Check if the i79700 requires additional cooling; the stock fan may suffice.
Check if the i79700 requires additional cooling; the stock fan may suffice.
The maximum temperature the i7 9700 can handle is 100 degrees. Temperatures below that won’t damage the processor. It’s best to keep the CPU around the 80s, since it’s already there. Upgrading the cooler makes sense if you aim for a faster clock speed, as this model supports much higher speeds than its original 3.0 GHz base. Its turbo boost reaches 4.7 GHz—perfect if your motherboard and cooler can support it. What’s your motherboard? You might consider overclocking with the stock cooler; maintaining temps in the 80s and staying below the very low 90s is still a solid thermal strategy, as long as it stays stable.
Stock fan will work in so much that it won't damage the CPU - but you'll likely have higher and longer boost clocks (assuming your board is decent) with a better cooler. You'll also have better quality of life in that it will be quieter. Also, there's a difference between the Intel stock cooler and the OEM stock coolers like from HP. If I'm not mistaken, the OEM ones are even worse.
The system seems quite simple, but it works perfectly for your processor. You're all set to run it exactly as you're doing now. Try monitoring its performance while gaming—use MSI Afterburner to check the CPU frequency during intense sessions. Watch if the clock rate remains consistent or varies. Record the temperature after about 5 to 10 minutes of playtime. Save a few screenshots of the Afterburner data if needed. Also, verify your CPU speed in Windows by right-clicking the Start menu, selecting Task Manager, then the Performance section, and checking the Base frequency, Utilization, and Speed.