Which temperature should we track? Core or package? (I7-920 D0)
Which temperature should we track? Core or package? (I7-920 D0)
Hey everyone! I managed to push my I7-920 to 4GHz, but I'm a bit concerned about the temperatures. The peak core temp reached 91°C, while the package stayed at a max of 77°C (with a 100°C limit for cores). The ambient temperature is around 18°C. I think it's okay now, especially since the weather will cool down in winter, but definitely not during summer. The Intel spec says a max of 67.9°C on the package, not 72.6°C.
The ASUS P6T SE is the motherboard, so if your core temperatures are what really matter, 91°C is quite high.
It's not perfect, but it could be significantly worse. I was experimenting with an i7 920 a few days ago while trying to build a mining rig from it, and those components get very hot even at stock prices—especially the CPU heatsinks.
How intense was the heat? I'm running a Deepcool Gammaxx 300 cooler at full speed. It's decent right now, but I plan to add more fans and possibly reduce the voltage and clock speed if it stays above 75°C.
i don’t have temps, but i cooled it using a 140mm rad setting and stock settings. i forgot to install a fan during installation, so after about 5 minutes the cooler became too hot to touch.
The CPU temperature shown by the Winbond sensor refers to the socket temperature, not the package temperature. The highest core temperature before thermal throttling starts is 100°C. The package temperature accounts for data from each core sensor. It shows the maximum temperature detected anywhere on the CPU die. The Intel specifications mentioned are unrelated to either socket or package temps. TCase ratings are intended for manufacturers, not regular users. Accurate TCase measurement requires physically accessing the heat spreader and attaching a thermal probe. Unless you intend to modify your CPU, the quoted 67.9°C TCase figure is likely inaccurate. No software can reliably capture this value. Consider a 32nm 6-core processor for better performance, efficiency, and speed—worth the investment at around $25 on eBay.
Thanks for the update! Since the Tcase can't be measured, I should rely only on the "Core Max" reading in HWInfo. This sensor shows the highest temperature among all cores. You were considering a 6-core Xeon upgrade, similar to what you mentioned, but still unsure about choosing between an X or a W variant (such as X5690 or W3680). This isn't your primary PC, so any upgrades are for hobby or testing purposes. You've already added three fans—two intake and one exhaust in the case—and the Core Max temperature reached 83°C during a 15-minute run in Battlefield 5 at 64 players. This is significantly better than before, and other games don’t stress the CPU as much. Your current temps are 70-75°C with peaks up to 83°C. Is that achievable? Even though you plan to upgrade to a Xeon in December, you don’t want to damage or degrade the chip, even if you can afford another one for around 9€.
It includes an AIO 240mm water cooler. The 32nm 6-core CPUs handle heat well. They don’t rely on AVX instructions, which newer chips do. I’ve found success with the W series. Performance improves significantly when you increase MHz and voltage. The W3670 uses a locked multiplier; you must raise the BCLK for overclocking. The W3680 uses an unlocked multiplier, making it simpler to push performance. You can keep BCLK at 133 MHz and boost the multiplier up to 4500–4700 MHz. These models are far more forgiving for overclocking compared to the i7-920. Intel limits thermal throttling at 100°C, which is the highest safe temperature for peak performance. I verify that my CPUs maintain expected temperatures during testing, so you won’t have to worry. Your Intel CPU is built to manage its own cooling needs effectively.