Looking for cooling advice

[mikebjr86]

I have been noticing hotter temperatures on my CPU after I installed a new GPU in my system and I am trying to identify the problem. Here is my setup...

Case: Rosewill Challenger
CPU: AMD Phenom II x4 955 BE
GPU: HIS Radeon HD 6950 2GB

Other than this, I have a bottom mounted modular psu, 1 HDD, 1 optical drive, and 2 sticks of 2 gb RAM.

Currently my CPU is idling around 35C and will get as hot as 61C while playing games. This has me concerned because I believe the max temperature for my CPU is around 62C. With my previous GPU installed, I was getting cpu temps that were around 30C idle and mid 50s when gaming, and it was a much smaller card.

I am wondering if this is an airflow issue, since the HD 6950 fits pretty snug in my Rosewill Challenger case. My case came with 3 fans already installed, and there is space on the side of the case for 2 more 120mm fans. Would installing fans on the side cool my CPU down a bit better? If so, should they be intake fans or exhaust fans? If it's not a fan issue, should I replace the thermal compound on the CPU? Or maybe buy an aftermarket cooler for the CPU?

I should mention that everything on my system is running at stock settings, nothing is overclocked. The cooler on my CPU is the stock cooler as well.

Thanks in advance for any advice or suggestions.

 

[hellfire24]

all you need to do is to add an good aftermarket cooler on cpu.your case is fine.hyper 212 evo is a great cooler for price.

 

[C12Friedman]

all you need to do is to add an good aftermarket cooler on cpu.your case is fine.hyper 212 evo is a great cooler for price.

I'm thinking there is more to it than that... stock speed CPU's should not need an aftermarket cooling solution and slapping one in will not address the problems. Try running you computer with the side panel removed, see if your temps go down that way - if so, then a side panel intake fan will help. If your temps don't change include that info.

 

[hellfire24]

^rosewill challenger is a great case and has plenty of airflow.maybe his gpu is throwing the hot air inside the case which is resulting is such conditions.

 

[C12Friedman]

^rosewill challenger is a great case and has plenty of airflow.maybe his gpu is throwing the hot air inside the case which is resulting is such conditions.

Yep love the Challenger (currently housing my i5) and you can mount a fan (or two) on the side panel right over the GPU's - I found I ran cooler that way plus it looked really cool with two blue fans there.

 

[mikebjr86]

Here is an update on my situation:

I tried running my system with the side cover off as Friedman suggested, but was still getting the same kind of idle temps that I was getting with the cover on. I just don't think that air is getting circulated to the CPU well enough. My cable management could probably be a lot better as well.

Anyway, I went out and picked up the cooler that hellfire suggested and installed it last night. Right away my idle temps dropped down to around 30C. I booted up Battlefield 3 and played a couple rounds to see how well it was handling under some stress. The CPU did not get over 50C after playing a few rounds. I think I was hovering around 47C or 48C where before I was getting as high as 61C. Needless to say, I am pretty happy with how well the Hyper 212 Evo is cooling the CPU now.

There may have been a cheaper solution to my problem, but I figured I would just pick up the after market cooler since I plan on overclocking at some point anyway (I am fairly new at system building and haven't really learned how to overclock just yet).

Thanks for all the help and suggestions!

 

[hellfire24]

^i hope you are done and if you are then please mark the thread as 'solved'.
any way here are a couple of suggestions-
1-improve your cable management if you can,here's some help-
http://www.overclock.net/t/1143934/rosewill-challenger-cable-management
2-add a high cfm fan such as slipstream on side to blow air on your cpu and gpu.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835185060
now your airflow will improve and temps will drop.top and rear fan will take care of sucking out the hot air.

 

[mikebjr86]

Best answer selected by mikebjr86.

 

[InvalidError]

Needless to say, I am pretty happy with how well the Hyper 212 Evo is cooling the CPU now.

There may have been a cheaper solution to my problem, but I figured I would just pick up the after market cooler

The 212 +/EVO are the two best HSFs under $60 by a fairly wide margin. They may not be the absolute cheapest solution but not by much (only $5-10 more expensive than the cheapest aftermarket HSFs on the market) and well worth it for all the extra performance it brings.

 

[hellfire24]

^you are wrong!hyper 212+ for 20 buck is good but evo for 435 seems to be a bit expensive.CM 612 pwm for $42 is a great deal-
http://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-Aluminum-Copper-RR-H612-20PK-R3/dp/B005WCN3KK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1336668208&sr=8-1
it's hardly behind the mighty and expensive D14-
http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/Cooler-Master-Hyper-612-PWM-CPU-Cooler-Review/1398/6

 

[InvalidError]

^you are wrong!hyper 212+ for 20 buck is good but evo for 435 seems to be a bit expensive.CM 612 pwm for $42 is a great deal-

The 212 EVO performs practically just as well as the 612 (within 1C load temp) but costs $5-10 less.
http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/Cooler-Master-Hyper-212-EVO-CPU-Cooler-Review/1407/6

 

[hellfire24]

^are you talking about the graph?

 

[InvalidError]

^are you talking about the graph?

Graph or table, it makes no difference. Keep in mind that the graph shows the ambient-to-core temperature difference and you get the exact same values from the table.

If your room temperature is 5C hotter (as is the case in that table/graph between the 212 and 612), your core temperatures will necessarily be around 5C hotter as well since heat movement is primarily dictated by temperature differentials.

 

[hellfire24]

^thanks for the info but i already knew that.