Haswell i7-4790K Overheating Problems

[Razoo]

Hi,

I'm continuing to purchase the component parts for a new office computer build (CAD, no gaming), and now need to buy the CPU. My motherboard is a Gigabyte GA-Z97M-D3H. For software reasons my OS will be Windows 7, 32-Bit

I had originally decided to buy a Haswell Core i7-4790K processor. That was until I did some research and discovered that they are very prone to overheating and temperature spikes. It seems that many purchasers have had to return their i7-4790Ks for replacement. Defective chips seem worryingly common.

The problem is thought to be Intel's new polymer TIM failing to securely bond the IHS and Die together.

Intel started using the new polymer TIM instead of an Indium soldered joint on their 3rd and 4th generation Core i processors.

The new polymer TIM would only have been introduced for cost-cutting reasons - it is in no way superior to the previous (more expensive) Indium soldered joint.

I assume that the new TIM is some sort of thermally efficient plastic-based paste and I have yet to encounter any plastic that doesn't deteriorate with time and thermal cycling.

I thought I would avoid the potential problems of the Haswell Core i7-4790K processor and its polymer TIM interface by purchasing a 2nd Generation Core i Sandy Bridge processor instead. However, I'm surprised at how well the Sandy Bridge processors are holding their price. Maybe a lot of wise people have had similar thoughts, thereby keeping the prices high.

What does the team think and which Sandy Bridge processor would be the best one to go for?

 

[setter]

The 4790k does run hot, but avoid AVX stress test programs and it will be fine. If buying a new system have you considered skylake or X99. Both are more modern and run cooler.

 

[BluD]

z97 is 1150 chipset and Sandy is 1155 so you would need another mobo to go that way and like setter said you might aswell go for skylake if your doing that.

Some 4790k cpus do run hot, mine would have been useless if i didnt replace that paste they stuck in but i imagine mine was one of the minority, im sure most of the users got theirs running fine, after all if it does run too hot you can just send it back and get it replaced.

 

[Razoo]

z97 is 1150 chipset and Sandy is 1155 so you would need another mobo to go that way and like setter said you might as well go for skylake if your doing that.

Thanks for the heads-up BluD. I hadn't spotted the incompatibility issue between the Gigabyte GA-Z97M-D3H motherboard and the Sandy Bridge CPU.

I don't know anything about the Skylake range of CPUs (or the X99 CPUs for that matter), so I'll go do some research.

In one of my earlier threads, 'The Only Beardy' suggested using an overclocked, 2-core Intel Pentium K Anniversary G3258 Socket LGA1150 CPU, instead of the i7-4790K.

The primary purpose of my new computer is to run my CAD programme, and my (old) CAD programme is not able to utilise the four cores or the hyper-threading in an i7. Consequently the Pentium K Anniversary G3258 remains a viable option and I might just go for it and save about £200. Overclocked, it might actually run my CAD programme faster than the i7. I see I will still be lumbered with Intel's TIM interface though

Can anyone think of any negatives to using the Pentium K Anniversary G3258?

Thanks.

 

[skaif]

My 4790k is fine oc'd to 4.8ghz and temps max out around 70 with an AIO and fans set to 1000rpm. Overheating really shouldn't be an issue with good TIM and a good cooler.

 

[McGraw]

Just get the 4790k.

As long as it's not throttling (or near to with silly volts) then it will be fine.

 

[Midlife Crisis]

My I74790k has been tamed by a overclockers.co.uk/noctua-nh-d15s-dual-radiator-quiet-cpu-cooler-hs-031-nc.html
don't even look at the temp's now