Intel Core 2 Temperature Issues

[Gerry_uk]

Hi,

I am experiencing 50-55C on my E6400 in idle/low load mode with ASUS
P5B, Intel stock fan and Antec Sonata II with an air duct.

You need to make it clear how you measured it?

Your temp is similar to mine, but my processor is E6800 and I don't have
an air duct.

What is considered to be "normal" for these processors? And what's the
highest safe temperature?

Not sure about normal, but Intel says you must NOT run the E6800 above
60 degrees - I assume they mean "core temp" here? Normal for idle should
probably be about 45-48 for E6800 and even less for E6400

All in all, it's a disappointment for me, because the big deal with
these processors was supposed to be that they run "cool and quiet". The
Intel stock cooler wasn't quiet at all, and judging by the size of it
they must have known these processors don't run that cool either.

I thought it was more like a laptop processor that just needed a small
heatpipe and small fan...

I built a computer for my Dad six months ago on ASUS A8V with AMD 64 and
this runs almost silent in an enclosed compact tower case with no
temperature issues at all _and_ it's really fast!

 

[Barry Watzman]

That's high, although not so high as to be dangerous. I'm running high
30's / low 40's with an E6600 (higher power consumption) and the stock
cooler.

 

[Barry Watzman]

My experience with an E6600 is very different ... my entire machine,
with 3 fans, is nearly silent. In fact, the fan control in the Gigabyte
GA-965P-DS3 often STOPS the CPU fan completely, and even full bore it's
quiet ... subjectively, the total machine noise is 20% of what my
previous P4 system was. The case is an Antec NSK4400 with an added
front fan, and the 3-speed switch on the rear case fan is set to the
mid-range position. I'm running core temps in the high 30's/low 40's,
and I'm delighted.

 

[KC Computers]

I am experiencing 50-55C on my E6400 in idle/low load mode with ASUS
It should be in the 40C range. Are you sure that you have connected
the heatsink fan properly? Try removing it and make sure that it's
making good contact with the heat transfer compound.

 

[kony]

I am experiencing 50-55C on my E6400 in idle/low load mode with ASUS
P5B, Intel stock fan and Antec Sonata II with an air duct.

What is considered to be "normal" for these processors? And what's the
highest safe temperature?

There is no "normal", it depends on room ambient temp,
chassis ventilation, system load (even when system is
seemingly idle, what is installed will largely determine how
idle, "idle" really is.

However, we can ignore any temp reading that is not taken
during an extended full load state. Idle or
somewhat-average temps don't necessarily matter, rather the
highest temp it ever reaches, does.

Try running some stress tests, like Prime95's Torture Test
and see what the temp is after 30 minutes or so, and whether
Prime95 reports any errors (meaning it has failed the test
no matter what the temp report and "some" kind of action
will need taken to make it stable).

If for example the system never went beyond 65C at full load
and never any instability, that is cool enough. Some would
prefer it to be cooler than that, but as important is why it
was that temp, as it could be a sign of poor chassis cooling
meaning that other parts are similarly (or evermore)
hot-running too, possibly parts nearer their peak threshold
like motherboard capacitors, hard drive(s) or video card.

 

[Andrei Outkine]

Thanks all for your replies. I removed the air duct yesterday and
switched the Antec chassis 120mm fan from "Low" to "High". This
immediately brought the core down to 42C (Core 1) and 45C (Core 2) in
low load mode, as measured by Core Temp (btw, does the 3C difference in
temp between the two cores pose any reason for concern?)

Next I will try the stress tests. I also ordered the Cooler Master
Hyper L3 cooler and some AS5. I will report back on what difference
those make.

Andrei

 

[Barry Watzman]

The Intel stock fan that came with my E6600 did not use heat sink
compound, it had a thermal transfer pad pre-applied to the base of the
heatsink.

 

[Barry Watzman]

The best cooler, if you are going to use a non-stock cooler, is the
Zalman CNPS9500.

