i7 3770 OC 4.1GHz equipped with water cooling, experiencing elevated temperatures
i7 3770 OC 4.1GHz equipped with water cooling, experiencing elevated temperatures
Hey everyone,
I just acquired a new water cooler (coolermaster ml240l) to pair with my i7 3770 (upgraded to 4.1GHz). The temperatures are quite high during full load, reaching about 70-76°C with prime95, and drop to around 32-42°C when idle. My case is well ventilated and dusted, and I’ve set the radiator fans to run at 100% when the temperature hits 50°C.
Is this typical? Could I have applied too much thermal paste? (I used roughly a pea-sized amount, but I read it’s better to use a rice-sized one.)
Zotac 1060 6GB AMP edition (2100MHz OC)
ASUS Maximus V gene
Intel Core i7 3770 (4.1GHz OC)
Master Cooler ml240l
Samsung 250GB 850 EVO
Seagate Sata 500GB
Kingston 4gb DRR3 1600MHz (x4)
Corsair TX750
Corsair C70 case
60Hz 1080p monitor
Windows 7 64bit home premium
There isn't a straightforward solution for connecting power to an aio. Corsair's guidelines recommend placing the aio fans on a sys_fan header (cpu_opt) and the pump on cpu_fan. This setup enhances security, ensuring that if the pump fails, the cpu_fan header detects 0 rpm and stops the system immediately. When a fan malfunctions and it's linked to cpu_fan, temperatures rise slowly without triggering an immediate shutdown until the CPU reaches its maximum temperature. Personally, I prefer having the pump on cpu_opt, using a dedicated 12v header, and keeping fans on cpu_fan for better control based on CPU temperature. So, in my opinion, you were doing it right, Corsair might not agree.
For a 240 clc on a 3770 at 4.1ghz it is high. It should be seeing high 50s, low 60s tops.
Tom's review mentioned a 5930k at 4.2ghz top out at 58c in a 70f room with 100% fan. There was obviously no reason to have a clc on a limited oc cpu but whatever floats your boat. A 212 would probably have kept it below 70c. What's the vcore? Can you tell if the pump is running?
I performed the 'cpu level up' adjustment on the motherboard where it automatically handles the OC at a specific frequency. The maximum Vcore is around 1.182V. I believe the pump is running smoothly, producing a liquid-like sound when it starts up, and if you place your ear near it, you can detect some flow.
I'm curious about how op has managed to raise the clock speed of a locked i7-3770 to 4.1GHz. It seems like it could be done using a BCLK software OC tool, though this would keep the original voltage levels near 1.3v instead of the typical undervolting found on K-series processors.
Lol, yep. BCLK OC. Unfortunately, on those gen cpus, BCLK affects everything, not just the cpu. That includes the ram, memory controller, gpu, pcie USB, Sata etc, so even hdd transmission speeds are affected. If it's got anything to do with the front side buss, it just got bumped. I'd run cpu-z similtaneosly after starting p95 and verify voltages.
@Karadjgne: On Ivy Bridge and Sandy Bridge, Intel capped the multiplier at the highest turbo setting plus four. For the i7-3770, the usual multipliers are
1-Core = 39
2-Cores = 38
3-Cores = 37
4-Cores = 37
This means you could actually push it higher. All Ivy Bridge CPUs support unlocked voltage. In fact, most desktop Intel processors do as well—they have no reason to restrict voltage if overclocking isn’t possible.
@george: Is your PC near a vent by chance? Just thought it might be worth checking. If the heater is on and close to a vent, it could be affecting performance.
Right so i forgot to mention that i have no air conditioning or heater. I'm in sydney, australia, where it's summer (around 23-26C currently).
My PC is near a window, if that matters? But it's not near any vent.
My radiator is mounted to the top and takes air from inside the PC. There is also an out-take fan near it, at the upper rear end.
Update:
I changed everything back to stock speeds, however I am still getting around 69-71C on full load with prime95 and 29-36 on idle
Pc's usually operate about 10°C higher than ambient during idle, with slight variations based on airflow, ensuring stable idle temperatures.
If you're using just the 3x fans—2 for the radiator and one exhaust, no airflow—between the GPU, MOSFETs, SATA/USB controller, and Northbridge PCIe you're already heating the case interior under heavy loads, with fans struggling for air. It's like sucking a thick milkshake through a straw. Switch the rear exhaust fan to the front as an intake instead. Confirm the pump is securely fastened; AIO pumps perform better when tightly secured on the CPU.