Good/accurate temp probe suggestions?
- Thread starter str
- Start date
Thanks for reminded me about those. I found one of the Lian Li probes in my spares box and managed to find a battery for it too. 
I've got the probe attached to my E2160, it's on the side/edge of the IHS.
I'm running multi-core Prime95 and after 10 mins of stress testing TAT is reporting 62c/62c, CoreTemp 0.95 is reporting 67c/67c and Everest is reporting 66c/67c while the motherboard reported CPU temp is 53c.
The probe is reporting 32.9c which doesn't make any sense unless the reported temps above are inaccurate?
EDIT: Also I tested the probe by putting it on a kettle and it went up to 58c (kettle had been boiled a while earlier) and I took a can of Pepsi from the fridge and it reported a temp of 12c. So it does appear to be working fine.
I've got the probe attached to my E2160, it's on the side/edge of the IHS.
I'm running multi-core Prime95 and after 10 mins of stress testing TAT is reporting 62c/62c, CoreTemp 0.95 is reporting 67c/67c and Everest is reporting 66c/67c while the motherboard reported CPU temp is 53c.
The probe is reporting 32.9c which doesn't make any sense unless the reported temps above are inaccurate?
EDIT: Also I tested the probe by putting it on a kettle and it went up to 58c (kettle had been boiled a while earlier) and I took a can of Pepsi from the fridge and it reported a temp of 12c. So it does appear to be working fine.
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Putting a proble next to the IHS is a waste of time. The most accurate you are going to get is by taking the IHS off or even drilling a hole in the side of the IHS for the probe. Both of which can knacker your CPU.
Yeah the probe on the side of the IHS isn't accurate at all it seems. I'm not sure I'd be able to get the IHS off without killing the CPU especially if it's soldered on. Drilling a hole in the side is a good idea though so I'll look into that.
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Why do you need a temp probe if you don't mind me asking?
Only, there is already a temp resistor in your chip, and the likes of TAT/Core Temp do a reasonable job of reading it.
I don't know if you're going to get much more accurate than that to be honest.
Only, there is already a temp resistor in your chip, and the likes of TAT/Core Temp do a reasonable job of reading it.
I don't know if you're going to get much more accurate than that to be honest.
I want to verify the temps as I don't believe CoreTemp/Everest/TAT are doing a good job. Have you got evidence or a website URL proving they are reasonably accurate? Would save me the trouble of doing it and put my mind at ease regarding C2D temp reporting.
Well, rather than websites, I go on what I can work out for myself.
In my case, a decent calibrated thermometer on my wall tells me my ambient temp. The same thermometer placed in my case can be viewed through the window, so that gives me my case temps.
Now, the laws of thermodynamics state that convection cooling (pc air and water cooling then) can never cool something below that of the ambient temperature.
Experience and web searching shows that most pc cooling systems will never be able to cool much below +5c above ambient temps at idle.
The average scenario in my pc room is Ambient 24c, Case Temp 29c, and reported idle CPU temps via Core Temp/TAT in the region of 36 to 39c. My bios readings and all those temp monitor programs that read the bios all report in the region of 22c, which is obviously plainly wrong, as it's below the ambient temp.
So, I believe the Core Temp (V0.95 for my E4400) readings because it's the only one that fits with the other facts that I know about the environment the PC is situated in, and fits with the laws of thermodynamics.
Also, with your average PC temp probe such as those bundled with fan controllers and pc's (even Lian-Li's!) you have no way of knowing how accurate they are either, as they are not calibrated.
If you want piece of mind, then buy yourself a decent thermometer and mount it in your case, and then see what Core Temp/TAT report next to it. Also check what your Bios is reporting, and if it's at or below ambient, you know how wrong it is!
In my case, a decent calibrated thermometer on my wall tells me my ambient temp. The same thermometer placed in my case can be viewed through the window, so that gives me my case temps.
Now, the laws of thermodynamics state that convection cooling (pc air and water cooling then) can never cool something below that of the ambient temperature.
Experience and web searching shows that most pc cooling systems will never be able to cool much below +5c above ambient temps at idle.
The average scenario in my pc room is Ambient 24c, Case Temp 29c, and reported idle CPU temps via Core Temp/TAT in the region of 36 to 39c. My bios readings and all those temp monitor programs that read the bios all report in the region of 22c, which is obviously plainly wrong, as it's below the ambient temp.
So, I believe the Core Temp (V0.95 for my E4400) readings because it's the only one that fits with the other facts that I know about the environment the PC is situated in, and fits with the laws of thermodynamics.
Also, with your average PC temp probe such as those bundled with fan controllers and pc's (even Lian-Li's!) you have no way of knowing how accurate they are either, as they are not calibrated.
If you want piece of mind, then buy yourself a decent thermometer and mount it in your case, and then see what Core Temp/TAT report next to it. Also check what your Bios is reporting, and if it's at or below ambient, you know how wrong it is!
I've been looking at the mCubed T-Balancer bigNG. It looks good and can view the temps etc via software on the PC.
As for my case and cooling etc. I had a hot running X2 4200+ and eventually got it running cool so I gained a good understanding of temps and optimal case cooling etc. The Intel setup in the same case with the same cooling etc allegedly runs a lot hotter if I'm to believe the temp monitoring programs but I don't believe it because it's noticably cooler and there isn't any hot hair being exhausted and the heatsink contact plate and the Tuniq Tower's heatpipes are only a little warm.
As for my case and cooling etc. I had a hot running X2 4200+ and eventually got it running cool so I gained a good understanding of temps and optimal case cooling etc. The Intel setup in the same case with the same cooling etc allegedly runs a lot hotter if I'm to believe the temp monitoring programs but I don't believe it because it's noticably cooler and there isn't any hot hair being exhausted and the heatsink contact plate and the Tuniq Tower's heatpipes are only a little warm.
So, what are you saying?! You're going to keep searching until you find a method that reports a low enough temp that you're happy with?!
I'm not saying that I know for sure that the programs that read the thermal resistor in the chip are 100% accurate, but what I am saying is that the results I see are a LOT more accurate than the Bios readings and sticking any number of temp probes on the surface of the chip heat spreader. That's why I say knowing your precise ambient and case temps are important, so that at least you know what your temps can't be below, for the reasons I stated before.
Don't forget that the temp being reported by TAT etc is the Core temp, so the temp at the IHS will feel a lot lower than the temp at the core. Other methods will give you surface temps, but then is that what you want to know?
Have you thought about buying an infra red temp probe like they use in motorsport etc?
Also, did the X2 chips ever have a way of reporting the internal core temp? Could it be that internally they were always as hot as Core2's etc?
I'm not saying that I know for sure that the programs that read the thermal resistor in the chip are 100% accurate, but what I am saying is that the results I see are a LOT more accurate than the Bios readings and sticking any number of temp probes on the surface of the chip heat spreader. That's why I say knowing your precise ambient and case temps are important, so that at least you know what your temps can't be below, for the reasons I stated before.
Don't forget that the temp being reported by TAT etc is the Core temp, so the temp at the IHS will feel a lot lower than the temp at the core. Other methods will give you surface temps, but then is that what you want to know?
Have you thought about buying an infra red temp probe like they use in motorsport etc?
Also, did the X2 chips ever have a way of reporting the internal core temp? Could it be that internally they were always as hot as Core2's etc?