7700k 5ghz paired with Kraken x62 under high temperatures
7700k 5ghz paired with Kraken x62 under high temperatures
i7 7700k OC 5ghz
NZXT kraken x62 pre-applied thermal paste
asus rog strix z270F
G.skill trindent Z RGB 16GB
NZXT s340 elite
corsair psu 650W
MSI 1060 6gb
120ssd
1tb hdd
temps
idle 35-45c
gaming 60-84c
I recently purchased a new PC and used NOCTUA NT-H1 thermal paste, but noticed Kraken had pre-applied paste, so I opted for it. Are my temperatures within range? Should I replace the pre-applied paste with the NOCTUA NT-H1 I bought? Would this result in improved temperatures?
Can you share the results here? It shouldn't cause more than a few degrees change. I'm okay with that. Perhaps lowering the max by 2-5C at most would help. Going higher might mean better paste application and a tighter CPU cooler fit. I've already re-applied the thermal paste, switched to the Kraken X62 pre-applied paste, and changed it to Noctua NT-H1. My idle performance is more stable now—jumping is much less frequent, dropping from 35-45 to around 34-36°C. I also ran GTA V on ultra with a 50°C CPU temp before, which would have shown warnings in the CAM app.
i7 7700K often experiences significant temperature increases, and achieving cooler operation—particularly when running at 5ghz with overclocking—requires cooling the CPU thoroughly and using a high-quality thermal paste for Intel TIM. The Kraken X62 remains an all-in-one air cooler, offering only marginal improvements compared to more robust solutions. Your temperatures are acceptable, but it’s unclear which games are driving the CPU to 84°C during stress tests.
Torry shared his experience about pushing games like CSGO and GTA, noting it sometimes exceeded 80°C. He recommends lowering the OC to 4.8-4.9ghz or adjusting voltage slightly. He suggests using offset voltage or adaptive settings instead of fixed voltage or motherboard profiles to discover the optimal CPU setting. He also mentioned his i7 6700K running at 4.6ghz with 1.3V and 1.344V in certain cases, with a +85mV offset, achieving stable 4.7ghz performance without exceeding 72-75°C on his beQuiet Dark Rock Pro 3, compared to 80-84°C during stress tests.
The temperatures seem fine. However, if you're running a 5.0GHz overclock, temperatures will rise significantly. The readings you mentioned are from when I used my 7700k at stock with a 140mm air cooling CPU cooler. But as someone noted, removing the 7700k and replacing the TIM can reduce temperatures. It improved my gaming temps by 10-15°C. If you're not interested in that change, I'd suggest running the 7700k at 4.8GHz instead. Do you really need the additional 200MHz?
would using NOCTUA NT-H1 paste be beneficial compared to the pre-applied one? Some users report a significant drop in CPU temperatures, with some even mentioning a 30°C reduction. I'm considering switching to this paste.
Do you think using NOCTUA NT-H1 paste would be beneficial instead of the pre-applied one? I've heard from people that it can significantly reduce CPU temperatures, with some even reporting a 30°C drop. I'm considering replacing it and applying this paste. It's considered one of the best options, though it may not lower temperatures as much as others suggest. Still, it wouldn't hurt to try it and see how the old paste performed.
Do you think using NOCTUA NT-H1 paste would be beneficial instead of the pre-applied one? Some people say it can significantly reduce CPU temperatures, even dropping them by 30°C. I’m considering switching to this paste and would like to test it out once I get home. Thanks a lot for your advice!
Can you post results back here? It shouldn't make more than a few degrees difference.