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How much of a drop in CPU temps can I expect from improving airflow?

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  • CPUs
  • Cable
  • AMD
Last response: in CPUs
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August 23, 2013 3:29:34 PM

My current CPU (FX-6300) temps with the hyper 212+ are on the high side. During a hot day, I can expect them to shoot well over 70 degrees typically capping at 73 under prime95. I will admit though, that my case (source 210) is currently only sporting a single exhaust fan at the back and a mess of cables that are not being used are populating the hard drive bays where if any air were coming in through the small gaps in the source 210 (no front mesh cover), the cables would pretty much disrupt any hint of airflow in the first place. If I were to purchase a couple of high performance fans and clean up my cable mess (side question - where do I hide unused cables with non modular?) to help kick start some real airflow, how much of a temp decrease in my CPU and hell even all my components can I expect?

More about : drop cpu temps expect improving airflow

a c 375 à CPUs
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August 23, 2013 4:00:13 PM

It would be noticeable, no guarantee what it would be though. The more fans are a necessity, you want to have more if not equal intake to exhaust fans. Moving the cables help as well. I put my extra cables on top of my hdd, in the expansion bays and zip tie them in place.
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August 23, 2013 4:06:05 PM

Did you installed you motherboard software? I recommend installing the software such as ASUS Fan Xpert or in BIOS of your motherboard and going turbo settings for your CPU fan. It won't get pass 72 degrees Celsius.
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August 23, 2013 4:10:57 PM

:0 I just remembered that I haven't updated my BIOS...
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August 23, 2013 4:19:21 PM

Go ahead. :)  Don't forget to set the CPU fan to turbo.
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a c 220 à CPUs
a c 104 À AMD
August 23, 2013 5:22:49 PM

The TJMax temp for the FX-6300 is 83c so if your getting to 73c with Prime95 then that should be the highest it will get since Prime will stress the CPU 100%. What do you get for temps at idle and what are your temps at normal use like gaming and web surfing.

One fan is not sufficient for good air flow and you need to add a couple more to have two in and two out. Using tie cable ties you can tie the cables together and easily make the air flow better. Does the side panel of the case have a place for a fan ?

Your temps are not that bad considering the lack of fans and adding some more will drop the temps about 7-10c. You don't need to do a bios update unless there is a need to do so.
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August 23, 2013 5:33:46 PM

Turns out my BIOS was actually already up to date. And despite there not being a turbo setting in the bios for the fan (or at least not one I can find) I can set my CPU fan to 100% with speedfan.

@inzone My cables are already tied up but they exist as a large mass that takes up plenty of space in my hard drive bays. I do have a place for a side fan but my 212+ renders it useless.

gaming temperatures=not sure yet
web surfing=high 30s to low 40s depending on the day
idle=lowest it has ever been consistently was 35 during a cool morning - low 40s during hot day
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a c 220 à CPUs
a c 104 À AMD
August 23, 2013 5:44:10 PM

Those are not bad temps and adding just one fan will help. I just looked at your case and there are two fan spots in the top of the case and there is one at the bottom of the case so I would put one at each spot. Are you sure that the side fan spot will come in contact with the heat sink, it looks kind of low to me but anyways the top and bottom spots should help and the mass of cables , can they be tied to the rear of the drive bay ? Where are those cables coming from anyway, I don't see a reason for them to be there.
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August 23, 2013 5:46:53 PM

I routed them behind the MB tray and they are coming out of a gap near the front of the case in front of the bays.

Edit - just checked, wow I am clueless, I am able to fit the side fan :D 
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a c 220 à CPUs
a c 104 À AMD
August 23, 2013 5:50:18 PM

OK , now if you want to you can add a fan in the side , the bottom and two at the top for a very much improved air flow an you don't have to be so concerned with the cables.
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August 23, 2013 5:57:39 PM

Would it be worth my while to get premium fans that could cost me upwards of 15 dollars each or would budget fans serve me well enough? I just feel like spending 60+ dollars for a bit of cooling is unintuitive.
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a c 220 à CPUs
a c 104 À AMD
August 23, 2013 6:17:25 PM

You don't need expensive fans, you just need to get the air flowing and fans half that price would do the job.
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August 23, 2013 7:50:30 PM

Check your cooler if it isn't loose and check for dusts accumulated anywhere in board. Use a blower do not use a vacuum.
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August 23, 2013 8:47:46 PM

@maddog - recently built a few days ago. No dust and made to tighten hard. Used the 2 thin line method of applying thermal paste if that matters lol
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August 24, 2013 12:13:53 AM

Is your CPU exposed or under your computer table or in an enclosed part pf your table?
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a c 220 à CPUs
a c 104 À AMD
August 24, 2013 9:59:31 AM

thesuperguy said:
@maddog - recently built a few days ago. No dust and made to tighten hard. Used the 2 thin line method of applying thermal paste if that matters lol


I don't like the two thin line method because I believe it gives a chance to have a space in the middle. The small pea method or the single ine in the middle would be best. I generally use a credit card to spread the thermal compound out and that's what works for me.

