High temperatures during Ryzen 3600 usage with Dark Rock 3
High temperatures during Ryzen 3600 usage with Dark Rock 3
Hi there, I just upgraded my system with new components and moved from an i5 4th Gen to a Ryzen 3600. The case is a Phanteks P400S TG, the motherboard is MSI B450 Tomahawk Max, and the RAM is Corsair LPX 2x8GB DDR4 3200 (XMP enabled). I also installed a GTX 1070 and a Cooler Master GX 650 PSU with three fans inside. I kept everything else from my old setup, like the GPU, case, power supply, and cooler. I ran some tests to measure temperatures after switching to the new Ryzen processor. During idle, temps hovered between 45 and 55°C, sometimes spiking up to 70°C. In games, it was usually around 75°C, except when using Ahtem where it reached about 82°C. I also checked the CPU with OCCT – it hit 82°C after 30 minutes of max load and 93°C on Prime95. The thermal paste I applied didn’t make much difference. My temps feel higher than before, though I changed the power plan a few times in Windows without seeing any improvement. The Quiet Cool option is enabled. Everything else stayed the same. The room temperature is around 21°C. Do you think there might be an issue with the CPU?
I have a comparable configuration with a Phanteks Eclipse p400a and the Freezer 34 Eports Duo cooler. My idle temperatures vary between roughly 35 °C and 55 °C. I believe this is related to how the CPU manages itself. When I run a Cinebench 20 benchmark, it reaches around 70°C. I also have a Tomahawk Max with BIOS settings that adjust the CPU cooler to operate at 75% when the CPU hits 60°C and 100% at 70°C. It might be useful to check the fan speed settings on your CPU—possibly it's running at lower RPMs and not cooling optimally. Don’t stress too much about Prime95 temperatures, as they tend to be artificially high.
It might be useful to verify the most recent bios and chipset information. Ryzen power plans could also provide benefits. I support @Tomthehitman’s advice—experiment with your CPU fan curve to determine its impact. For context, I typically see around 35-45°C during idle and 65-66°C on Cinebench R20 when using PBO with AutoOC enabled.
Confirming the cooler's connection to the CPU is correct. The Dark Rock 3 likely won't fit with an AM4 socket by default. Ensure your system has the newest BIOS and chipset drivers installed.
Thanks for your prompt response. At first, AMD's platform was completely unfamiliar to me—I'm still getting the hang of things. So far, I've only used Intel components. The BIOS and chipset have been updated (I did that yesterday). Then I switched to the Ryzen Balanced plan, but I haven't noticed any noticeable changes. The Dark Rock 3 requires an AM4 mounting kit for proper installation. I'm currently using it, though. The kit alters the orientation, making it face down. In the original box there was a backplate and a bag both marked "AM4," but the kit ordered recently warned against using parts that came with the cooler, even if they look alike. I've already replaced the thermal paste once and reinstalled it. Mounting it is proving difficult. I plan to replace the paste this evening and adjust the fan curve in the BIOS. Stay updated!
Time updated. I adjusted the thermal paste and am now at 42°C with the browser running. (Spikes reach about 50°C). OCCT didn’t make a difference at 82°C. My cooler is upside down, causing air to escape from my GPU—this wasn’t an issue when using the i5. It seems to affect performance noticeably. No exhaust fan above. Could I try the original cooler instead? That might help.
The 3600 offers more performance than the 4th gen i5 CPUs, which explains why I see idle usage around 40c. My system typically stays at that level during idle, and I have a fairly aggressive fan curve. Stress tests often bring me back to 76-77, matching my 3700X setup. It feels quite typical.
It definitely outperforms an i5, isn't there? I once had it at 4.4 with the same cooler and it stayed cooler than the 3600... Still worried it hits 80°C during some games. That’s quite hot. Plus, winter is coming so things will get even worse in summer.