CPU temps hitting 90 in some games

[Nova Swing]

Wondering if anybody has any advice as my CPU is running too hot in games.

First up, specs are: Win 10, i7 2600K, Gigabyte 1080 G1, 8 gb ram , OCZ 650 w PSU. Dell SG2716dg monitor running at 1440p with gsync @ 144hz.

I had some bad issues back in May with microstutter and despite great advice from the forums, nothing fixed it... until it fixed itself. A few people thought it was temps then but CPU wasn't too bad, around 60-70 degrees I think. That was on stock. If I try to apply any overclock now though (only through pre-sets in bios), temps start to rocket, but they didn't before.

At the moment I have it set to balanced, which allows boost to 4.4 (CPU-Z essentially shows all cores on max during a game with a little fluctuation). In PUBG or R6 I can be hitting close to 90 degrees in about 10 mins. If I try the 'extreme' bios setting it pretty quickly rockets up to 95+ so I stopped doing that for obvious reasons.

On balanced though, I have no in-game issues - everything running fine now, even when CPU is getting too hot.

As a background, I had the PC on an OCUK OC profile (installed prior to delivery of a pre-built system) at 4.5 for years, and it never went over 70 degrees. So something has changed changed with the cooling. Maybe related to my issues in May, but I don't have those symptoms anymore.

The CPU is cooled by a closed loop system, CoolIT ECO II or something (sorry at work so can't check). It's making no different noises and has not leaked. I changed the fans on the rad to some Corsair fans, and this didn't make a blind bit of difference. There's clearly something up with it though - or perhaps the OC itself.

Complicating matters, I tried the OCUK overclock again, and it now just jams the speed up to the max 4.5 permanently, again causing overheating. It never used to do that (it would boost to 4.5), so not sure what I'm doing wrong there.

I would just remove any OC completely and run stock, but the 2600k is showing it's age now so I feel I need the extra grunt in games, especially to enable the 1080 to do its magic. So really want to OC, but something odd going on with cooling.

I think I'm going to buy a new system when Coffeelake comes out, but I'd like to pass this one on to my step son as it should have a year or two left in it, if I can sort the temps out (I also want to play PC2 until then!).

Thinking about going for a brand new cooler (big air or AIU), but that will mean taking the MB out of the case as there is no rear access (I believe). I'd prefer not to do that if there is something that might fix the issue.

Any suggestion much appreciated.

Here's the thread on my last issues (which criminally I didn't conclude when asked to, sorry about that!): https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/t...crashes-maybe-related-to-frametimes.18779892/

As mentioned, don't think it's related, but you can see the PC is getting pretty temperamental in its old age!

 

[mattyfez]

What sort of voltage is it hitting, if using an 'auto overclocking' preset it might be running too much voltage.

 

[VKleita]

Have you taken current cooler off and tried new paste ?

Probably telling you to suck eggs but thought I mention the stimple stuff first.

 

[Nova Swing]

Voltage seems to be min 1.241 and max 1.351. That's after checking when PC has been sat on Project Cars 2 menu screen for last hour, with temps at 65 ish to 81 ish on the four cores - that's without playing so it's not good.

Vkleita, definitely not telling me how to suck eggs. I have never removed or replaced a cooler, so haven't applied thermal paste before. I can get some at Maplins at weekend or is there a type I should order online?

 

[mistersprinkles]

Get thermal Grizzly Kryonaut. It's the best "normal" paste on the market right now. It's expensive but it beats crappy pastes like generic cooler master paste by 10 degrees celsius ++ so it's great stuff.

Possible issues:

1) Your pump is dead or dying

2) Your thermal paste has gone bad or dried out

3) Your block has come loose from the CPU

Watch a youtube video on how to remove and re-fit your particular CPU block as well as videos on how to clean and reapply thermal paste.

