[SOLVED] Temperature issues with my SSD?

[opiotto]

Hi everybody. I was hoping you might clear some doubts I have about this pc I built a yesterday.

So, I assembled a new PC the other day. Got everything in place, installed Windows, and used Speccy to check if everything was correctly recognized. What caugh my attention was that my Kingston A400 of 480gb was running at 53ºc while idle. Now, according to Kingston, the operating temperatures of this drive go from 0ºc to 70ºc, but I don't believe that 15ºc off from max temperature while doing absolutely nothing is normal. I did some copy/write tests on it and its max temperature rised to 83ºc while writing around 88gbs into it.

I tried moving it around the case so it gets better air flow; uninstalling Windows from it and using is as an auxiliary drive; disassembling the case's walls, but nothing. It's always at 53ºC (with a min of 49ºc after opening the case), according to Speccy and HW64info.

I'm not sure what to do or how else to troubleshoot it. Ran some tests with CrystalDiskMark to check how it's performing (http://puu.sh/GS9Wd/aef70a1b26.png) but I think they results are normal.
What I find extremely weird is that it is not warm to the touch. I'd even say it's kinda cold, which shouldn't be the case with such temperature.

Any guesses?

 

[Flayed]

I wouldn't worry about it as it is still within spec

 

[opiotto]

I wouldn't worry about it as it is still within spec

Hi, thanks for replying.

Even though it can get up to 83ºC when doing some work?

 

[NightHawkRMX]

That value doesn't seem quite right. Even my NVME sitting under a hot GPU doesn't get that hot.

I'd be worried about the reliability of an A400 regardless of temperature.

 

[opiotto]

That value doesn't seem quite right. Even my NVME sitting under a hot GPU doesn't get that hot.

I'd be worried about the reliability of an A400 regardless of temperature.

Besides the reliability of the disk (it's all my poor budget could afford), that's what I thought. The strangest thing is it's not really warm. Could the temperature sensor be busted and it's actually having normal temperatures?

 

[fzabkar]

There is a temperature sensing diode on the flash controller die.

Here is a torture test of a Samsung NVMe SSD with and without heatsinks:

https://www.maketecheasier.com/does-nvme-ssd-need-heatsink/

Note that the author misinterprets the two temperature readings as coming from separate sensors for the controller and NAND flash. AIUI, there is no NAND temp sensor. One of the readings is a "composite" value, the other is the actual controller temperature.

ISTM that SATA SSDs would benefit from heatsinks, especially if they throttle under high load. I'd be tempted to void the warranty by adding one.

 

[opiotto]

There is a temperature sensing diode on the flash controller die.

Here is a torture test of a Samsung NVMe SSD with and without heatsinks:

https://www.maketecheasier.com/does-nvme-ssd-need-heatsink/

Note that the author misinterprets the two temperature readings as coming from separate sensors for the controller and NAND flash. AIUI, there is no NAND temp sensor. One of the readings is a "composite" value, the other is the actual controller temperature.

ISTM that SATA SSDs would benefit from heatsinks, especially if they throttle under high load. I'd be tempted to void the warranty by adding one.

I know nothing about heatsinks, anything you recommend? Besides, how do you apply a heatsink to this https://www.kingston.com/latam/ssd/a400-solid-state-drive?

I'm guessing I have to disassemble the case?

 

[fzabkar]

You would have to hack the cover by cutting a hole in it. That's why I said you would void your warranty.

Here are some stick-on heatsinks:

https://www.amazon.com/Alphacool-Copper-Heatsinks-14mm-10-Pack/dp/B077VM8FJW/
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Swiftech-MC14-BGA-Memory-RAMSINKS-Pack-of-8/251421278009

 

[neojack]

is your SSD a NVME or SATA ?
if it's sata, the chips are enclosed in a plastic case that acts as insolator, hence the high temps. since it does not touch the case, there is almot not heat transfert that's why it's cold to the touch

if it's NVME, well they are lots of nvme heatsinks. to me the best ones are the full copper ones
https://www.amazon.ca/-/fr/dissipateur-chaleur-thermique-silicone-refroidissement/dp/B08BCKDP6B

choose the lowest height for a laptop, the higher height for a desktop
it's attached to the SSD with a thermal pad and small zip ties

PS : the kingston A400 is a cheap dram-less SSD. tend tooverheat and not be reliable over time. also depending of the workload, perfs can be similar as an HDD (slow)

 

[opiotto]

is your SSD a NVME or SATA ?
if it's sata, the chips are enclosed in a plastic case that acts as insolator, hence the high temps. since it does not touch the case, there is almot not heat transfert that's why it's cold to the touch

if it's NVME, well they are lots of nvme heatsinks. to me the best ones are the full copper ones
https://www.amazon.ca/-/fr/dissipateur-chaleur-thermique-silicone-refroidissement/dp/B08BCKDP6B

choose the lowest height for a laptop, the higher height for a desktop
it's attached to the SSD with a thermal pad and small zip ties

PS : the kingston A400 is a cheap dram-less SSD. tend tooverheat and not be reliable over time. also depending of the workload, perfs can be similar as an HDD (slow)

Ah, damn, it's SATA. So I guess I'm kinda f'd, then, eh?

 

[Flayed]

It's probably just a dodgy temp sensor. SATA SSD controllers don't get that hot.

 

[opiotto]

It's probably just a dodgy temp sensor. SATA SSD controllers don't get that hot.

Your take is that I shouldn't worry about it much?

 

[Flayed]

Your take is that I shouldn't worry about it much?

Not sure what you can do, RMA it I guess but like I said it is probably a bad sensor

 

[Flayed]

Your take is that I shouldn't worry about it much?

If you just bought it return and get a different SSD like a Samsung 860 Evo or Crucial MX500

 

[neojack]

+1

 

[opiotto]

I see. Thanks everybody for contributing.

 

[fzabkar]

Here is a review of a 240GB Kingston A400 SATA SSD:

https://www.digit.in/reviews/pc-components/kingston-a400-ssd-240-gb-review-125099.html

The design is based on a remarked Phison PS3111-S11 controller. There is a discrete LM75 temperature sensor chip adjacent to the controller, so this particular model would be sensing the air temperature. However, the OP's 480GB model appears to be sensing the temperature of the controller's die. I wonder if it's a fake???