i7-4790K Overheat w/ intel stock cooler

ailos · Mar 19, 2015

Specs: i7-4790k, gtx 970 g1 gaming, 16gb ddr3 1600mhz, Asus z97-a, Define R5, SuperNova G2 850w.

So I just recently purchased this CPU and when I run prime 95 torture test (loading all cores 100%) I get temps that are waaaaaaaay to high for my likings, ~Average temp: 95* Celisus.

When I load the CPU 50% I get temps of like 90*C which kind of sucks.
I have tried reseating the cooler 3 times and I'm using arctic mx-4 thermal paste for it.
Now I'm wondering, is this a bad chip or something else? Can I just say, buy a hyper 212 evo which would improve my temperatures? I really don't know what to do... The voltage is fine in 100% load (1.18 something) and in idle it's like 0.7, And as far as I know my BIOS is the latest update.

EDIT: I have not overclocked or downclocked the processor one bit.

Col Da Red · Mar 19, 2015

I would first try contacting where you bought it (or intel). If they say it is because you are overloading it try something like a hyper 212. If the problem persists contact them again and they will likely replace it or have you RMA it.

dudmont · Mar 19, 2015

That's too hot for a stock setup. Whether it's a bubble in your TIM or a poor application, I'd try to to reapply it. If a good TIM doesn't improve your temps markedly(Toms did a thorough test on TIMs not long ago, they recommend GELID(so do I)), then you have issues under the lid(I've de-lidded a couple of cheap celerons and it's not that hard, what is hard is not frying your expensive chip with Liquid Metal Ultra when you go to put it back together).

CompuTronix · Mar 19, 2015

Guys,

Here it is again:

Do NOT run any versions of Prime95 later than 26.6. Here's why:

Core i 2nd, 3rd and 4th Generation CPU's have AVX (Advanced Vector Extension) instruction sets. Recent versions of Prime95, such as 28.5, run AVX code on the Floating Point Unit (FPU) math coprocessor, which produces extremely high temperatures. The FPU test in the stability testing utility AIDA64 shows similar results.

Prime95 v26.6 produces temperatures on 3rd and 4th Generation processors more consistent with 2nd Generation, which also have AVX instructions, but do not suffer from thermal extremes due to having a soldered Integrated Heat Spreader and a 35% larger Die.

Please download Prime95 version 26.6 - http://windows-downloads-center.blogspot.com/2011/04/prime95-266.html

Run only Small FFT’s for 10 minutes.

Use Real Temp to measure your Core temperatures, as it was designed specifically for Intel processors: Real Temp - http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/2089/real-temp-3-70/

Your Core temperatures will test 10 to 20C lower with v26.6 than with v28.5.

Please read this Tom’s Sticky: Intel Temperature Guide - http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-1800828/intel-temperature-guide.html

Thanks,

CT :sol:

dudmont · Mar 19, 2015

I'd like to know what his idle temps look like at a decent room temp.

ailos · Mar 21, 2015

dudmont :

My idle temperatures are around 38-50 degrees when idle

CompuTronix · Mar 21, 2015

That's way too high for idle.

What is your ambient temperature?

Also, you haven't yet mentioned which version of Prime95 you ran, or which torture test.

Nevertheless, it's likely that one of the push-pins on your stock cooler has popped loose, which will cause high temperatures at idle, as well as at 100% workload.

You can troubleshoot this problem by pushing firmly on each corner of the cooler for about 30 seconds while watching your temperatures. When you see a significant drop, you've found the loose push-pin.

The push-pins can be deceivingly tricky to get them fully inserted through the motherboard and properly latched.

Please read the following:

Intel Stock Cooler Installation Guide - http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/338655-28-intel-stock-cooler-installation-guide

Regardless, as has already been mentioned by others, you should replace Intel's very poor stock cooler with something more suitable to the i7 4790K.

The ever popular Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO is often suggested, which is a huge improvement over Intel's stock cooler in both it's cooling capacity and mounting hardware, and will support a moderate overclock at a modest price.

CT :sol:

Vici0us · Mar 21, 2015

Your idle temps should be around 28C - 33C. If you bought this chip at a store, return it for a new one and while you're there pick up CM Hyper 212.

ailos · Mar 21, 2015

Way ahead of you guys

Already bought a Hyper 212, I know i've mounted the intel stock cooler correctly due to the pins making that click noise when you push them in (star pattern style). And also, I use the blend test in Prime95 and I am using the "defective"? version of prime 95 but since all other temperatures are too high aswell I'm not going to be reinstalling prime 95

CompuTronix · Mar 21, 2015

ailos,

Just FYI, every Intel stock cooler will "click" even when the push-pins are not fully inserted through the motherboard.

