Temperatures in the CPU cores are significantly greater than those measured in your socket.
Temperatures in the CPU cores are significantly greater than those measured in your socket.
Hello everyone, I'm just starting out with PC building. Very new to this whole process. Previously I only changed things like a new GPU, extra RAM, and some RAM upgrades. Recently I swapped in a fresh motherboard, a new CPU, another graphics card, and added more fans. When I run light tasks (just a few Firefox tabs), my CPU socket temps sit around the 50s, but core temps are nearly 25 degrees higher. From what I see, the problem might be with the cooler mounting. My case has good airflow and six fans (plus two on the heat sink), so I don’t think airflow is the main issue. I plan to take off the heat sink and apply new thermal paste, but if that doesn’t help, do you have any other ideas? I’m really new here and would love any tips. Here’s a screenshot of my temperatures: My motherboard is an MSI PRO Z690-A and the CPU is an Intel i7 14700K. I know Intel isn’t perfect, but it was the best option I found. I’m okay with that for now. I own a Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE cooler. I’ve installed six fans and kept track of their airflow direction. My case is a CORSAIR 4000D (the one I got cheaply at Best Buy). Any suggestions would be great! I’ll follow up when I can remount and reapply the cooler if it works. Edited January 14, 2025 by freikugel4
It seems the cooler is not properly installed, and the temperatures are significantly higher than expected for the power being drawn. Make sure to update the BIOS to the latest release, especially for the microcode issues on 13th and 14th generation processors, which may cause performance problems.
Thanks! I really value the details you provided. I’m short on time until tomorrow but won’t be able to use my computer then. I’ll also make sure my BIOS is up to date. This is my first attempt at these tasks, and the trial-and-error process is teaching me a lot. Someone more experienced helped, but I worked mostly on my own, which meant I made a few errors.
I shouldn’t have applied too much thermal paste. I’ll try installing it again tomorrow. When it first came out, there wasn’t enough and it was leaking from the sides (the cooler wasn’t installed by me, it was put in by someone else), so I think I need to balance things out somewhere.
Using excessive paste won’t affect performance, though it can create a bit of a mess.
the socket is where you put the cpu—it's made of plastic and doesn't let electricity pass through, so it stays cool. your cpu uses electricity, which usually creates heat, but it probably gets too hot because something is wrong, like the cooler isn't installed right. pictures could clarify what's going on.
Up to the 12th generation Intel models performed well, sometimes even better, while the 13th and 14th generations faced serious problems. Of course, if you're on a good deal, it's not worth the hassle—just keep the latest BIOS installed, otherwise it's mostly just a paperweight. A 12th-gen chip would likely have been cheaper and more reliable.