Stock Temps on E7400

frankscastle,

Allow me to put your question into perspective.

Trying to compare apples to apples from common user information is like apples and oranges thermal fruit salad in a blender. User Information lacks standardization, so temperatures aren't referrenced to Intel's specifications.

There are many variables involved, such as ambient temperature, Vcore and BIOS settings, computer case cooling characteristics and CPU cooler models, not to mention differences in test methods and calibrations. However, I can tell you what should be typical for your E7400, but only under the following conditions:

At Standard Ambient 22c with stock BIOS settings, Intel's stock cooler, and case covers removed with all fans at 100% RPM, Idle should be CPU 26c / Cores 30c, and with Prime95 Small FFT's for 10 minutes Load should be CPU 45 - 50c / Cores 50 - 55c.

There's a Sticky at the top the Overclocking CPU Forum: Core i7 and Core 2 Temperature Guide - http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/ [...] ture-guide

The Guide explains how temperatures work, and shows how you can accurately calibrate your temperatures using a Standardized Test Setup. A few of the common denominators are:

• Standard Ambient Temperature = 22c.
• Standard 100% Workload Test = Prime95 Small FFT's, 10 minutes.
• CPU temperature + 5c = Core temperature, when properly calibrated.

Intel's Thermal Specification is maximum CPU temperature (Tcase Max), NOT Core temperatures, which is a very common misconception among most users. The Thermal Specification for your E7400, which is shown in Intel's Processor Spec Finder - http://processorfinder.intel.com/Default.aspx - is 74c.

Since Core temperature is 5c higher than CPU temperature, which is shown in the following Intel document - http://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/0709/0709.1861.pdf - the corresponding Core temperature is 79c.

Core temperatures (Tjunction) greater than 79c are considered "overtemp", regardless of the fact that shutdown temperature (Tjunction Max) is 100c.

From the Guide:


Section 6: Scale

Scale 2: Duo
E8x00: Tcase Max 74c, Stepping E0, TDP 65W, Idle 8W
E7x00: Tcase Max 74c, Stepping R0, TDP 65W, Idle 8W<--E7400
E7x00: Tcase Max 74c, Stepping M0, TDP 65W, Idle 8W
E5x00: Tcase Max 74c, Stepping R0, TDP 65W, Idle 8W
E5200: Tcase Max 74c, Stepping M0, TDP 65W, Idle 8W
E4700: Tcase Max 73c, Stepping G0, TDP 65W, Idle 8W
E4x00: Tcase Max 73c, Stepping M0, TDP 65W, Idle 8W
E2xx0: Tcase Max 73c, Stepping M0, TDP 65W, Idle 8W
E21x0: Tcase Max 73c, Stepping G0, TDP 65W, Idle 8W
E8600: Tcase Max 72c, Stepping E0, TDP 65W, Idle 8W
E8xx0: Tcase Max 72c, Stepping C0, TDP 65W, Idle 8W
E6x50: Tcase Max 72c, Stepping G0, TDP 65W, Idle 8W
E6540: Tcase Max 72c, Stepping G0, TDP 65W, Idle 8W

-Tcase/Tjunction-
--70--/--75--75-- Hot
--65--/--70--70-- Warm
--60--/--65--65-- Safe <--
--25--/--30--30-- Cool


Tcase = CPU temperature
Tjunction = Core temperature


If you think of the colored scale like a temperature guage on the dashboard of a car, then it will help you to visualize normal temperatures.

Hope this helps,

Comp