I7 8700 experiences overheating events Temp fluctuations are common during operation
I7 8700 experiences overheating events Temp fluctuations are common during operation
I know this has been discussed before, but it's tough to assess given the wide range of configurations available. My setup includes an i7 8700 ASUS ROG Strix B360-G motherboard with a 2x8GB Corsair Vengeance LPX RAM at 2133MHz. The system runs Windows 301c, featuring two intake fans front and one back. I intend to replace the front fans with exhausts and add two additional intake fans eventually. I’m unsure if this approach is wise, but I have two Corsair SP120 fans to test later for possible benefits. The remaining three are Corsair AF120s. Currently, I skip the glass panel during gaming until I resolve these issues. My main focus is on stabilizing my CPU temperatures.
Regarding the CPU cooler, I believe it’s a Deep Cool Gamma Archer from my last build, which has a much larger heat sink than the original. I intend to upgrade it because I feel it’s not sufficient, though I’d appreciate some guidance first. Right now, I’m using MSI Afterburner to monitor temperatures. I’m not running stress tests, but I’m using Universe Sandbox 2 to simulate a heavy workload since the CPU is quite demanding. The room temperature stays around 25°C.
My CPU is idling at about 40°C, which seems a bit high initially. When I increase the simulation speed in Universe Sandbox 2, it quickly rises into the 90s after roughly 20 seconds. The readings fluctuate—temperatures drop by around 20°C almost instantly when I stop the simulation. Are these spikes normal or a sign of trouble? Could the sensors be faulty, or should I be concerned?
I’ve adjusted the polling rate from 1000 to 100 ms, and it occasionally jumps by 10–20°C as well. Is this realistic? I’ve also re-applied TIM, and noticed another issue: there are minor scratches on the CPU lid. Would this affect performance? Could trapped air inside be contributing to these irregular temperatures?
Please accept my apologies for any unclear questions—I’m still getting the hang of this!
The temperatures are definitely elevated, but the spikes and changes are typical. Once you remove the load from the chip, a 20°C drop—especially if it's in the 90s—is completely normal. You're removing a significant amount of power from the chip, which reduces heat generation. Since it's in such a compact space with low thermal capacity, it can cool down quickly. Keep in mind, the heatsink isn't at 90°C; the tiny transistors inside the CPU can drop temperature instantly. Remember, these temps are quite high. For context, before finishing my build I ran an 8700k @ 5GHz on a Hyper 212 Evo, it reached the high 80s to low 90s under AIDA64—though that was at full core speed. What kind of thermal paste are you using? Also, consider upgrading to a better cooler if this workload is common for you. High 80s for a CPU isn't necessarily an issue, but frequent exposure to those temperatures would be undesirable.
The sensor works fine and the CPU cooler isn't the issue. The 65W TDP is recorded at a base frequency of 3.2GHz, but the processor will increase to 4.6GHz single-core and 4.3GHz all-core, just like the 8700K model. To maintain stable temperatures, adjust the Power Limit in BIOS to avoid high clock boosts.
The design looks appealing but may struggle with cooling because of its compact size. There are no dedicated fan slots at the top, only front vents (with side vents) and rear vents. The lower section seems meant for intake thanks to the dust filter, while the side vents act as exhaust. It doesn’t make much sense but I received it from a friend, so I’m adjusting accordingly. There’s space for a radiator at the front if you decide to use a watercooler, though placing intake fans at the bottom with just one exhaust fan seems unusual.
The Hyper 212 Black Edition or comparable cooler should comfortably manage that CPU load. Regarding the Power Limit, it's challenging to set a precise value since the adjustment depends on actual current draw rather than wattage. For instance, with a voltage of 1.2V and a current of 70A, the calculation would be 1.2 × 70 = 84W. However, without control over the voltage, you must fine-tune it and test until it meets your requirements. Access your BIOS, navigate to Advanced Mode > AI Tweaker, and look for CPU Core Current Limit Max. It's advisable to begin with 60% and apply a full workload using Cinebench, observing the results. Adjust the setting as needed to achieve your desired performance. Universe sandbox isn't sufficient for this task.
Yea, airflow can be weird. Can always just experiment... Do you normally put these types of CPU loads on the system? What is your normal use case? If the CPU doesn't typically get that hot, don't really worry about it. But if this is something you do often, yes, a better cooler would be a good idea. But if its a small form factor case, make sure it has clearance for a larger tower cooler to fit. That said, I would think even small tower coolers would do the job. a 8700 is a lot of CPU, but, its also not THAT much. No overclock compared to what an 8700k *could* draw with an overclock helps you out in the heat category.
I don't understand how you got that outcome—it would be tough to reach 4.7Ghz on your 8700K with a 212 Evo without hitting the 90s, and pushing beyond that causes immediate thermal throttling. Even users with Noctua D15 parts struggle to keep it stable at 5Ghz without it spiking into the high 80s.