Random spikes in AMD 5800x performance and rapid temperature rise
Random spikes in AMD 5800x performance and rapid temperature rise
Setup: NR200 case (ITX) with Gigabyte Itx mobo x570, two 10GB NVMe drives (with heatsinks), 3080 10GB, 5800X Coolermaster AIO 240mm fans. Airflow direction: fans push outside, others draw air in. Everything was reassembled in May 2021. Built independently—first time in over ten years, decided to go all-in since I couldn’t get a PS5. Note: Case faces forward for minimal desk space. Symptoms: Even minor CPU spikes cause temperatures to jump significantly (50, 60, 70°C) and fans speed up instantly. When launching games or watching YouTube, temps rise rapidly within seconds, reaching 60+ while loading. Previously, the system stayed cool even during play. Fans are functioning normally, pump runs at ~2000rpm with no unusual noises. Possible fix ideas: Clean or repaint CPU heatsink, check AIO for blockages, consider CPU cleaning paste. What would your approach be?
I've been using the 5800x since launch. I can't say how it was set up before any changes or updates, but what you're describing seems like a standard 5800x (or similar Zen CPU). To fix the fan noise issue, adjust your curve so fans don’t speed up and slow down with temperature shifts—especially important with water cooling. A flat curve until around 80-85°C makes more sense. A 5800x won’t stay in "low temperatures" mode unless it’s been set that way via clock or power limits. Without HWiNFO screenshots showing clockspeed and power during load tests, I can't back this up. Since it's an AIO unit, even if the pump reports correct speed, a clog could be the problem. The only sure way to confirm is replacing it.
Thank you for your update. I appreciate the additional details. I'll look into this further, as it seems to involve a specific use case that heavily relies on software rather than hardware. I plan to check forums first and then address your question more thoroughly.
Checked the issue and identified the problem: steam often launches processes and stays at maximum CPU usage on a single core (task manager shows ~8% usage, hardware info confirms 100% on one core). I increased fan speed to around 70°C, which quickly reached when stress was applied. Extra details: I want to disable steam during gameplay but it crashes the game too. Steam consumes huge CPU power while gaming—only about a third of the total CPU load, yet it uses most of it. After quitting the game, steam remains a heavy CPU consumer and needs manual removal, which drops temperature and usage immediately. I’ve tried setting it to library start screen or low performance mode but found nothing helpful online. Anyone have suggestions?
I've got RyzenMaster installed and configured the profile for "eco mode." In the BIOS I set a very low undervolt level—around 0.05V lower than default. As you mentioned, this does reduce heat, but it's frustrating because Steam keeps lagging and can't drop CPU usage to zero, which increases stress on the processor.
I recommend using a tool such as FanControl to manage your fans instead of relying on your motherboard controls. It offers finer adjustments and smarter operation. For instance, you can set it to monitor the CPU’s average temperature instead of just the hotspot reading, so fans activate only when needed. This approach works well with an AIO because the single core doesn’t produce much heat, even at high temps. The software also lets you adjust GPU and case fan speeds, letting you fine-tune performance based on thermal data from your system. I’ve achieved a nearly silent setup under light usage and maintained peak performance during heavier loads. It’s especially helpful if noise is an issue. You can also configure it to trigger case fans when SSD or motherboard temperatures rise too high, alerting you instantly—though this hasn’t happened yet, but it could prevent overheating by boosting fan speeds and notifying you of potential problems. Custom fan curves can be set so the system automatically switches between CPU and GPU loads based on current conditions, rather than just CPU readings.
Click the 'X' to dismiss a suggestion. It appears between the reply arrow and the report button. Switching to the core average from Tdie did noticeably improve my experience, especially in making the fan curve more adaptive.