Fairly high temperatures

[Sir-Nerd]

The new processor i got (Q9550) is running fairly hot. 45C avg idle, and reaches up to 70C under load. Since the quad cores are more delicate than their dual and single core counterparts, i was wondering if this is too high. I've reseated the heatsink fan twice, and the only difference it made was dropping the load temp down from 75C.

I really don't like these push pin heatsinks, but the fan seems solid and in place. When i physically grab it, it's doesn't shift unless it flexes with the motherboard.

[DigitalAssassin]

Re: Fairly high temperatures

Not necessarily help but informational none the less...that's about ~160F and although I'm running an AMD Phenom II X4 not an Intel, I can tell you my CPU gets about that hot as well after having played BC2 for a while.

[Cheburash]

Re: Fairly high temperatures

That is high enough I would be concerned. Q9550's thermal spec* lists 71.4C for Tcase, after which point you should start getting heat-related shutdowns. The main question I have is, what are you using to monitor your temps and are those CPU or core temperature readings?

* http://ark.intel.com/Product.aspx?spec=SLB8V

[Buckets]

Re: Fairly high temperatures

Are you using the stock Intel cooler? That thing is less than adequate.

[Sir-Nerd]

Re: Fairly high temperatures

These readings are Core readings, i am using a stock cooler, and i have good airflow throughout the case. I do know the difference between the CPU temperature and Core.

I talked to a friend of mine who's been building computers for 15 years. He said that his stock cooler had similar results to mine, and that everything was fine as long as i didn't OC the thing, which i don't see any reason to.

I'm using Core Temp to read my temperatures.

[Cheburash]

Re: Fairly high temperatures

I'm sorry, Nerd, I did not mean to suggest you don't know your hardware, or the difference between Tcase and Tjunction -- just wanted to clarify which you were talking about. I agree with your friend; 70 Tcase isn't something to worry about if you're not OCing, especially in a chip that's known to run hot, as the 9550 is.

One thing to be conscious of, though: The mode of failure I've witnessed with the stock Intel cooler wasn't in the fan itself, but the clips holding it against the CPU. They came undone and weren't holding the heatsink against the CPU anymore, resulting in heat shutdowns. The replacement -- a Vigor Monsoon LT II -- has a metal bracket and screws through the motherboard to ensure adequate contact, so it's really just Intel being cheap bastards.

[Sir-Nerd]

Re: Fairly high temperatures

One thing to be conscious of, though: The mode of failure I've witnessed with the stock Intel cooler wasn't in the fan itself, but the clips holding it against the CPU. They came undone and weren't holding the heatsink against the CPU anymore, resulting in heat shutdowns. The replacement -- a Vigor Monsoon LT II -- has a metal bracket and screws through the motherboard to ensure adequate contact, so it's really just Intel being cheap bastards.

This happened with my previous processor (e8400), one of the clips snapped off, causing my processor to reach up to 99C before shutting itself down. I jury rigged a new pin into it from an old, defunct cooler and held it in place better than the pin, I'm still trying to replicate it.

[Acreo Aeneas]

Re: Fairly high temperatures

Are you using the stock Intel cooler? That thing is less than adequate.

Seconded. Stock HSF just won't cut it. Hell it's practically stopped cutting from the old Prescott Pentium 4s until now. (My old Prescott P4 died due to heat exhaustion on the stock cooler after just over 3 years of heavy use.)

As is, the temp's pretty "okay". Ideally you'd want it below TCase (71.4 C).

I'd suggest a aftermarket cooler, like the Cooler Master 212 which can be had for about $25 now online (NewEgg or elsewhere like eWiz).

Personally, since I have a OC on my Q9550, it'll sometimes reach as high as 74 C which is already several degrees above TCase, but given that you'd want the chip to stay 20-30 degrees away from TJMax, I'm not too worried myself.