Question: Intel i7 14700k Arctic Freezer iii 420MM temperature variation issue
Question: Intel i7 14700k Arctic Freezer iii 420MM temperature variation issue
Hi All,
I'm using an Intel i7 14700k with an Arctic Freezer iii 420mm AIO cooler. My CPU temperatures under no load keep fluctuating between 33 and 51 degrees in just a few seconds, which keeps the fans running continuously. This results in loud and constant fan noise. I thought it might be related to the thermal paste, but after cleaning and reapplying it with a spatula for even coverage, the issue persists. The temperature swings without any load at all. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I’m not worried about the overall temperature since 50 degrees is fine, but the rapid changes are bothersome.
Update your update with complete hardware details and operating system information. Provide the power supply specifications, including voltage, amperage, age, and condition (original, build, refurbished, used). List the disk drive specifications such as make, model, and capacity, along with current usage. Include a full inventory of all connected peripherals.
Full Spec as follows
Intel i7 14700K
Gigabyte Aorus Z790 Extreme Ice Motherboard
Corsair 850W Gold Modular PSU (less than 7 months old)
Corsair M600 M.2
Lancer 32GB RAM 6400MHZ
Artic Freezer iii 420 RGB
RTX 5080 FOunders edition
Windows 11 64Bit up to date
Fans: 4 x Lian Li wireless LCD, 3 x Infinity SL120
Disk drive operates at only 50% capacity
Monitor: Samsung G9 OLED 49inch
I assembled the PC using all new components
Also not sure if it matters but I'm using a 1 8 pin CPU PSU cable even though it has two slots and the AIO. I use the single CPU cable to manage all three fans, the VRM cooler, and the pump instead of using a three-way splitter for each separately.
Just because no changes were made doesn't mean the mobile device is operating at its standard performance level. It seems the system is running an aggressive overclock on a single thread, causing the core to heat up enough for the cooler to adjust. Check the BIOS screen that displays the CPU settings.
Hey there,
Those spikes between 33-50 are normal for CPUs with a high core count when idle. I'd be more worried about high load temperatures. What temperature does the CPU reach during load or gaming? For the fans, you can adjust the BIOS to set a fan curve so they don't speed up too much.
CO is around 60-65 during gaming. It’s mainly due to the frequent fan adjustments when RAM is being used. The temps rise quickly, about 15 degrees in a second, then drop back down without much effort.
Optimization was chosen in the first image, which might cause various unusual behaviors. Everything is configured for automatic adjustment, so any gigabyte estimate is acceptable. Also, your projected vcore exceeds 1.5V, which is quite risky. You might want to disable optimization and check the results?