I executed Prime95 for 5 hours on a non-OC Haswell i7 4790K.
I executed Prime95 for 5 hours on a non-OC Haswell i7 4790K.
Darkbreeze :
Break in is meant for thermals to hopefully improve, not necessarily for a perfect result. It should be good from the beginning if everything is set correctly and there are no problems.
Break in isn’t your main concern.
Could you tell me the BIOS version you’re using?
What’s the idle temperature of your CPU after five minutes of inactivity, once Windows has started, just letting it sit?
And again after five minutes of running Small FFT?
BIOS says 16/09/2014.
Idle temps stay around 26-30°C:
with Prime95 26.6 Small FTTs running for 5 minutes, the cores reached 71C, 70C, 67C, 64C as max values.
When using prime95, the default fan speed stays between 900-1000 during load. You can switch to "performance" mode which increases it to 1200-1300rpm. Should I keep the fans in performance mode?
That is a VERY old bios version. I suggest you should update to version 2.5 from 2016. It is the most recent listed version. BIOS updates for your board are located here:
https://www.asrock.com/MB/Intel/Fatal1ty...x.asp#BIOS
I would set up a custom curve for the fans. I would use neither silent nor performance. Custom curves can better be tailored for both good performance when needed but also quiet the rest of the time. Or at least, quiet-ER anyhow. Never going to exactly be "quiet" with an AIO water cooler. Pumps and fans will always be somewhat noisy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXKqhFe06Sw
Darkbreeze :
This is quite an outdated bios version. I recommend upgrading to version 2.5 from 2016, as it's the latest available. You can find your board's BIOS updates here: https://www.asrock.com/MB/Intel/Fatal1ty...x.asp#BIOS.
I plan to create a custom curve for the fans. I prefer not to use silent or performance settings. Custom curves allow for better balance—enhancing performance when needed while keeping things quieter otherwise. Or at least, reducing noise overall. I won't aim for absolute silence with an AIO water cooler, since pumps and fans will always be somewhat loud.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXKqhFe06Sw
So I can safely ignore their warning about updating the BIOS?
Just to confirm.
I didn't say anything about being "safe". It's never "safe" to update the bios. There is always some risk involved. But if your system is stable enough that it does not crash or shut down while you are in the bios, no matter how long you are in the bios, then it should be fine. If you have problems with it shutting down or crashing while in the bios then definitely you have a bigger problems.