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August 24, 2013 10:16:01 AM

I see we all have conflicting views. I had originally used the pea method but one person said that is not good for a cooler like the 212+ which has small crevices between the pipes. I also read that many people had the best results with the 2 line method. The first time I applied the paste with the 2 line method, I had kinda screwed up a little and it was lob sided and squeezed out one end a bit. After pulling it off, it was quite thoroughly covering the base other than the bit that came out. Cleaned it up and tried again and I assume the middle will be covered because my lines were quite close to each other. I also read that some people felt the credit card method made the layer too thin and blah blah blah etc etc.

@maddog it is kinda the halfway point between exposed and under the table. It is literally under my table but my table is very large and everything under it is just exposed air. I also have it positioned in such a way that the right side panel is pushed against the wall with a bit of clearance and all other sides with ventilation are exposed.
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a c 220 à CPUs
a c 104 À AMD
August 24, 2013 10:25:28 AM

You can't make the layer too thin, that's what you want. The purpose of the thermal compound is to fill the microscopic grooves and creavices on the heat sink and CPU cover so that you have a completely flat surface on both parts for an even heat transfer.
If there is too much thermal compound then it acts as an insulator and prevents some of the heat from being transferred.
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August 24, 2013 10:32:17 AM

So does that mean that if I were to put a dab of paste and scrape it along the surface until it is technically covering everything but to the point of transparency, it would good? I don't think it would even stick.

If you look at this article by TH, at the bottom they say there is a such thing as too thin :p 

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/cooling-air-pressur...
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a c 220 à CPUs
a c 104 À AMD
August 24, 2013 10:54:25 AM

Since your using the 212 I would do the heat sink also with a very thin layer and it will stick.

I came across this interesting article;

http://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/articles/Thermal-Paste...

According to the article from this high end computer builder they use the X method and in the end I think that you have to come up with a method that gives you the best performance.
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August 24, 2013 11:09:06 AM

I had a feeling they were going to do some kind of face.

To be more exact, what I did was to put a dab and spread it across the surface of the 212 first to fill those crevices and then I used the 2 lines parallel to the pipes on top of the the first layer I applied.
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a c 220 à CPUs
a c 104 À AMD
August 24, 2013 11:39:03 AM

I think that may be too much thermal compound, because I would think that if your using two lines then one line for the CPU cover and one line for the heat sink would be enough.
I put a pea sized amount on the top of the CPU and spread it out so that there is a very thin layer. Since I use water cooling I take the Water block and lap the base until it's like a mirror and place it on the CPU. Since we have different cooling solutions this is what works for me.
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August 24, 2013 6:07:19 PM

I really should try out water cooling :p  And what do you mean you "lap the base"?

But anyways, I don't mean I put like an entire layer of the paste onto the heatsink base. I just take the smallest dab and scrape it as thoroughly as I can into the crevices and afterwards, scrape any left on the surface off.
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a c 220 à CPUs
a c 104 À AMD
August 24, 2013 6:26:09 PM

Lapping is a term used to describe sanding or polishing an object. In this case you take very fine grit sand paper and sand the bottom of the block. Starting with 1200 grit and working your way up to 3000 grit, you end up with a mirror like finish making the need for less thermal compound.
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August 24, 2013 7:38:20 PM

Is there a reason why manufacturers don't do this in the first place?
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a c 220 à CPUs
a c 104 À AMD
August 24, 2013 7:49:11 PM

They do, but sometimes you may think that you can do it better or get it smoother and there are all types of products with all levels of finish.
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August 24, 2013 7:56:11 PM

They really should start manufacturing CPUs with completely solid built in heatsinks.
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a c 220 à CPUs
a c 104 À AMD
August 24, 2013 8:32:33 PM

The next step will be built in CPUs and some may or may not go with built in heat sinks because people will still want what they want and won't be happy with the one that comes built in.
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August 24, 2013 11:25:50 PM

Maybe CPUs should follow the path of GPUs where the design is outsourced to several manufacturers all competing. Then you can pick and choose from a variety of heatsinks :p 
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a c 220 à CPUs
a c 104 À AMD
August 25, 2013 9:12:14 AM

Intel would never do that. But you could see another player at some point like Nvidia.
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