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/ther...ance-thermal-paste-5.5g-1.5-ml-th-001-tg.html

^That's the stuff. They also sell a 1g kit but that's enough for maybe 2 CPUs. You can do 10+ with the 5.5g kit and it's worth the extra cost.

 

[doyll]

As suggested, try removing, cleaning and re-installing cooler with new TIM. Any of the popular name brands are good. The difference between the top 50 TIMs other than liquid metal variants is only about 4c.

As said, your CLC pump or coolant level may be the problems. 4-5 years is getting old for a CLC. If CLC is going bad I would suggest getting a good air cooler. They never go bad, at least not in our lifetimes. Maybe fan will give up after 4-10 years, but cooler itself will be working just like new long after we move on to newer systems. I have an 10 year old Ultra 120 still going strong. OcUK has Phanteks PH-TC14PE for £49.99. One of the best coolers out there at a very low price.
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/phanteks-ph-tc14pe-cpu-cooler-black-hs-009-pt.html

 

[Nova Swing]

Well i removed cooler, cleaned and changed the paste, and I am seeing a 5-10 degree improvement. Still touching into the 80s when gaming though, but its better than before.

I used Noctua paste in the end as it was half the price and still reviewed well.

I noticed that one edge of the cooler surface/plate has gone green, about 2-3 mm in for the whole length of that side. Wonder if it might be connected to the issue? There is also a tiny bit of green on another side - nothing in the middle. The plate looks copper, so maybe there has been a leak, or p[erhaps its just natural corrosion over time.

Still not comfortable with the temps, but not sure if I want to spend on a new cooler as I think I'll be getting a new PC before the end of the year.

If I do get one I'd be happy to go air, but my ram is very close to CPU so not sure how big I could go.

Any thoughts on anything else worth trying short of buying a new cooler?

 

[mattyfez]

Green could indicate a bit of oxidisation if it's naked copper, maybe some damp from somewhere?

 

[BillHicksRIP]

For what it's worth, I had problems OC'ing a 2500K that I've had for years with a Corsair H80 CLC. I had tried reseating it, tried applying fresh Arctic Silver 5 and Noctua NT-H1, and it made very little difference to the temps. I came to the realisation the H80 was just done, and took a punt on an Arctic Freezer i32 which was £30 from here. A world of difference - idle at 25 and the most I've seen it under load is 56 degrees. Worth a try for £30 I'd say.

 

[doyll]

For what it's worth, I had problems OC'ing a 2500K that I've had for years with a Corsair H80 CLC. I had tried reseating it, tried applying fresh Arctic Silver 5 and Noctua NT-H1, and it made very little difference to the temps. I came to the realisation the H80 was just done, and took a punt on an Arctic Freezer i32 which was £30 from here. A world of difference - idle at 25 and the most I've seen it under load is 56 degrees. Worth a try for £30 I'd say.

You are not the only one who has had a CLC not perform as well as a much lower cost entry to mid level air cooler.

 

[Nova Swing]

Think I will invest in air cooling after all. just need to do some measurements to ensure the unit I choose doesn't interfere with my ram.

@BillHicks, what's the noise like on the Arctic Freezer i32? I think I'd spend a bit more to get good performance + low noise.

Have looked at Noctua before as I've read they are some of the best, but my god they are ugly. Case doesn't even have a window but just knowing it was there would make me shudder ;-0

Thanks for all the advice.

 

[BillHicksRIP]

@nova - I play on headphones so I don't notice as much but the sound coming from the case is much less than when I had the H80. It's fan was reeeally loud in comparison to the i32.

 

[doyll]

Think I will invest in air cooling after all. just need to do some measurements to ensure the unit I choose doesn't interfere with my ram.

@BillHicks, what's the noise like on the Arctic Freezer i32? I think I'd spend a bit more to get good performance + low noise.

Have looked at Noctua before as I've read they are some of the best, but my god they are ugly. Case doesn't even have a window but just knowing it was there would make me shudder ;-0

Thanks for all the advice.

