The CPU temperature rises excessively?
The CPU temperature rises excessively?
Thank you for your kind words, but I must admit that taking such steps nearly cost me a computer. Changing the cooler front as you suggested would have exposed about a third of the CPU completely. Fortunately, I'm very careful and this wasn't my first time handling computers—so I only lost the 30 minutes it took to reassemble everything. I’m also familiar with tools like parts picker to check compatibility. So thank you, but this won’t be enough. It’s already -.09, and I’d rather go higher. But games were getting too hot, pushing temperatures up to 100, and I had to shut it down to try again. I’ll give the idea of disabling Intel graphics a shot. That’s not the model.
Since you're familiar with Intel, it's clear they don't send K SKUs with coolers due to excessive power consumption under stock conditions. I was able to read the manual and confirmed the proper installation method is front to back with the fan on the same side as the DRAM, though you're free to adjust. It's a shame you opted for a more restrictive approach rather than acknowledging someone else might have better insight and simply offering advice based on that.
And did you complete all the additional steps mentioned in the video, such as PL1 and PL2 limits, LLC configurations, and so on? Your processor reports a PL2 of 253W according to Intel, and your cooler seems unable to handle that. Manufacturers often leave PL1 and PL2 unlimited. Consider setting PL1 to 125W and PL2 to 200W, then let me know the temperatures. Edit: Do you have the most recent BIOS version with all Intel patches?
It's not about my preferences. The issue lies with the motherboard restricting the CPU to only face up or down, and the heat sink copper pad facing in one direction only. The pad is placed on this specific board in a way that doesn’t fully cover the CPU.
Motherboard:
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81GQ...SY450_.jpg
The rear exhaust fan sits directly above the Gaming section of the motherboard.
The copper plate aligns parallel with the fan, not perpendicular. This configuration prevents it from fitting properly to fully cover the CPU, regardless of how strongly I’d try. Unless I completely removed and rewelded the heat pipes with a saw, making the pad perpendicular to the fan, it wouldn’t work as intended.
Yes, the fan can still blow in the direction you describe (front to back), while the cooling pad stays up or down to cover the entire CPU.
Though I notice the PL1 and PL2 options aren’t available.
Elizabeth recommends updating the BIOS to the newest release, specifically F5: https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/Z79...support#dl This update addresses the crucial Microcode Update 0x12, which helps prevent CPU issues caused by overly high core voltage. It’s a known concern. It is also advised to swap the ILM (Independent Loading Mechanism) for a "Contact Frame," which tackles the IHS (Integrated Heat Spreader) deformation problem and is also a recognized issue. - This upgrade can lower core temperatures by up to 10°C for around $8. A low-end 4 Pipe Thermalright Assassin Spirit falls short for a high-end 14700K system. A great alternative is the Thermalright Phantom-Spirit 120: - A 280mm / 360mm AIO is recommended to manage the power demands of the 14700K. The Lian Li 240mm AIO matches many 280mm / 360mm models. - Changing to premium thermal paste won’t significantly alter core temperatures and won’t resolve the issue, so your current MX4 setup is acceptable. Still, setting Power Limits to 253 Watts, as suggested by Intel, would help. "Idle" should be understood as less than 1% CPU usage, as shown in Task Manager. A mere 5% is not idle. You can reduce idle CPU usage by disabling unnecessary startups, background processes, and services via Task Manager to bring it down to 1%. This will also help keep core temperatures at idle low. The room temperature influences core temps. The standard for a normal room is around 22°C or 72°F. Even in summer, if your A/C isn’t running, the ambient temperature—and thus core temps—depends on the environment. Q What is your current room temperature? "Choices on case options were unfortunately very limited, as not including any hard drive or DVD/BluRay bays seems to be the disturbing trend." I share your view. Some users still value the convenience of an internal optical drive, which is acceptable. However, the Versa H21 offers restricted airflow and limited performance. The Cougar MX330G ($59.99) has a 5.25" Optical Drive Bay, open design for better airflow, and fits a 240mm AIO. We selected it for my wife’s rig because she occasionally uses her optical drive. The cooling here is excellent. At the very least, consider updating the BIOS to F5, setting Power Limits to no more than 253 Watts, adding a $8 Contact Frame, and installing the $38 Dual Tower air cooler—bringing the total near $46. An upgrade to the optional $60 Cougar MX330G Mid-Tower case would also be beneficial.
PL1 and PL2 configurations are visible at 8:47 in the video I provided. Upgrading the BIOS carries a significant chance of damaging the CPU. If the upgrade doesn't succeed, consider returning the board via RMA—no one will know what went wrong.
I went back and did find it. Got thrown off by his "this is good enough" - Ha ha.
Right now it looks like you solved the problem. Much better than all the other underclocking vids I watched which just had you tweaking the offset. Did a quick test and was averaging 60s with only a couple of spikes to the mid 70s.
@CompuTronix
Thank you for the great advice.
1) Generally I've never flashed the BIOS on any of my systems due the risk of bricking the entire system. But if it will affect the temps, I suppose I could risk it while its still under warranty. I'll give it a shot and let you know.
2) Not comfortable dismantling/altering the motherboard. Might be something to consider once the warranty expires though.
3) Something that big might not fit, honestly. There's a lot going on in that area of the mother board, least of which ensuring I have room for two more fans on the top, though the poor choice of location for the power port might ultimately mean only one.
4) Good to know. I'll stick with the $20 stuff I got.
5) Also good to know.
6) HOT. But only when the "nuclear reactor" is running. Trust me, if the AC were MY choice, it be 68.
7) Yeah.... I looked at cases similar to that but again, but not having the expansion space is a huge issue for me. I have a 4 tb Western Digital black gaming drive and an SSD I had to fit in, and I still have (potentially) another SSD and another WD 750 gig drive to potentially fit in. A mid ATX case that only allows for 1 or 2 drives just doesn't meet my needs.
Also, not a fan of water cooling. Yes, they might conduct heat off the CPU faster, but it doesn't make the rig any less a space heater than a traditional heatsink and fan. If they didn't have all the extra maintenance requirements, maybe. If you have any suggestions for mitigating the hot exhaust, however, that's honestly the larger concern.
I didn't fix the issue, I only offered suggestions to maintain temperature within acceptable ranges. This approach does lower the CPU's performance. The actual answer would involve using a more suitable cooler...
Edit: Why do you have an i7-14700K with the RTX 4060? That's a significant overkill. An i5-14400 would suffice for the RTX 4060, and your cooler would handle it without issues.
Elizabeth
Please pay attention to our guidance about updating the BIOS, treating it as
CRITICAL!
The idea of "bricking" is often overstated, mainly by people who've read about it but never actually updated the BIOS. I don't remember flashing any boards in the past thirty years, and I've never ever bricked a system. The items I usually do when setting up a new machine always involve updating the BIOS.
Regarding Intel 13th & 14th Gen processors, updating the BIOS is essential if you want your CPU to remain functional and stable over time.
Today the procedure is simpler than it seems. Just follow this LINK to download F5, unzip the file, and put it in your root C:\ folder. Restart into BIOS and use the built-in flash tool. It will locate the file on C:\ and start the update. Once finished, your system will restart automatically.
If you've adjusted fan curves before, you might need to reapply those settings along with any other changes.
As shown in my signature, I'm running a 14700K that has been updated to the latest Microcode 0x12F. When I upgraded to the Z790 / 14700K combo, the first step was always to flash the BIOS. I stay informed about new microcode releases and apply them promptly when they become available.