3770k Temperatures question
3770k Temperatures question
Hi, I just moved from 2500k to 3770k.
/edit: Tested on Prime
The temperatures I'm observing at 4k are 76c on core 0 and 70c on core 3. Ambience is around 36c.
vcore 1.065, LLC auto
The CPU is installed in a Phanteks Lux with stock fans: the rear fan pulls in air, one fan near the PSU draws cool air in, and the front large fan acts as both intake and exhaust.
The exhaust is managed by the iH100, with two stock Corsair radiator fans expelling hot air from the top of the case.
I ran the Corsair fans at maximum speed to see how it performed.
I’d like some details on whether these temperatures are normal for this configuration and if a 5c difference between the coolest core and hottest one is typical. The paste applied well, even when uncapped, and the readings were consistent across the board.
Temperatures are pretty high, if you're running this CPU on stock, with the H100i watercooling solution.
I think even with only 1 case fan, your H100i should cool the 3770K a lot better than that.
Have you OC'ed?
Your Ambient temperatures are pretty high though. Isnt there a way to reduce them? I understand you may be living in a place where its really hot (and summer is upon us), but still.
5c discrepancy is normal, because we are talking about high temps in excess of 65 Celsius.
But going up to 70 just by gaming....thats pretty bad. Why dont you run a stress test, like Prime95?
See how high it will go. It will let you know if you really have a problem or not. And I'm pretty sure you do.
I just cant figure out why.
If I were you, I'd check the voltage settings immediately. Even at stock, your motherboard could be giving the CPU way more than the volts it needs.
Temperatures are within normal range.
These chips tend to be very bad and don’t OC well.
My suggestion would be to replace your OC.
1.6V is quite high.
Check your temperatures at stock; you should be around 35-40°C.
Edit, your prime95 results are fine. Mine were going up to 90°C with 400MHz OC... it's strange that the turbo boost works better than a manual OC.
Temperature is normal. These chips can be very bad and don't OC well. I'd suggest dropping your OC. The 1.6V is quite high; check your temps at stock, you should be around 35-40C. Edit, your prime95 results are fine. Mine was going up to 90C with 400MHz OC... it's strange the turbo boost works better than manual OC.
I have updated my initial post using Prime95, which is what I've been doing.
What do you mean by 4k? You mentioned temperatures at 4k being...XX, and from that I thought you were referring to 4k gaming.
Are you talking about 4k resolution, or something different? It doesn’t really matter what resolution you’re using, since this is the CPU we’re discussing.
Your voltage setting looks okay.
Also, why are your ambient temperatures so high?
Where do you get those ambient readings from? Is it from inside your case or from the room?
Here is the revised version:
I updated my first post using Prime95, which is what I've been doing.
What do you mean by 4k? You mentioned temperatures at 4k are...XX. From that, I thought you were referring to 4K gaming.
Are you talking about a 4K resolution, or something different? It doesn’t really matter what resolution you’re using, since this is the CPU we’re discussing.
Your voltage setting seems okay.
Also, why are your ambient temperatures so high?
Where are you taking those readings from? Is it inside your case or in the room?
Sorry for the confusion. When I type 4K, what I actually meant was 4Ghz, clock speed.
My environment is that hot because Greece, Athens is getting warmer lately. It just so happened that I bought this new processor and had to test it under these tough conditions!
I use an analog thermometer inside the room, right next to the PC case.
Your temperatures are acceptable with prime95. Idle temperatures are elevated, yet load temperatures remain normal. To confirm, verify that your water block is properly secured. In half the cases, excessive heat results from improper installation.
I apologize for the mix-up. When I entered 4K, what I really intended was 4Ghz, clock speed.
My environment is quite warm—Greece, Athens in particular is getting hotter lately. It turned out I had to test the new processor under these tough conditions!
I use an analog thermometer inside the room, placed right next to the PC case.
Thank you for clarifying; everything now makes sense.
I’m also based in Athens, not the city centre, but in the suburbs.
Would you try running it at stock speed? It’s completely stock, except for the voltage setting. You might consider a slight undervolt adjustment. If it remains stable with a small reduction in voltage, it should help with temperatures. If you prefer, stick to stock settings.
You mentioned your CPU was previously underpowered. Have you reinstalled the IHS (Integrated Heat Spreader)?
Are you certain you applied thermal paste correctly both beneath and above the heat spreader?
Lastly, you said you have plenty of case fans—three in total—but all are intake fans. That implies your only exhaust is the Corsair H100i. So it seems likely that hot air from the room is drawn into the case by these three fans, gets heated further (due to nearby components), and then exits through the radiator because of the Corsair fans.
Which graphics card do you have? If it’s a fan-based design designed to expel heat, my assumption is probably incorrect. But if it’s the opposite—pushing hot air back in—I’d need more evidence. Especially with cards like the GTX 480, which tends to overheat.
That’s all I have left.
Here is the rewritten version at the same length and structure:
I apologize for any misunderstanding. When I entered 4K, what I really intended was a 4Ghz clock speed. My environment is quite warm—specifically in Greece, Athens is getting hotter lately. This led me to purchase a new processor and have to test it under these challenging conditions!
I use an analog thermometer inside the room, placed right next to the PC case. Thanks for clarifying; everything now makes sense.
I’m also based in Athens, though not in the city center, but in the suburbs. Would you try running it at stock speed? It’s completely stock, except for the voltage setting. You might want to slightly reduce the voltage if it helps stability. If that works, it will mainly affect temperatures. If not, stick with stock speed.
You mentioned your CPU was running at full capacity for a while. Have you reinstalled the IHS (Integrated Heat Spreader)?
Are you certain you applied thermal paste correctly both beneath and above the heat spreader?
Lastly, you said you have plenty of case fans—three in total, all intake fans. That means your only exhaust is the Corsair H100i. So it seems likely that hot air from the room is drawn into the case by these three fans, gets heated further (due to nearby components), and then exits through the radiator because of the Corsair fans.
Which graphics card do you have? If it’s a fan-based design that expels heat, my assumption is probably incorrect. But if it’s designed to recirculate heat, there might be some truth. Especially with cards like the GTX 480, which gets very hot.
That’s all I have for now. I’m running out of ideas. The only remaining option I have is that your H100i watercooler might be faulty—just a guess based on nothing concrete.
Honestly, the room feels like a small personal hell chamber, just for my enjoyment. You could get sweaty and feel lightheaded in a short time.
The processor isn’t damaged, and I didn’t go for stock settings. The paste I used might have degraded a bit, but it wasn’t that much liquid—it wasn’t the kind of excess I remember from when I first bought it. It was just enough, nothing extreme. Probably my imagination. I could try a new paste later, but I think the CPU passed an hour at 4Ghz and is still functioning fine. The lowest I can go at that speed is 1.065v.
The intake setup seems to be the best solution for airflow. The outside air is definitely cooler than inside the case.
So, I’ll keep things as they are now and revisit my options and adjustments this fall. I don’t think there are many people with a 3770k processor in an environment like this—35-37°C is pretty rare. ;p