What case, motherboard and RAM do you have? I have some spreadsheets that probably have the info you need.

 

[Nova Swing]

Antec 300, mb is Asus PZ [something] gen 3, can't remember off-hand - god knows on ram apart from 2 x 4gb DDR3.

Anyway, I got a bit excited and ordered a Coolermaster 212 EVO last night. Seemed to review very well and I imagine all 120mm coolers are similar in size, so fingers crossed.

Not sure why I decided on that over the Arctic Freezer, may have been a victim of branding and marketing!

Will let you know how it goes. And if it doesn't fit, I'll let you have the exact specs doyll. Great if you can recommend one that will fit if this doesn't.

Might have to ask some advice on fan set up when I have the cooler installed. I'll have exhaust fans back and top of case, plus the Coolermaster pumping out the side. Does that sound ok or should I whack an intake on the front also? Will have a spare fan as the CLC has two 120mm fans, one of which I'll put on back of case but the other has no use as of now.

 

[Nova Swing]

Just to close this one up, installed the 212 yesterday and it seems to have improved things. Played Rainbow 6 for 90 mins and temps didn't seem to go over 70 degrees, which I'm comfortable with.

Will keep an eye on things though, I'm sure my temps used to be stable but they change constantly nowadays, like every second (on old CLC and new cooler). Anyway, at least I'm not hitting BBQ temps with the new cooler.

Thanks for all the advice

 

[doyll]

If it's taking more than 4 or 5 minutes of gaming for CPU to reach peak temps your case is not supplying cooler with a cool air. What is happening is cool case airflow is being contaminated by heated GPU air and raising the temp of air going to CPU cooler .. and for every degree warmer the air going into cooler is the CPU will basically be a degree hotter.

 

[Nova Swing]

Not sure if I quite get your first sentence doyll. I've always experienced that it takes a little while to 'get up to temp' as it were. Is that not how it should be?

As for your second part I can see what you're saying there. The 1080 will just pump heat at the CPU/cooler as it sits below it - especially as I have rear and top extractor fans. I installed a side fan on the case when I installed the cooler yesterday so hopefully that will help as it is basically pulling air directly onto the GPU.

As it stands, I'm ok with temps around late 60s early 70s which is way better than going into the 90s before. At least I know it's OK for when I give the PC (minus 1080!) to my step lad when I get a new one soon.

 

[doyll]

"A little while" is 2-5 minutes.
I'm assuming when you said you were gaming for 60 minutes and only reached 70c that it took much longer than 5 minutes to reach 70c.

I advise against using top exhaust fans. Top exhaust tend to draw heated air coming out of GPU up around CPU cooler. Actually almost all of my build no longer have exhaust fans and only good pressure rated intake fans. Principle is same as most coolers and radiators only having fans moving air into them and none pulling air out.

Best case airflow is front to back in normal towers. A bottom intake often helps GPU get cool air .. as does removing all unused PCIe back covers to increase back vent area for smooth front to back airflow.

Yeah, upper 60s to 70c is not bad. although none of my systems run that hot unless it is 25+c in the room and both CPU & GPU are at 100% load.

Here is a basic guide to case airflow, how to optimize it and how to make a low cost thermometer to monitor case airflow temp in different places.
https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/t...-i-put-my-temp-sensor.18564223/#post-26159770

Here is graph of old 980 CPU on a hot day. Notice peak temp is reached in less than 4 minutes and actually peaks a little more and gradually goes down in next 10 minutes before it stabilizes. Sorry, but I can't find any graphs with both GPU and CPU at 100%, but CPU temp is the same as this one .. GPU heated air does not get into CPU cool air.

Edit: Image of temp and load graph was posted, then later photobucket.com switched it to the above image.
Most popular computer forum sights host photos so users won't have the above happen. To bad OcUK does not.

 

[Nova Swing]

Ah ok got you... it is 'up to temp' in a few mins basically.

Thanks for the other tips, all food for thought