Discussion There's Nothing Like Testing Your own System

[Bearmann]

I've been mostly absent from these forums for several years, but I just built a new system. Here is the meat of it:

CPU: Intel Core i9-13900K
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D15
Motherboard: Asus ROG STRIX Z790-E GAMING WIFI ATX LGA1700 Motherboard. Asus Multicore Enhancement turned OFF.
Video Card: MSI GAMING GeForce GTX 960 2 GB Video Card
Case: Fractal Design Define R5 ATX Mid Tower Case
No spinning internal drives. Yea!!!

I removed all of the hard drive cages. This is the older D15. It comes with two 1500 RPM PWM fans, A15 I think they are called. I just added a be Quiet SILENT WINGS 4 140mm PWM high-speed fan (~1900 RPM) to the rear of the case. The two included Fractal DC fans (800 RPM) are on the front of the case and I adjust these together. Installed FanControl. While monitoring the temps with HWinfo I tried various combinations of fan speeds at idle. The Noctua fans and the beQuiet fan also function as one unit plugged into the CPU/CPU OPT headers. Unlike most of your systems, my GPU never does any work and stays cool while doing CPU based video editing, Photoshop, and web surfing.
I started Cinebench and tried numerous combinations of fan speeds while watching my CPU package temps. For example, I would put the 3 CPU based fans at 20% and try the front fans from zero (off) to 100%. I would put the front fans at 100% and adjust the CPU fans between 20%-100%. Then every combination in between.

I think the theory is to have slight positive pressure at idle to control dust, and mild negative pressure at load to control heat.

What I discovered:

My front fans aren't doing cr@p! At most they lower the CPU package temp by about one degree. One degree!!! Doesn't seem to make any difference whether they are off or at their maximum 800 RPM's.
The CPU fans reach their best temps at about 90%. Pushing them to 100% doesn't seem to improve things but does make a bit more noise.
With Cinebench, my CPU package temp runs about 96 degrees.

My current set-up:

I set the front fans at 30% constant, load or no load. Since I paid for them, I like to have them spinning even if they aren't doing anything!
I made a curve for the CPU combination fans. Constant 30% between 20 and 60 degrees so not whirring up and down all the time being a nuisance. A steep slope from 60C to 75C with the fans going from 30% to 90%. A bump from 97C to 98C from 90% to 100% just in case it might help prior to throttling (sort of like turning them up to 11 Spinal Tap style!)

Of course, your situation is probably different. You probably have a different case, a different CPU, require GPU cooling, etc. No matter how much you read about optimal configurations, it's enlightening to test your own system and find out it's strengths and weaknesses.

 

[Phaaze88]

Of course, your situation is probably different. You probably have a different case, a different CPU, require GPU cooling, etc. No matter how much you read about optimal configurations, it's enlightening to test your own system and find out it's strengths and weaknesses.

Tell me about it.
Self testing is the optimal method, but those words are often blacklisted by the OPs of the cooling setup threads.

Makes ya not want to bother with it...

 

[dwd999]

My front fans aren't doing cr@p! At most they lower the CPU package temp by about one degree. One degree!!! Doesn't seem to make any difference whether they are off or at their maximum 800 RPM's.

With the front fans you would want to check the temps of the Z790 PCH chip which is what they are closest to.

 

[TerryLaze]

My front fans aren't doing cr@p! At most they lower the CPU package temp by about one degree. One degree!!! Doesn't seem to make any difference whether they are off or at their maximum 800 RPM's.

The case fans aren't there to cool your CPU, they are case fans, they are supposed to help keep the inside of your case cool, you have a good mobo with passive heatsinks on the VRMs those passive heatsinks ,not only from your VRMs but all the things that don't have active cooling on them, need air to flow over them to deal with higher heat, that's what the case fans are for.

 

[Bearmann]

Thank you all for your comments. I ran Cinebench this morning and noted these additional temps.

Idle with front fans off: MB (motherboard): 41°C, PCH 72°C-74°C, VRM 46°C-47°C

Idle with front fans at 30%: MB 43°C, PCH 74°C, VRM 47°C

Idle with front fans at 100%: MB 36-40°C, PCH 67-74°C, VRM 47-49°C

Cinebench with front fans at 100% (rear CPU fans 90%-100% for all CB testing): MB 38°C, PCH 69-72°C, VRM 51-53°C

Cinebench with front fans off: MB 38°C, PCH 71 °C, VRM 52°C

So at idle, the front fans brought down the PCH temp a little bit.

Of course, the Fractal fans are only 800RPM. I may have seen a greater change with stronger front fans, again stressing that everyone's system is different.