Yes, the CPU might be getting too hot.
Yes, the CPU might be getting too hot.
Hey, I've observed that my CPU consistently runs around 79°C while using less than 6-11% of its capacity. After assembling the system, the cooling fans stopped working despite thinking they should activate at higher temperatures—similar to how the GPU fan only kicks in when it hits around 50°C. I own an AMD Ryzen 7 7700X and use a Thermalright Frost Spirit cooler with 77.8 CFM airflow. The wiring inside the cooler seems intact, but all components were powered on recently, so I’m puzzled about why the fans remain off and the lightning circuit isn’t engaging.
Currently, my workload includes multiple browser tabs (Firefox, Discord, Spotify, Minecraft) plus a few lightweight apps like Calculator, Task Manager, HWInfo, and Speccy. The situation is getting a bit worrying, especially since I live in a hot area of California where temperatures often exceed 110°F. It’s hard to rule out whether my CPU heat output might be contributing to the room temperature.
If this changes anything, could you advise if a 79°C average is excessive for the load I’m handling? Also, is there any way to address the fans not turning on or running properly? Please let me know—I’m doing my best to reply as soon as possible and appreciate your help.
This behavior is typical for Ryzen processors. Data indicates the peak temperature per core, and certain cores tend to heat up more under load. You're still about 10°C below the maximum safe temperature, which means no concerns. You might lower it further using undervolting with Curve Optimizer.
I managed to get one fan working out of two, but I started with a faulty boot and had to troubleshoot the system. After restarting it, it ran again, though I’m hesitant to risk further damage. I’m considering letting it run just one fan for now. Is having one fan enough to keep things operational? I’ve been using this machine for about six months and am becoming concerned about the heat outside.
The difference between 1 vs 2 fans is minimal, around 5%, and it really depends on which one you choose between the heatsinks.
It's located between the heatsinks. I've rechecked my CPU temperatures using a setup similar to mine, but with just 4-5% usage, I'm now achieving those lower temps.
Loading Cinerbench with CPU at 100% usage—have you given it a try?