Maybe overheating?
Maybe overheating?
On these hot summer days, my CPU temperatures jumped a lot, so I cleaned the thermal paste on the motherboard and everything seemed fine. After restarting the PC, the temps stayed the same as before. I used an MX-4 chipset and have one exhaust fan, which makes me think it might be thermal throttling. I’m unsure what to do next—maybe adjust the voltage or try something else. Would love your advice!
We have nothing concrete to analyze here. What hardware are we dealing with? Your temperatures look normal according to the chart. AMD doesn’t reduce performance until 95°C while Intel drops at 105°C—clearly not matching what you see. Your CPU usage isn’t telling the whole story. If throttling occurs, speeds will decrease, but utilization can still range anywhere from zero to full.
Your 3930k seems quite old. Consider removing the CPU cooler, wiping it down, and reapplying thermal paste. I've worked with older systems where I had to take off the cooler from the radiator for thorough cleaning. A heavy dust buildup can block airflow between the components. You don’t notice throttling in your data, but improving cooling will help.
3470 runs smoothly with GTX 750 Ti, no bottleneck detected—loads are balanced for both. Tested on CSGO, CarX, and CPU temps stayed between 70-77 after updating thermal paste and cleaning all components.
The difference disappears when you use sufficient force. The cooler mount can handle up to 50 pounds of pressure, which means it distributes evenly across the entire IHS in any direction.
I agree with Chris, but avoid using too little paste. You need it to cover the surface evenly without overflowing. Some recommend a pea-sized amount, but I usually use just a bit more. Picture how it spreads when you press it down—use just enough to fully cover everything. This tip isn’t meant to be obvious, but make sure to remove any old paste before applying new. Ensure the area is completely dry before adding fresh paste. This prevents starting up with a small amount of moisture on the components. I’ve shared many warnings and tips, but this process is actually quite straightforward.