Check CPU temperatures quickly
Check CPU temperatures quickly
I was feeling a bit bored and chose to push my i9-10850k further than usual. I used the ASUS AI overclock and tweaked the cooling settings to boost performance. Usually, at full load my CPU stays around 66°C, but after the overclock it reached about 90°C, no matter how much I increased the speed. Even when I kept pushing the limits, it never went beyond 90°C. MOBO must be capping it at that point. Later I turned off the AI mode and assumed it was the default setting. I ran Cinebench and it consistently hit 100°C for about three minutes before I stopped noticing. After checking the BIOS, everything seemed back to normal, but I’m worried about any potential damage.
I ran Cinebench around nine times, adjusting speeds and each session lasting 15 minutes. I just got this four days ago, and I don’t want anything to go wrong. When I boosted the clock to its maximum, I went all the way to 5.4GHz on every core, but I think my CPU only supports up to 5.2GHz. The benchmark passed the first run, but then the computer froze without any BSOD. I had to manually reset it from the PC case.
Could this have caused any harm? I’m concerned about exceeding the rated speed and the possible effects on the chip. Also, I’m using a Corsair H100i AIO in a push-pull configuration.
It seems like it might cause significant damage, especially since it was run up to 100°C. I’m not a specialist, but I’m trying to understand.
Automatic overclocking isn't the best approach—your chip likely already has enough power to handle the heat. Damage chances are minimal since it will automatically slow down if things get too hot. However, extremely high voltage or current could shorten its life by several days. Use Hwinfo64 to check your VCORE value under current settings. If it exceeds 1.3V during stress, cooling may struggle. I suggest adjusting BIOS settings: fixed 1.3V, medium LLC, 50x cores, 47x cache multiplier, and disable EIST/P states. Set power limits to max and turn off TVB throttling. This may not be as fast as stock, but it prevents the chip from ever reaching 5.2GHz—likely around 4.7–4.8GHz with lower voltage. Run stress tests with Cinebench first; if successful, try 30 minutes of ASUS Realbench. If it fails, increase voltage slightly or tweak AVX offsets and LLC settings until stability improves. Once stable, let Realbench run for an hour. Or consider a fixed or offset voltage with a modified active core turbo table to retain single-core gains.
Your overclock didn't hold steady. Reduce the speeds and retest. 90°C works, just a bit high, but 100°C is too hot and likely caused thermal throttling. Avoid running it nonstop. Inspect your cooler mount if you installed it yourself to confirm stability, and consider doing OC manually rather than relying on auto settings.