Ryzen 7 2700x overheating issues during temperature spikes
Ryzen 7 2700x overheating issues during temperature spikes
Hi, I'm having what looks like a fairly common issue with the Ryzen 7 2700x. During idle, and sometimes during load, the temperature will instantly shoot up 10-15C and cool back down for about 10ish seconds before happening again, over and over. The only time this doesn't happen is if I don't touch anything whatsoever, like the mouse. But the moment I move it again, the spiking resumes.
This is a brand new build.
CPU: Ryzen 7 2700x
Mobo: MSI B450 Gaming Pro Carbon AC
RAM: G.Skill FlareX 2x8GB 3200 C14
Currently I've got it locked into its base 3700mhz speed, at 1.35 volts, 1.1 volts on the SOC, and 1.4 volts on the DRAM (this was a recommended setting from an other online user). Precision Boost Overdrive is disabled, as is any other "gaming boost" setting, both in BIOS and in Dragon Center. I've also disabled XMP and manually set the RAM to the same settings as my preferred XMP profile (3200mhz, 14-14-14-14-34 I think). AMD Cool n' Quiet is enabled, set to profile 0.
I've tried a wide variety of changes. Keeping everything on Auto, keeping only some things on Auto and some on manual, keeping almost everything on manual. It's done this at 4200mhz and is still doing it on 3700mhz. Online tips have included disabling BlueTooth, which I did, and setting windows to power saver mode, which didn't seem to make a difference. MSI Dragon Center's silent mode actually made the chip run a bit hotter.
The CPU voltages do not rise with the temperature, and I'm not sure if there's much correlation with the CPU load. Right now as I'm typing, I have Chrome and Task Manager open. Task Manager shows me an average of 2-3% CPU usage, but temps seem to take that sharp increase when that raises to around only 8-10% load, which also falls back down.
This is an issue I've been having since I first booted up the system at default values. Maybe the only thing I changed in the BIOS overclock menu before I first got into Windows was enabling XMP to get the full amount of rated RAM speed.
I'm still very new to overclocking, so would I be better off setting everything in BIOS back to Auto? My only issue with doing that is that the voltage was constantly averaging around 1.46, which isn't great for longevity. Temperature spiking still occurred also, though at higher average temps due to the increased voltage.
I just updated the chipset drivers (not sure if those were installed previously or not) and I'm about to install CPU-Z for monitoring (apparently other programs like iCue and Dragon Center aren't optimal for this) and I'll see what happens after, but any other tips or advice will be greatly appreciated!
Many thanks!
It's a Ryzen, not an Intel, and their behavior differs significantly.
With Intel, they maintain lower voltages and speeds across all cores even when idle, keeping them active with a general temperature around 30°C.
With Ryzen, they completely shut down unused cores, leaving only 1-2 fully active at idle, resulting in higher temperatures—typically 40-50°C.
Since most readings come from one core, the hottest part is usually just one, while others remain much cooler. This can be confusing for observers who don't realize it's just a single core reaching that temperature.
It's a Ryzen, not an Intel, and their performance patterns differ significantly.
With Intel, they maintain lower voltages and speeds across all cores even when idle, keeping them active and resulting in a more consistent temperature around 30°C.
With Ryzen, cores are completely shut down when not in use, leaving only 1-2 cores active at idle. This causes most cores to reach higher temperatures, typically between 40-50°C.
Since temperatures are averaged from a single source, the hottest core—whether it's one or two—will be the main factor. Ryzen tends to show just 1-2 hot cores, which can mislead readings. Most people might not notice because the rest of the cores stay near 0°C.
Adding Microsoft’s perspective, years ago Windows was much more limited in background activity; users only experienced tasks like Cortana Search or occasional security checks. Idle temperatures rarely changed much.
Today, Windows focuses heavily on the online experience—constant updates, Cortana, security scans, and service checks. This makes it difficult to identify true idle conditions, as the system is always engaged. Whether active or not, the CPU consistently registers a workload, leading to noticeable temperature fluctuations of 10-15°C as background processes kick in.
This behavior is now considered standard for modern Windows.
To a smaller extent, my FX-6300 also handled it. AMD appears to have experimented with algorithms for rapid boosting from idle, which leads to temperature spikes, and these issues become more noticeable with each new Zen generation.
Interesting, still seems weird that such a small load increase spikes the temperatures so drastically. You'd think with such a huge sudden jump the CPU load would be at like 40-50% load but it's barely over 10.
Since posting, the repeated idle spikings have stopped, and it now only happens when actively doing something on the desktop, or if a background process visibly starts up. Not sure what specifically helped out there, if it was the chipset driver or something else I changed.
I'll do some more testing under load to see if it still happens. I know originally it used to be completely stable under load, but after tinkering with the OC and driver settings it started having repeated spikes even while under load. Unfortunately I've got a stripped cooler mounting plate, meaning the heatsink isn't properly seated (though it still does a decent job with cooling) so I gotta wait for the replacement part to come in before I can safely stress test again.
I appreciate the info though! Nice to know I'm not dealing with any faulty hardware at least.
Many thanks
👍
It’s simple to grasp when you realize Ryzen features numerous temperature measurement points across the CPU, with the readings representing the highest temperature detected at any moment. When a temperature rise occurs, it usually affects just a small part of one core, requiring that specific area to perform significantly more effort.
I compare this to a match being ignited in a space. The match generates intense heat while burning, then gradually cools down back to room temperature as it consumes fuel. You’d notice the heat if you had a gauge directly on the match and thought the entire room was equally affected—when in reality it remains safe and comfortable.
It’s wise to use tools such as HWInfo64 that display an average temperature reading, like a moving average, which better represents the actual thermal condition of the CPU. Ryzen Master also provides an average temp value, but HWInfo offers much more detailed insights into the CPU, GPU, memory, and overall system health.
You also need to understand the distinction between load and usage. When an action like AV starts a search, many services and processes that were not running before become active. This creates a significant short-term load, but each individual process or service has minimal usage, even when considering the total. The CPU doesn't consume much bandwidth or cache, yet it applies heavy pressure, similar to hitting your thumb—painful but effective. When all this is concentrated on a single core, temperatures will rise more noticeably than the spikes observed by Intel.
The sawtoothing effect is quite typical. I've observed it on every Ryzen CPU I've tested so far. The only situation that has stopped this behavior was switching the Windows power plan to power-saving mode. I haven't noticed any negative impacts from the sawtoothing at all.
Ryzens perform optimally with a balanced power setting, enhancing minimums slightly while maintaining their lower power states such as idle. Using eco is acceptable, though it provides less boost and doesn't match the performance or idle benefits. Balanced offers similar behavior to performance mode and similar results to eco mode.