4690K High Temps

[ericgcollyer]

I recently built a mATX computer for my parents. I used a mATX slim case. I used an In Win mATX case. Since this case as a single 92mm fan at the front of it, I was worried about cooling when I built the machine. I have an ASROCK mATX board. The cpu is a 4690k. I put a noctua 92mm fan into the single fan slot, and added a NH-L9i to replace the stock Intel cooler. The processor idles at around 30C (15-16 degrees C above the ambient temperature). When performing stress testing, the temps get a bit high. I used the "Max Heat" setting on Prime95 and after two hours the max temp on any single core was 87C. While there weren't any stability issues, those temps make me feel uncomfortable and I stopped the test. Are these temps too high? Am I crazy? Would getting a larger cooler help? Should I get the NH-L9x65 instead? Thanks in advance for any information.

[ericgcollyer]

I should also mention that this computer will generally be used for web browsing, but occasionally photo editing and video rendering.

[Nyt]

Haswell is quite hot because of the bad thermal paste Intel used. Is your CPU a 4690K Haswell or 4690K Devil's Canyon ?

 

Haswell can take temps that high and even into the 90s. Prime stresses the CPU more than most everyday applications.

87C is pretty high considering the ambient is 15C and you are running a cooler that should be around a 10%+ improvement over the stock cooler.

 

Have you tried reseating the cooler with some new thermal paste ?
Also, how much variation is there between the max temps of each core ?

[El_Capitan]

Haswell is quite hot because of the bad thermal paste Intel used. Is your CPU a 4690K Haswell or 4690K Devil's Canyon ?

 

Haswell can take temps that high and even into the 90s. Prime stresses the CPU more than most everyday applications.

87C is pretty high considering the ambient is 15C and you are running a cooler that should be around a 10%+ improvement over the stock cooler.

 

Have you tried reseating the cooler with some new thermal paste ?

Also, how much variation is there between the max temps of each core ?

4690K is Devil's Canyon, 4670K is Haswell.

 

m-ATX case, small fan, CPU with bad TIM, low-mid end CPU cooler, probably a mix of factors.

[ericgcollyer]

Thanks for the response. I purchased model BX80646I54690K. I believe this is the Devil's Canyon model. I've reseating the cooler with Noctua thermal paste. 

 

I actually am 90% sure I know what the problem is. If only I had read a bit more before purchasing the cooler. It appears as if the NH-L9i can handle up to a 65W TDP. Seeing as the 4690k is a 88W part, that seems to be quite a bit more than the heatsink can handle. I'll look into getting the NH-L9x65 or the NH-C14 depending on how much clearance I have in the case. 

 

 

 

[WarWeeny]

if you use it for web browsing and photo editing, that 87C will never get reached.

The processor is fine with temps and prolly doesn't even break 50 with all bells and whistles when using in the real world.

[ir_cow]

if you use it for web browsing and photo editing, that 87C will never get reached.

The processor is fine with temps and prolly doesn't even break 50 with all bells and whistles when using in the real world.

Agreed. 

 

4690K is Devil's Canyon, 4670K is Haswell.

 

m-ATX case, small fan, CPU with bad TIM, low-mid end CPU cooler, probably a mix of factors.

 

Yep my thoughts exactly. It also doesn't help the TDP of that cooler is lower than the cpu. I honestly wouldn't worry because generating max heat and only getting 90c is stiill better than the stock cooler which will hit 100c.

[Waco]

87C is more than safe. I wouldn't worry unless you can actually get it to throttle with Prime95 (which occurs at 99/100 C).

[ericgcollyer]

Sounds good! I'll run Prinme95 for 12 hours or so and check what the max temps. As long as they don't get to 99/100C I'll not worry about it. If they do get that high, I'll do some thinking and probably decide to leave things how they are.

[ccokeman]

The thing to be concerned about in a small case is the temperature of the VRM and components more so than the CPU. 87C is not bad since the retail heat sink will let the chip get that warm under the same loading. 

[Waco]

The thing to be concerned about in a small case is the temperature of the VRM and components more so than the CPU. 87C is not bad since the retail heat sink will let the chip get that warm under the same loading.

Good thing the VRMs are under the heatspreader then.

 

I would check motherboard temps if possible, but I bet they aren't bad even at full load.

[Boinker]

I would be tempted to mess with the fan profile a little to make sure it vents well while the temperature is lower. Most boards will let you tune out the processor fans minimum fan speed and some of the even better boards allow you to setup the highest temp when the processor fan will be 100%. So maybe a little bit of tuning and you can bring down the temps a little. I know i need to jack with mine on my new msi board as stock clocks at 70c full load is just too much imho. Then I looked at my CPU fan and it was jsut barely spinning... what a joke right.