 

[Andrei Outkine]

Agreed, but the Cooler Master is $30 cheaper and has excellent reviews
on NewEgg. Given that my temperature issue doesn't seem to be severe
(have yet to confirm that after the stress test), I decided to save
some money. Do you think I'll regret it?

 

[Phil]

Avoid the Hyper L3. It's hardly any better than the stock cooler. As Barry
suggested, the Zalman CNPS9500 series of coolers are excellent. I'm using
one, myself. I would also recommend the Coolermaster Hyper48 or Thermaltake
Big Typhoon.

Regarding the core temps, a difference of a few degrees between the core is
perfectly normal.

-phil

 

[Gerry_uk]

Hi Barry,

It sounds like you've got a good setup, both cool and quiet!

 

[Gerry_uk]

Hi Barry,

Are you sure it was a pad? The stock cooler for the E5800 had three
thick bars of thermal compound. At first I thought they were pads, but
they were actually viscous.

 

[Gerry_uk]

The best cooler, if you are going to use a non-stock cooler, is the
Zalman CNPS9500.

I have the CNPS8000, do you know what the difference is?

 

[Ron Krebs]

I have the CNPS8000, do you know what the difference is?

Low Profile. But does it dissipate heat as well as 9500?

 

[Ron Krebs]

I have the CNPS8000, do you know what the difference is?

Also, a lot of reviewers are saying that the four (not six) heat pipes
interfere with the DIMM slots so far as to eliminate the use of the closest
one. Not good.

 

[Phil]

You'll have significantly cooler temps with the CNPS9500.

One example:
http://www.rbmods.com/Articles/Zalman/Cnps8000/2.php

-phil

 

[Barry Watzman]

Probably not ... the Core 2 Duo CPUs use so much less power than the
previous processors that I'm running in the low 40's, sometimes even
high 30's, with the stock Intel cooler. These are truly amazing
processors, they beat the top-of-the-line processors from BOTH Intel and
AMD that were $1,000 only 90 days ago, yet they use half the power and
run cooler, and that's even the case with the mid-range E6600 that's
down now to $327 at ZipZoomFly.

[As a consequence of the reduced power consumption, I'm also running a
high end system with multiple hard drives and multiple optical drives
with a 380w power supply and everyone seems happy ... CPU, power supply,
heatsink .... and most importantly, ME ]

Also, I've seen the CNPS9500 recently on sale as low as $40's. But one
thing about it, while it is unquestionably the best air-cooled CPU
heatsink currently available, it is big and heavy and they recommend
that it be removed for shipping because of it's size and weight.

 

[Barry Watzman]

I'm very pleased with this system .... although I went with the Gigabyte
motherboard (GA-965P-DS3) rather than the Asus P5B (which my son used,
and he's equally happy). I actually think that the MSI MS965P Neo-F
might also be as good a motherboard, and it's a bargain ($110, and
sometimes on sale at Newegg for under $100). All 3 of these
motherboards are virtually identical in terms of their real "guts" ...
use the exact same chips.

 

[Barry Watzman]

It looked like a pad, but I didn't touch it. Whatever, it was
pre-applied. And yes, it was several "stips", I thought it was two but
perhaps 3. The reason I thought it was a pad is that thermal compound
is not usually pre-applied, due to the mess it can make if it then comes
in contact with things ... usually if it's already on the heatsink, it's
a pad, if it's in a syringe, it's compound. But it's possible that this
was pre-applied thermal compound.

 

[Barry Watzman]

The 8000 is a lower end cooler, not as good as the 9500, but less
expensive (the 9500 is normally about $70, but I've seen it on sale
recently for high $40's ... the 8000 is normally about $55 or so).
There have been quite a few independent tests of aftermarket coolers,
it's amazing how many of them are not as good as the stock Intel coolers
(which are actually quite good, overall), but ALL of them that I have
seen are rating the CNPS9500 as the "best" air-based cooler from anyone,
at any price. However, it is big and heavy, so much so that it exceeds
the recommended maximum weight for a cooler to be installed on a
motherboard during shipping (quite a few of the after-market coolers
suffer from being too heavy for guaranteed safe shipping due to
excessive weight on the motherboard).