High temperatures suggest a possible CPU or cooling problem.
High temperatures suggest a possible CPU or cooling problem.
Hey there! I've been using my PC for around four years now, and both the i7 7700K CPU and the Corsair H115i cooler have been getting quite hot lately. I know the i7 7700K can get warm, but my cores often hit 90°C or more, and the cooler usually stays above 45°C—sometimes even near 50. This happens even when I run simple games like League of Legends. It’s usually when the CPU is under 50% load, and the cooler is set to performance mode without overclocking. Even after reapplying thermal paste and cleaning the system, the temperatures only drop slightly. After a game, the cores usually reach 80°C+ and the cooler stays above 40°C. This seems unusual, but I’m not sure if it’s a CPU issue or just the cooler struggling. What should I do? And if the problem is with the cooler, what alternatives do you suggest?
Adjust the cooler position and reapply thermal paste once more. Pay attention to the pump operation and verify it functions properly.
Well, several factors could be involved, but generally idle temperatures stay within the normal range as long as they're between 30-50°C. At 50°C it's on the warmer side. Modern CPUs can handle temperatures up to around 80°C without harm, though they may throttle at about 90°C for safety.
1. The room's overall temperature influences the CPU's heat levels, with idle temps typically being 5-10°C higher than the ambient. The room air also impacts the AIO's water temperature, so a warm space means less cooling effort.
2. If the AIO has been running for four years, dust buildup between the fan and radiator can reduce efficiency. You might find it helpful to disassemble and clean it if you want better performance. For improved cooling options, consider Noctua thermal pastes and their NH-D15 air cooler. They offer a black variant of the standard brown color. If you prefer air coolers, they're among the top choices, though the NH-D15 is larger and may not fit all setups.
I removed the entire AIO, cleaned the radiator and fans, and reapplied the thermal paste. It seemed to deteriorate further—initially I thought it was just a messy job with the paste, so I cleaned it off again. I’m unsure how it could have gotten worse, but maybe I accidentally damaged something while cleaning and broke it. Now the system is overheating, with cores at 60-75°C while I’m typing this. The AIO temperature is around 48°C, and the fans are spinning at 2460 RPM to try to cool things down. The Corsair data says the pump is working at 3270 RPM, but I’m not sure. It looks like the cooler was the issue, and I ended up making things worse. Reminder to myself: if it’s not broken, don’t fix it; if it is, don’t try to fix it.
Did you power off your computer before performing the cleanup? It’s clear from the situation.