Checking your i7 13700KF temperatures regularly.
Checking your i7 13700KF temperatures regularly.
Hello, I recently upgraded my CPU to 13700KF and matched it with a Dark Rock 4 Pro cooler. The cooler was marketed to support up to 250W, which seemed suitable. After installation and checking temperatures, I observed that idle temps on the CPU package were fairly high—around 45 to 55 degrees when running at 50W. I ran Cinebench to test performance, and the package temps jumped from 50 degrees to 100 within about two seconds. The benchmark actually sustained around 230 to 250W with a core package temperature of 100 degrees. I re-applied thermal paste once, but the improvement was minimal. Is this typical behavior considering the heat output of those CPUs, or should I be worried? The cooling curve I’m using is quite aggressive. I also noticed the package tends to run 10 to 15 degrees higher than a single core at any given time. The cooler I used is Cooler Master MasterGel v2 Pro.
The latest 13th generation CPUs tend to consume a lot of power and get quite hot. Only 360mm liquid AIO coolers appear to help manage the heat, and reaching 100°C is common according to reviews. Idle temperatures seem elevated—check if the case provides strong airflow and consider a sealed front design. Also, look for background processes in Task Manager to see if any resource hogs are present. The Dark Rock 4 Pro runs at lower RPMs during idle to reduce noise, which might also explain the stable idle temps.
Thanks for your response. I'm currently using an open panel case because the cooler is too large to fit properly, and I plan to get a new one soon. For airflow, this is the arrangement I have (just sketched it in paint). The setup includes two intake fans, two on the CPU cooler and one exhaust fan. My 1080Ti also has two onboard fans. I'm not overly concerned about the CPU reaching maximum temperatures, as I don't expect to get close with my usage. What concerned me more were the relatively high idle temps. Regarding background CPU activity, it's minimal. If I ran all fans at full speed, the package temperature stays around 40°C (with ambient at 20°C).
It makes more sense to consider the impact of the side on airflow through the case. Once you switch to a new cooler, ensure it has a mesh front to let more air through. The only other point to mention is (looks awkward) but you did take off the plastic under the cooler, right? I've noticed some people leave it on the bottom of the heat plate, which can cause overheating. In this situation, it seems like the usual behavior for a 13700 model.