The heat plate feels cool despite the CPU running high.
The heat plate feels cool despite the CPU running high.
From my findings, the temperature and wattage match what’s expected. The plate on top of the CPU doesn’t feel unusually warm. It might be that the thermal paste you’re using isn’t performing well. Could someone with Thermalright assassin 120s confirm if, during maximum load, your heatsink base stays under 40°C—comfortable to the touch?
By the "plate" I mean this section - if it isn't getting hot, that's fine. The heatpipes that touch the CPU should absorb nearly all the heat; not feeling warmth in the non-heatpipe areas of the heatsink indicates they're functioning properly. This plate is there just to secure the heatpipes onto the CPU, for mounting purposes only—not for thermal reasons. Trying to gauge performance by touching the heatsink isn't reliable; using software like HWiNFO to monitor temperature is the best way to assess cooling effectiveness.
The base plate needs to match the heatsink temperature closely. Unless the cooler is operating at full capacity, it won’t get excessively warm. Heatpipes are highly efficient at transferring heat. When there’s a difference in temperature between the base plate and the heatsink, they help balance it out. In real life, the plate might be slightly warmer than the heatsink, but only a small amount.
For optimal warmth, switch off all fans. This helps create a cozy heat sink environment.
I believe the baseplate would feel warmer when the CPU throttles and reaches 90°C during any stress test, especially if it can’t run all cores at full speed. If the baseplate stays below 40°C while the CPU hits 90°C, it might mean the thermal paste isn’t doing its job.@danalog I max out under 140W, sometimes even less than 120W. Each core uses about 20W, so with a solid chip I could easily reach 200W with the SoC. I’ve always used under 100W CPUs and thought water coolers were overrated. Now I’m confused about why air coolers seem to be such a hassle.
Your issue seems linked to thermal throttling, not just the baseplate overheating. The lack of heat buildup on the baseplate could indicate poor heat transfer. I own a 5500 in my NAS and kept it with the original cooler. It doesn’t throttle even during heavy stress tests. Your tower cooler likely performs better than the Wraith Stealth. Possible causes include a paste issue, mounting pressure problems, or a missing plastic film from the heatsink base affecting contact.
I should aim for 80°C at 125W. I placed an order for an MX6 and plan to test it. Note: The mounting pressure from the PS120 seems excessive.