As far as thermal testing, NOT stability testing is concerned, Prime95 v26.6 Small FFT's is the best thermal test you can perform.

Your Core temperatures will test 20C lower with v26.6 than with v28.5.

Also, I'm sorry that you're already jaded against Prime95, but the latest version, 28.5 is not "defective" ... it simply runs AVX code, which I explained for you in detail in my first post.

Here's why I strongly recommend Prime95 for thermal testing:

Since everyone tests their rigs using X stress software at Y Ambient temperatures with Z measuring utilities resulting in CPU or Package or Core temperatures, it's impossible to compare apples to apples. This is why processor temperatures are so confusing.

Prime95 Small FFT's is the standard for CPU thermal testing, because it's a steady-state 100% workload. This is the test that Real Temp uses to test sensors. Version 26.6 is well suited to all Core i and Core 2 variants.

Prime95's default test, Blend, is a cyclic workload for testing memory stability, and Large FFT's combines CPU and memory tests. As such, Blend and Large FFT's both have cyclic workloads which are unsuitable for CPU thermal testing.

Other stability tests such as Linpack and Intel Burn Test have cycles that peak at 110% workload, and are also unsuitable for CPU thermal testing. The software utility OCCT runs elements of Linpack and Prime95.

Shown above from left to right: Small FFT's, Blend, Linpack and Intel Burn Test.

Note the steady-state thermal signatures of Small FFT's, which allows accurate measurements of Core temperatures.

Shown above from left to right: Small FFT's, Intel Extreme Tuning Utility CPU Test, and AIDA64 CPU Test.

The "Charts" in SpeedFan span 13 minutes, and show how each test creates different thermal signatures. Intel Extreme Tuning Utility is also a cyclic workload. Although AIDA64's CPU test is steady-state, the workload is below Thermal Design Power (TDP), which is insufficient.

Please read this Tom's Sticky: Intel Temperature Guide - http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-1800828/intel-temperature-guide.html

Thanks,

CT :sol:

ailos · Mar 22, 2015

CompuTronix :

ailos,

Just FYI, every Intel stock cooler will "click" even when the push-pins are not fully inserted through the motherboard.

As far as thermal testing, NOT stability testing is concerned, Prime95 v26.6 Small FFT's is the best thermal test you can perform.

Your Core temperatures will test 20C lower with v26.6 than with v28.5.

Also, I'm sorry that you're already jaded against Prime95, but the latest version, 28.5 is not "defective" ... it simply runs AVX code, which I explained for you in detail in my first post.

Here;s why I strongly recommend Prime95 for thermal testing:

Since everyone tests their rigs using X stress software at Y Ambient temperatures with Z measuring utilities resulting in CPU or Package or Core temperatures, it's impossible to compare apples to apples. This is why processor temperatures are so confusing.

Prime95 Small FFT's is the standard for CPU thermal testing, because it's a steady-state 100% workload. This is the test that Real Temp uses to test sensors. Version 26.6 is well suited to all Core i and Core 2 variants.

Prime95's default test, Blend, is a cyclic workload for testing memory stability, and Large FFT's combines CPU and memory tests. As such, Blend and Large FFT's both have cyclic workloads which are unsuitable for CPU thermal testing.

Other stability tests such as Linpack and Intel Burn Test have cycles that peak at 110% workload, and are also unsuitable for CPU thermal testing. The software utility OCCT runs elements of Linpack and Prime95.

Shown above from left to right: Small FFT's, Blend, Linpack and Intel Burn Test.

Note the steady-state thermal signatures of Small FFT's, which allows accurate measurements of Core temperatures.

Shown above from left to right: Small FFT's, Intel Extreme Tuning Utility CPU Test, and AIDA64 CPU Test.

The "Charts" in SpeedFan span 13 minutes, and show how each test creates different thermal signatures. Intel Extreme Tuning Utility is also a cyclic workload. Although AIDA64's CPU test is steady-state, the workload is below Thermal Design Power (TDP), which is insufficient.

