System temps

[Ed Coolidge]

I just built a new system with a XP 2500 (with retail cooler), Abit
NF7-M, Antec SL450, and Compucase LX-6A19 with a 120mm fan in the
rear. The monitoring software from Abit gives a system temp of 32C
and CPU temp of 47-48C at idle, which gives a difference of 15-16C. I
also checked it with Mother Board Monitor and it says the same. I
also checked the temps with the side panel off and they only dropped
1C!
OTOH my computer with an AMD 750 reports a system temp of 25C and a
CPU temp of 39C, which gives a difference of 14C. I even tested both
of them with CPU burn-in. After 15 minutes both topped out at 50C.

So what gives? Is the 2500 really running this hot or are the temp
sensors faulty? Any other ideas how to verify one way or the other?

 

[Dalibor Bauernfrajnd]

I just built a new system with a XP 2500 (with retail cooler), Abit
NF7-M, Antec SL450, and Compucase LX-6A19 with a 120mm fan in the
rear. The monitoring software from Abit gives a system temp of 32C
and CPU temp of 47-48C at idle, which gives a difference of 15-16C. I
also checked it with Mother Board Monitor and it says the same. I
also checked the temps with the side panel off and they only dropped
1C!
OTOH my computer with an AMD 750 reports a system temp of 25C and a
CPU temp of 39C, which gives a difference of 14C. I even tested both
of them with CPU burn-in. After 15 minutes both topped out at 50C.

So what gives? Is the 2500 really running this hot or are the temp
sensors faulty? Any other ideas how to verify one way or the other?

Everything is just fine.

 

[kony]

I just built a new system with a XP 2500 (with retail cooler), Abit
NF7-M, Antec SL450, and Compucase LX-6A19 with a 120mm fan in the
rear. The monitoring software from Abit gives a system temp of 32C
and CPU temp of 47-48C at idle, which gives a difference of 15-16C. I
also checked it with Mother Board Monitor and it says the same. I
also checked the temps with the side panel off and they only dropped
1C!
OTOH my computer with an AMD 750 reports a system temp of 25C and a
CPU temp of 39C, which gives a difference of 14C. I even tested both
of them with CPU burn-in. After 15 minutes both topped out at 50C.

So what gives? Is the 2500 really running this hot or are the temp
sensors faulty? Any other ideas how to verify one way or the other?

"Most" motherboards give a temp reading labeled as "system" when it
isn't a system reading in the conventional sense of the word. They
sense temp from a sensor embedded in a chip, which creates it's own
heat and will ALWAYS be hotter than the case's internal air temp while
the system is running.

That temp, when taken inside a chip on the motherboard, is not
reflecting anything in particular other than the process size and
function of the chip taking the temp, along with variances accounted
for by differences in supply voltage and system usage of that
particular chip. Often this chip is the southbridge, which is almost
never heatsunk, so variations in true case temp may not even affect
this reading as much as the particular type of system usage does.
Rather you might take a baseline reading of the reported temp then
compare the change in temp, only concerning yourself with it if system
instability seems to coincide with a significant temp increase.

The XP2500 does create a lot more heat than the Athlon 750 does, but
what did you expect, it's running over twice as fast? Those temps are
well within the margin of safety and stability, are nothing to worry
about. The fact that the temp difference,between "system" and CPU in
both systems is nearly the same, is just coincidence.


Dave