Overclocked i7 8700K temperatures keep changing from 62c to 81c
Overclocked i7 8700K temperatures keep changing from 62c to 81c
Hi TH hivemind,
I’ve switched my 8700k to 5GHz on the Maximus X Hero with an Arctic Liquid Freezer 240. During stress tests at full load using Prime95 or Intel’s Extreme Tuning Utility, the temperature swings between 62°C and 81°C. I noticed the fans moving up and down, but I thought increasing their speed would keep the core stable. However, the temperatures still change in the same pattern.
I’m okay with 81°C during stress tests (it doesn’t affect gaming performance), but I want a consistent temperature that stays steady without causing the die to expand or contract too often. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated—no heavy effort needed from my side.
Chlorltonwheelie June,
Welcome aboard on behalf of Tom's Moderator Team!
Variations in performance are typical, especially with changing workloads. Prime95 "Blend" and Intel ETU both experience these changes, but Prime95 Small FFT maintains a consistent load without fluctuations. Ensure you avoid running any versions beyond 26.6.
The 8700K includes a "Speed Shift" feature that leads to frequent changes, especially when idle. If fluctuations persist during P95 Small FFTs, it may indicate background startups, processes, or services causing thermal shifts.
Refer to our Guide – Sections 4, 11, 12 & 13:
Intel Temperature Guide
Chlorltonwheelie June, On behalf of Tom's Moderator Team, we are pleased to join you! Variations in performance are typical, particularly with changing workloads. Prime95 "Blend" and Intel ETU both experience such fluctuations. Yet, Prime95 Small FFT remains consistent, without any changes. It's also crucial to ensure no versions older than 26.6 are running. The 8700K includes a feature named "Speed Shift" that leads to regular variations, especially when idle. If you still observe fluctuations during P95 Small FFTs, it may indicate background startups, processes, or services contributing to thermal changes. Refer to our Guide; Sections 4, 11, 12 & 13: Intel Temperature Guide - Welcome aboard again!
What a pleasant greeting!
The 8700k speed shift appears to behave differently from my i5 3750k's speed step—just swapped it in, and it was still running smoothly at 4.7Ghz on air for years.
The changes are a bit more noticeable, but nothing that worries me.
I just wanted a bit of reassurance I hadn’t made any major mistakes.
Thanks CT.