Please read this Tom's Sticky: Intel Temperature Guide - http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-1800828/intel-temperature-guide.html

Thanks,

CT :sol:

Very useful and in-depth information -Thanks. But unfortunately, doing the test in prime95 v26.6 doesn' seem to change anything
core1: 92*C core2:97*C core3:97*C core4: 86*C 100% load
For the intel stock cooler, I didn't mean the first few clicks when you insert the pins ~2cm through the holes on the mobo, I meant after you've done that you can hear the black pins going just a little but further doing a not so loud click noise. I don't question your skills but I am 99% sure that I've mounted it correctly

dudmont · Mar 22, 2015

Have you baselined the voltage on this chip? If you have and you get stock clock speeds at good voltage numbers, you may want to de-lid this chip(voids warranty). A low baseline voltage would, imho, be a voltage of less than 1.1 volts to get stability of stock clocks. If it's not a good baseline voltage, then I'd send it back. I think you have a bubble or a poor TIM application under the lid, but that doesn't mean you dump the chip, if you get really good voltage numbers. You could still be a lottery winner even with the under the lid issues.
I have small variance between my cores during all stages of usage. Like 3 degrees at idle and 5 under max load. Looking at your numbers, you have the one core that didn't run to the throttling point(86). Further, your idle temps were pretty high. This info leads to my conclusion that I stated at the end of the first paragraph.

CompuTronix · Mar 22, 2015

ailos,

Please let me know how the Core temperatures respond when you install the CM Hyper 212.

Thanks,

CT :sol:

dudmont · Mar 22, 2015

With my CM Nepton, I get pretty cool temps. I'd think you shouldn't be more than 10 degrees above ambient or so with the 212 which with a 70degree F/21 C would put you in the low 30s C for an idle temp. Do you have big variance among the cores even at idle?

ailos · Mar 22, 2015

dudmont :

It varies, sometimes one core spikes up to like 50 and then comes back down again and sometimes all the core jump up to 50 and then down again. the average difference between all of the cores looking at it now is probably like 5 degrees

CompuTronix · Mar 22, 2015

All very normal, as there's typically much Windows background chatter.

Intel's Specifications for deviations in sensor accuracy between individual Cores is +/- 5C. This means there may be 10C difference between the highest and lowest Cores.

Core #0 handles single threads, and Core temperatures respond instantly to changes in load, within 256 milliseconds.

ailos · Mar 23, 2015

Alright, I have arranged an RMA with Intel and we will see if that solves this issue, I did use Intel XTU in order to change some power limitations and I turned core sync to "Auto", now I am getting lower (more acceptable) temperatures Idle Core1:41*C Core2:37*C Core3: 38*C Core4:37*C Load is averaging around 80-88 *C which is alot better then frigging 100*C however, atm this CPU only uses 4.2ghz and 3.9ghz at max when running prime95 26.6 and 28.5 and the intel guy said that my CPU was faulty... So I will update you guys once I get the new CPU.

ailos · Apr 1, 2015

I got the new CPU and the change is pretty much nonexistent, will try swapping out my mobo

A_Used_Username · Apr 1, 2015

Hows the air flow in your case?

I have i7 4790k with stock cooler and i get 77-83c under 100% stress test,When i first built my computer i got 95c from intel extreme utility stress test. so bought 2 Noctua-Ultra-Silent-140mm and it took the temps way down.

you either need a good CPU cooler or very good air flow in your case.,

ailos · Apr 1, 2015

A_Used_Username :

Using the stock cooler with decent airflow i would believe, 2x fractal design 140mm fans, 1 intake 1 exhaust

A_Used_Username · Apr 2, 2015

Also ''swapping out my mobo'' will not make your CPU run cooler.

I'm no expert but im 90 percent sure you need more air flow , specifications for fractal design 140mm fans say its only 1000rpm....Yeah I'd get 1200-1500rpm+ fans ''Noctua'' if you want Silent.

ailos · Apr 2, 2015

A_Used_Username :

Ofcourse the motherboard won't "itself" make the cpu run cooler.... but there may be a hardware failure or something with the bios that creates heat.

A_Used_Username · Apr 2, 2015

Well i think swapping out your CPU and your mobo First was is a bit over dramatic,But Hey next you should swap your Power supply because there ''might'' be something that creates heat.

......Wait a minute how to you reduce heat???,uhhhhh I think fans reduce heat maybe...just maybe, I guess I'll just swap out EVERYTHING else first to make sure.

take my advice or just keep playing wife swap...as i said I'm no expert but i would bet 2 monkey's and 3 bananas that you just need FANS And where the intakes and exhaust is VERY important Aswell.

ailos · Apr 2, 2015

A_Used_Username :

My last PC had ONE 120mm, I say ONE 120mm fan blowing air out of the case with an i5-2500k w/ stock heatsink & fan and that processor idled at like 35*c and in full load 70*C. Adding more fans won't solve this issue since all other temps are fine, gpu.. ram.. mobo hotspots, drives etc. I wouldn't be swapping out parts if I didn't know what I was doing... like hey my hard drive is corrupted, guess I gotta buy a new optical drive and led stripe for it to work again then.
besides... I don't want brown/beige splodges that look like crap in my beautiful pc.. would go corsair or something if I would want to upgrade the nmbr. of fans

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