i5 4690k - Running hot and uneven

Ghostom · 26 Apr 2017 at 20:13

Hi Guys,
Just started overclocking an i5 4690k, got it to 4.4GHz at a little over 1.2v which i thought was quite good but temps seemed far too high 95C+, seems high for small voltage?

Have clocked it down to 4.2 at ~1.18v but is still high 80s occasionally hitting 90, also the cores seem quite uneven - the highest is usually about 5c-8c different to the lowest. I have reseated and reapplied the thermal paste 3 times now with no change whatsoever (looked fine each time i took the cooler off).

I am using the Noctua NH-D9L, which is quite small but was hoping for slightly better results. Or was i expecting a bit much of a small cooler?

gavinh87 · 26 Apr 2017 at 20:36

Those temps are very high I wouldn't run at those temps for prolonged periods. The difference in core temps look fine, all my CPU's have had differences like that.
I had that very CPU and even with a corsair h110i it would get quite hot at 1.1v. I think your going to need a better cooler I'm afraid.

*After looking at a review for this cooler they have this cooling an overclocked 4770k and loads hit 80c. What are you using to load the CPU?

Ghostom · 26 Apr 2017 at 21:02

Thanks for the reply, I use prime95 for stress testing but have seen the 90c highs while gaming.

C64 · 26 Apr 2017 at 23:38

sounds too high although ( I think not sure) can be normal for prime to do that to haswells make them run extremely hot and best to use things like asus real bench to test , which method to spread the paste ? maybe look at reducing the amount you use or increasing the amount you use , I like grain of rice size line across middle or pea but like half the size of an actual garden pea I'd say.

Double check everything , enough pressure or tight enough heatsink screwed down, fan blowing on to heatsink not sucking air away (done it myself fan fins facing wrong way).Maybe it needs 2 fans to keep that cpu cool on that heatsink instead of one.

jbh110tdi · 26 Apr 2017 at 23:42

which version of prime95 are you using? the devils canyon chips don't like the newest version and will run really hot.
try using realbench to stress test

EDIT: I saw you are seeing 90c while gaming.. are you overclocking in the BIOS?
when I first overclocked my old 4690k I used the software that came with my board and I was also seeing scary high temps.

C64 · 26 Apr 2017 at 23:52

http://www.overclock.net/t/1411077/haswell-overclocking-guide-with-statistics

I'd use this guide to fine tweak an overclock on haswell as you can see overclocking the uncore isnt worth it for example

pastymuncher · 27 Apr 2017 at 09:59

There is something wrong there. What case do you have and how are the fans set up? Don't use Prime. Download and stick Asus Realbench on a loop for stress testing.

Ghostom · 27 Apr 2017 at 19:22

Thanks for the replies, for applying the paste, first time i added a small blob in the middle of the cpu as directed by the cooler instructions, when i reapplied i added a thin line vertically but this made no difference. When i removed it, both times it seemed to have good coverage but was not excessive (leaking out the edges).

I have got the cooler/fans orientated so it is blowing air out the top of the case.

I am overclocking in the bios on an ASUS board, I'm assuming the uncore is the same as cpu cache ratio? If so this is set as 3.9GHz would lowering this decrease the temps (ive got no issues with stability)?

Case is a Sharkoon CA-I, I am currently testing pretty much outside the case (sides and top off) and is about 10c lower - still high 70s at 4.2GHz @ 1.184v.

I will try adding another fan to the cooler and realbench for stress testing.

pastymuncher · 27 Apr 2017 at 19:42

There is your problem. My wife has the m-atx version of that case and while it's is very good for her basic pc using the igpu, it just has not got the airflow that you need to cool your components. A single thin 120mm exhaust in the roof just isn't going to cope and adding the optional 60mm fan won't make the slightest difference. Sorry to be brutally honest but either forget about overclocking or buy a new case.

gavinh87 · 27 Apr 2017 at 19:51

pastymuncher said:
There is your problem. My wife has the m-atx version of that case and while it's is very good for her basic pc using the igpu, it just has not got the airflow that you need to cool your components. A single thin 120mm exhaust in the roof just isn't going to cope and adding the optional 60mm fan won't make the slightest difference. Sorry to be brutally honest but either forget about overclocking or buy a new case.

This. That case is going to be a cook box for any overclocked CPU.

Ghostom · 27 Apr 2017 at 19:59

, ah well. I guess i was being a bit ambitious with that case, but thought i could get away with a small voltage increase and a decent cooler.

So would you say ~78c is about expected for that OC and cooler (in open air)?

gavinh87 · 27 Apr 2017 at 20:04

Ghostom said:
, ah well. I guess i was being a bit ambitious with that case, but thought i could get away with a small voltage increase and a decent cooler.

So would you say ~78c is about expected for that OC and cooler (in open air)?

I had that CPU in a corsair 540 with a h110i and I was hitting around 70c

Firejack · 27 Apr 2017 at 20:23

With my i5-4690k @ 4.5GHz/ 1.250v. I get ~28c idle/~62c load. Using a Fractal Design Define S Case and Antec H600 Pro cooler.

Ghostom · 27 Apr 2017 at 20:56

Seems they vary a lot then? Was yours delidded Firejack?, very good temps.

Firejack · 28 Apr 2017 at 00:13

Not delidded. It was just a matter of sorting the cooling out. I previously used my old Antec case that had 1x120mm intake and 1x120mm exhaust fans. I was into the 80's for temps on the stock cooler at stock speeds.

Got the Antec H600 Pro cooler, mounting the radiator(+ its 1x120mm fan) at the back, in place of the 120mm exhaust fan and could overclock to 4.1Ghz, but again it was into the 80's. (The radiator seemed to be restricting airflow out the case.)

Got the new Define S case, then mounted the Antec H600 Pro radiator (+ its 1x120mm fan) at the front with a 1x140mm intake below, plus a 1x140mm exhaust fan and temps dropped 25c+. Allowed me to squeeze more on the overclock.

C64 · 28 Apr 2017 at 13:33

lowering the uncore clock +1 over its default clock allows you to lower voltage for your overclock so 4.4ghz uncore + 4.5ghz clock might need 1.2 volts
but 40x uncore and 45x clock might only require 1.175 volts and so on hope that makes sense

Webzta · 28 Apr 2017 at 13:49

I had a similar issue on a 4790k I fixed mine by delidding, temps are now spot on.

sockky · 28 Apr 2017 at 17:08

Had issues with Prime95 and my 4770k, even at 1.2v and under custom water I would hit 80-85c.

I don't use it anymore

Ghostom · 4 May 2017 at 18:45

Thanks for the help guys, I have had some success in bringing down the temps.

I have brought the uncore/cache clock down a couple of notches which allowed me to drop the volts a bit and also up the multi to 4.3Ghz.

Added a second fan to the cooler, and replaced both case fans with noctuas (probably did more to reduce noise than temps). I also changed the small (60mm) fan to exhaust air rather than intake (in an attempt to get rid of the heat off the GPU).

My new max (in the case) is now around 80c in Prime95 and the highest I've seen in any gaming session is 75. Quite happy with those temps.

Danny75 · 4 May 2017 at 19:59

Nice.

In addition to what's been suggested/what you've already done, you can also tinker with LLC (Load Line Calibration) in the BIOS. The trick is to lower it as much as possible while remaining stable, which will further decrease voltages and heat.