Prime95 and stock intel cooler

[kartoga]

Hello,

I built a system, i7-930 using a stock Intel HSF.

Also have 6GB corsair RAM, nothing fancy, sapphire 5770, and a OCZ700W PSU

I ran a bunch of 3dMark, test after test, got some decent score, and the load temp never went past 60. Then I put on Prime95 and the temps went way up, to like 75 and I shut the test down.

Is this factor of the HSF? The system has not crashed and been on four days straight, running StarCraft II and the 3dMark tests.

Since I am not planning on OC'n the system until I get a different cooler, would this system be stable? Are the temps to be expected with the stock cooler? If not do I need to reseat it? It came with thermal paste, but I suppose I could clean that off and add something stronger.....if needed.

 

[Fetal]

YES YES YES.

Temps are fine with stock cooler. prime95 as you saw stresses processor to EXTREME that's why it reaches the top. otherwise in real world tasks, it wont go up that much.

 

[randomizer]

The stock cooler is designed with a couple of things in mind:

1. It must be cheap
2. It must be as cheap as possible
3. It must keep the CPU within safe temperature ranges under typical operating conditions in typical ambient temperatures. Prime95 is not really "typical operating conditions"
4. It must not cost Intel more than the bear minimum to fulfil design purpose #3

 

[kartoga]

Well thank you randomizer, fetal,

That brings up and interesting question though....some of the PCs on HP's and Dell's websites, especially the higher end with the i7 series, are probably bought, by businesses, with demanding apps, beyond that of WS, say like running CAD/CAM or stat analysis programs.

Do those not load the CPU that much? Do you think HP and Dell do other than stock? Are there some ticked off customers whose $2,000 machine keeps overheating?

What da ya think on this score?

Me I guess I go for 2, that CAD/CAM packages, and high end financial and stat packages don't load that much after all?

 

[Fetal]

They would have better cooling systems than your.

 

[Conumdrum]

Programs like you mention aren't synthetic tests. They calculate, write to the HD, calculate, use more or less than all 2/4/8 threads at once. So no, they don't stress as hard.

In fact there are more severe synthetic load tests than Prime 95.

Your temps are fine at 75 Prime 95, and fine with 3dMark. Might run the newer Vantage though.

If you want to drop the CPU HS noise level, you could with an aftermarket cooler.

 

[kartoga]

A personal, thank you...that was very clearly put, and most helpful.

Programs like you mention aren't synthetic tests. They calculate, write to the HD, calculate, use more or less than all 2/4/8 threads at once. So no, they don't stress as hard.

In fact there are more severe synthetic load tests than Prime 95.

Your temps are fine at 75 Prime 95, and fine with 3dMark. Might run the newer Vantage though.

If you want to drop the CPU HS noise level, you could with an aftermarket cooler.

 

[kartoga]

Well good news to report.....

I dropped my Prime95 temps to 67.

Solution:

Added a 1200RPM case fan to my Cooler Master 310 case.

Without the fan the temps hit 78 in two minutes. It has now been thirty minutes at a steady 67, and I mean steady. It went to 67 in about three minutes and has stayed pegged right there. So, I guess the stock Intel HSF will work for me, at least for now.

 

[Fetal]

Where did you attached it?

 

[kartoga]

There is a fan mount, lower rear side of the case, just about over the GPU.

 

[Fetal]

ahan south bridge cooling.

 

[randomizer]

Well you now know that your case airflow could have been better. 75C is not really overheating either. If I started running over 85C all the time then I'd be more concerned, but even then it's not technically overheating. If you really want to cut your heat output, and since you said you don't plan to OC, you could also undervolt your CPU. I chopped 0.16V off the vcore for my i7 920 and it cut up to 17C off the full load (with Prime95) temps for my CPU. It will likely be less of a difference in the middle of summer though, because the ambient temp will be a killer for such a crappy heatsink.

 

[TechJunkie3281]

Well thank you randomizer, fetal,

That brings up and interesting question though....some of the PCs on HP's and Dell's websites, especially the higher end with the i7 series, are probably bought, by businesses, with demanding apps, beyond that of WS, say like running CAD/CAM or stat analysis programs.

Do those not load the CPU that much? Do you think HP and Dell do other than stock? Are there some ticked off customers whose $2,000 machine keeps overheating?

What da ya think on this score?

Me I guess I go for 2, that CAD/CAM packages, and high end financial and stat packages don't load that much after all?

I cant speak for HP and Dell as I havent typically run one of those since gateway was sporting cow patterns. However I do know that there are two variations of the "stock intel hsf" that you speak of. The one that comes with the Extreme Edition i7's is quite a bit different than the ones that come with the standard i7 cpu's. more heat pipes, bigger fan, bigger sink, AND the Extreme Edition Intel HSF's have a modal switch on them that allows you to change it from Q (quiet mode) to P (performance mode) perhaps machines geared towards intensive business apps have the beefier intel extreme edition type heatsink as some sort of agreement deal hp and/or dell have through the manufacturer.

 

[jerryl]

Go with a Thermalight 120 eXtreme. It might seem hard at first to move that way, but it will lower your temps by 10 - 12C. It is a really good option and you can post for more details.

 

[kartoga]

Best answer selected by kartoga.