Core i7 Heat & Voltage Issue

[llcawthorne]

Hi, I'm new here.

 

For my graduation present, I just got a Core i7, and I am seeing some odd temperatures at low voltages. I am wondering if it is maybe some of those auto-settings in the BIOS of my Asus P6T motherboard, but I don't know for sure. Currently, I'm running the chip at 3.8 Ghz with a under-stock voltage of 1.15V and seeing core temps in the 75-79 degree range with a Vigor Monsoon III CPU fan (only while priming; 45 degrees idle; about 38 degrees pre-boot in motherboard monitor (34 degrees on motherboard). I tried with the stock cooler also, and the temperatures were worse, so I remounted the Vigor Monsoon. I am using Arctic Silver thermal paste. I also have an Antec 1200 case with 3 fans on the front, two in the back and one on the top. I was running it at stock speeds with a 1.00 VCore since I didn't know what the stock VCore on this thing was anyway and it kept my prime temp's around 65. When I was at 4.0 Ghz with a 1.25 VCore, I saw temperatures while priming of 85 (and a blue screen shortly thereafter), so I cut back to 3.8 Ghz and the under-volt settings. It was pretty sweet running 3D Mark 06 at the 4.0 Ghz speed though.

 

If I don't see any bluescreens with my current settings, I might be tempted to roll with them. Prime has been running half an hour now without problems. I know these i7's run a bit hot, but it seems that it shouldn't be doing so at the low voltage level (and I am worried that the low VCore setting might lead me to some unexpected blue screens maybe).

 

As far as my settings, I have a 200 BCLK with a 19 multiplier and RAM running at 1600. I manually set CPU PLL Voltage to the top non-yellow setting in BIOS and QPI/DRAM Core Voltage to the top non-yellow setting. I also set the memory voltage to 1.64. I disabled CPU Spread Spectrum and PCIE Spread Spectrum. Everything else (IOH/ICH, etc) is at it's default. I also left on Hyper-Threading. Is there anything major I am missing here? Should I roll with it as is if it doesn't give me problems (or do y'all think it will definitely end up giving me problems?), or should I try remounting the fan again (something I am loathe to do, since I don't feel like taking out the motherboard again if I can help it).

 

Any advice would be appreciated. [on a bright note, my prime95 has been going about 40 mins now and I have been stable (so didn't have to re-type all this) and the temperature is still sitting at 79 (Core 0), 78 (Core 1), 73 (Core 2), 74 (Core 3)] (knock on wood!).

[scr4wl]

There is nothing wrong with your temps the i7 runs hot.

 

I have the same cooler as you(I hate it btw) but at those freq. I experience about the same temps.

 

They are not anything to worry about though, I had mine running at 4GHz at about 83c for 8 hours a day.

 

Now I'm back to 3.5GHz and my room doesn't smell like smoke as much

 

But yeah

 

You have nothing to worry about.

 

BTW

 

4GHz with that vcore is great, try increasing the vcore a bit in order to get it stable.

[Nalcyon]

hmm... either I didn't get a good seat on my cooler, or the cooler itself is no good. (It is a used asetek water cooling kit with the stock 120mm fan mounted on the radiator.) the i7 is ok during idle and normal gaming, but when running prime 95 starts to edge upwards of 90degrees before I freak out and turn it off. My thinking is that the cheap water cooling unit might have been cheap for a reason. And these temps are at stock 3.2ghz speed so oc'ing is out of the question until I get the cooling fixed.

[ccokeman]

The I7s run hot. Especially whe you have them loaded with HT On . My 965 at 3.9 1.38 volts runs at about 65 C on a decent water setup. with a TRUE at the same speed I load at 84C.

[IVIYTH0S]

The I7s run hot. Especially whe you have them loaded with HT On . My 965 at 3.9 1.38 volts runs at about 65 C on a decent water setup. with a TRUE at the same speed I load at 84C.

what would you say is the max i7's should run at 24/7? I know 70C is the general max you should load at (and conservatively I'd say 65C for 24/7 load)

[overclock_junkie]

i was having a talk to a friend of mine about the new i7 chip u got the 920 chip right?

thy do sit hot !

water cooling for that chip is a must we thort!

[Zertz]

70-75C fully loaded with Prime on air is correct IMO. You most likely won't be able to load four cores and eight threads in normal apps, so the highest average won't be that high

Edited March 25, 2009 by Zertz

[ccokeman]

I fold! They are all loaded all the time! In the 70's should be fine considering tha fact that a stock heatsink on a stock running chip loads in th high 60 to high 70's with a 100% load. They will load higher in a cramped case. I have been comfortable with my 920 at 73C under water for a few weeks now.