"Smallest" FFT's will be the same as "Small" FFT's. However, we use Small FFT's for simplicity and consistency among different versions so as to not create any more confusion than that which already exists.
Don't get discouraged or jump to conclusions.
The reason your Core temperatures skyrocketed was strictly due to AVX. As I explained above, if you run Prime95 Small FFT's without AVX, your Core temperatures will be valid and conform to Intel's Datasheets. Anything more is an overload, and anything less is an underload.
“Stress” tests vary widely and can be characterized into two categories;
stability tests which are
fluctuating workloads, and
thermal tests which are
steady workloads. Prime95 v29.8 Small FFT's
(AVX disabled) is ideally suited for testing thermal performance, because it conforms to Intel's Datasheets as a
steady 100% workload with
steady Core temperatures. No other utility can so closely replicate Intel's thermal test workload.
Utilities that don't
overload or
underload your processor will give you a valid thermal baseline. Here’s a comparison of utilities grouped as
thermal and
stability tests according to % of TDP, averaged across six processor Generations at stock settings rounded to the nearest 5%:
Although these tests range from
70% to 130% TDP workload, Windows Task Manager interprets every test as
100% CPU Utilization, which is processor resource activity,
not actual workload.
Core temperatures respond directly to Power consumption (Watts), which is driven by workload. Prime95 v29.8 Small FFT’s
(AVX disabled) provides a
steady 100% workload, even when TDP is exceeded by overclocking. If Core temperatures don't exceed
85°C, your CPU should run the most demanding
real-world workloads without overheating.
Give it a try with AVX2 and AVX disabled. Your Core temperatures shouldn't be any higher than RealBench.
If you'd like to try an 80% workload, then run CPU-Z > Bench > Stress CPU.
• CPU-Z - http://www.cpuid.com/softwares/cpu-z.html
Here's the nominal operating range for Core temperature:
Core temperatures above 85°C are not recommended.
Core temperatures below 80°C are ideal.
Core temperatures increase and decrease with ambient temperature.
What is your ambient (room) temperature? The "standard" for normal ambient is 22°C or 72°F.
CT