Room temperature vs. CPU temperature

wil11o6

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Jan 7, 2009
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Hello,

My question is does the room temperature have a large effect (or affect, I forgot which one is a noun or verb) on my CPU and other component's temperature?

About last week, when it was crazy cold, I OC'd my e6400 to 3.0ghz @ 1.29v on stock cooling, it was idling at a decent ~45c and load at ~50c. Then a few days ago, when the weather got warmer, maybe about 5-10c warmer, it started idling at ~50c and load at ~55c. At first, I was thinking that I may have damaged it somehow by putting in too much voltage, so I reduced my OC to 2.6ghz @ 1.25v. However, I remember the last time I OC'd at 2.6ghz (in the cold), it was ~5c warmer in idle/load than it is now.

Hopefully I did not harm my CPU or anything, and it appears that my GPU is about 5c hotter as well on idle/load.
It's hard to think that room temperature can affect my computer temperatures that much since everything is enclosed in a case so I would assume that it does it's own cooling or whatever.

I am also running my computer on a 500w power supply. I say this because I am running an OC'd e6400 and a 9800 GTX+ so I know I am close to putting max load on my PSU, maybe.

Thanks
 
Room temp does affect it fairly significantly, although 45C is still a bit warm for idle. What cooler do you have?

(Load is fine as long as it's below 70C BTW - don't worry about your load temps)
 

tripper688

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Jan 3, 2009
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sounds a wee bit warm but well within normal range..keep in mind that unless you're using more exotic cooling like peltiers or phase change or whatever, you're always going to stay above ambient temps..so +10c in your room would make a considerable difference. Actually, those temps are pretty similar to what I was getting on stock running an e8500 @ 4ghz, 1.22v..switched to the xigmatek dht-s1283 and temps promptly went down to below 30c idle.
 

wil11o6

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So, I should be okay and just OC back up to 3.0ghz even though idles at ~50c and loads near ~60c? I do not intend on buying a new cooler, at least not for my e6400, until I upgrade me thinks.
 

mike99

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What make/model PSU, it makes a difference? CPU temp is related to temp in case. If case has poor airflow, heat builds up inside and will cause CPU temp to rise.

Mike.