High temperature performance under 280mm AIO setup for Ryzen 5 5600X
High temperature performance under 280mm AIO setup for Ryzen 5 5600X
This setup seems unusual. I installed a Kraken X63 AIO on my RTX 2070 with a G12 adapter. Under load, the GPU stayed cool, never exceeding 48°C. My Ryzen 5600X ran well with a deepcool 400ex cooler and moderate fans, maintaining 75-78°C during stress tests. When I upgraded to a 6900XT, I thought swapping the stock cooler back to the 2070 would help, but cooling performance didn’t improve much. Even with a full pump and maximum fan speeds, the CPU hit around 82°C quickly, dropping only slightly to 73°C at full settings. It’s puzzling—why does a 280mm AIO perform worse than a basic 120mm cooler? I suspect the mounting hardware might be insufficient, which is something other users with similar setups have reported. I’m unsure what’s causing this and would appreciate any advice or fixes. I’m leaning toward replacing the AIO and possibly switching to a Dark Rock Pro 4.
Are the temperature readings shared across all cores? Might the connection between the CPU and the AIO be weak? Could the heatsink heat up quickly? I have limited knowledge of AIOs, but it seems the heatsink should reach high temperatures rapidly without fans running or at low speeds. The 5600X was expected to cool well. Updated September 2, 2023 by leclod
Additionally, many AIOs aren't designed for cooling non-monolithic CPUs like Ryzen does. The optimal area for heat dissipation usually stays within the CPU dies (at the bottom) and mainly targets the IO die. By focusing on the best location—where fins and water flow are present—the cooling plate works most effectively. Pressure applied during installation can significantly impact performance, and some models, such as the Arctic Freezer II, include offset mounting brackets to lower the cooler for improved core cooling coverage.
Thanks for the feedback. I reviewed the online videos of X63 installs today to spot any missing steps from the manual. It turns out you shouldn’t tighten the thumb screws until you can turn them by hand; a screwdriver works better since they stop easily and won’t over-tighten. Using the tool gave me 2-3 turns before resistance, which helped. During testing at half pump and half fan speeds under stress, it reached 73°C—significantly improved. It’s not quite what I’d expected for a 280mm AIO, but it’s better than hitting 73°C at full power. Still not perfect, but it won’t reach 73°C now. I’ll keep running it for gaming, where it stays under 70°C, and will consider an air cooler or a more suitable Ryzen 5000 AIO in the future.