CPU Temps too high!

emergency · 13 Nov 2013 at 13:33

Hey guys,

I was hoping that you could help me identify what the potential issue is with my CPU temperatures. I've always ran my CPU at stock speeds with a stock cooler, but since I decided to upgrade my graphics card from a 560TI to a 880GTX. I figured now was a good time to overclock my CPU so that there wouldn't be any bottlenecking and the performance gain would be maximized.

Anyway, I downloaded a few key programs to assist with overclocking and monitoring temperatures. What I found was that running PRIME95 displayed per-core temperatures of close to 95c after running for as little as 2minutes, and after up to 10 minutes there was no sign of cooling down or settling off. So my first course of action was to before I installed my new GFX card, I would clean it all out (though it wasn't very dirty). The Stock cooler has collected a decent amount of dust on the fans, but I cleaned it fully with compressed air and then reseated the cooler using Arctic Silver 5 thermal paste. I have ensured the BIOS settings are the "Optimized Defaults" as stated by my motherboard. Unfortunately, it's still running just as hot in the 90c at 3.3Ghz. The CPU is several years old now as is the cooler. I'm tempted to try an after market cooler - but it would be nice to have some sort of idea that this would help.

Thanks

Loque · 13 Nov 2013 at 13:48

if you're using the stock intel heatsink, then you should expect high temps when overclocking. I would consider an aftermarket heatsink. Pretty much anything will be better than intels stock heatsink.

ChocolateStarfishRammer · 13 Nov 2013 at 13:52

As Logue said, If this is an Intel CPU and stock cooler then yes, its gunna be hitting those temps.. Pick up something else for £20-30 and yourll probably see a decent improvement of more than 10c.

Also, airflow in your case is key.. its all very well have a heatsink moving the hot air away from the CPU but if your case isn't then getting rid of that hot air then its going to be like an oven in there.

emergency · 13 Nov 2013 at 13:58

http://store.antec.com/Product/enclosure-gear_for_gamers/nine-hundred/0-761345-15900-5.aspx

This is very close to the case I have. It has a very big fan on the top, which runs very fast and also it has a smaller back fan as well. I've heard people say that the stock 2500k cooler is pretty good and you can easily overclock to over 4.0ghz with just a stock cooler with no problem...which is why I'm hesitant to blame it entirely.

ChocolateStarfishRammer · 13 Nov 2013 at 14:01

Well in my opinion from experience, the Intel ones as standard are rubbish.

As for the case, providing you've got a good flow of air from bottom front to top back then should be ok.

Divine Pain · 13 Nov 2013 at 14:15

No, no, NO!

Stock cooler is fine IF you don't plan to overclock and you can bare with the noise.

I'd get a decent air cooler or an AIO unit.

Devrij · 13 Nov 2013 at 14:47

As above, an aftermarket cooler will be the way forwards. £30 will net you a cooler that will get you to 4.2-4.5GHz depending on how good your chip is.

emergency · 13 Nov 2013 at 14:56

What cooler would you guys recommend? My friend had a monstrous after market cooler, a coolermaster... but it was just way to clunky and big to fit in either his or my motherboard/case. So preferably something a similar diameter to the stock cooler. Height isn't as much of an issue.

Devrij · 13 Nov 2013 at 15:02

This has been favourably reviewed by our very own Stulid

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HS-000-RT&groupid=701&catid=2330&subcat=2666

Very good bang for buck since they're a bit of a new brand.

Read Stulid's review here

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18556056

Threepwood · 13 Nov 2013 at 15:12

I think, even tho you have put it back to stock, you have not reinstalled the stock heatsink properly.

I bet one of the pegs is not in properly.

OLDPHART · 13 Nov 2013 at 15:12

Devrij said:
This has been favourably reviewed by our very own Stulid

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HS-000-RT&groupid=701&catid=2330&subcat=2666

Very good bang for buck since they're a bit of a new brand.

Read Stulid's review here

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18556056

Nice cooler for the price and it does the job.

emergency · 13 Nov 2013 at 16:24

Threepwood said:
I think, even tho you have put it back to stock, you have not reinstalled the stock heatsink properly.

I bet one of the pegs is not in properly.

I guess I will open it up again once I get home and ensure all the pegs are properly down. Thanks

Threepwood · 13 Nov 2013 at 18:39

emergency said:
I guess I will open it up again once I get home and ensure all the pegs are properly down. Thanks

Welcome. It would be best to double check these things and at least get it back to normal before buying anything. Then you know nothing is wrong before you add something new to the mix!

All good practice anyways

(never overclock on stock cpu heatsinks btw)

(but I think you gathered that already)