZ2022 How much package power hwinfo says the cpu uses in that game?
The 12900K isn't using that much power to run that game - the U12S is fine. Heck, you even have the option to tune the cpu to make it use a little less voltage if need be.
The elevated 80-ish thermals is likely due to the ~400w gpu taking a dump on U12S, or spurts of AVX code.