Cpu temps

[jim45682]

So i finally got my new mobo (msi 870a-g54) cpu (AMD phenom II 955 BE) and ram (8gb ripjaws 1333 ddr3)
and installed it all, I had fits getting the cpu stock hsf on (dang clip would go on one side but then couldnt get it down far enough to clip other side) but i finally got it.

I just finished running a cpu occt stress test for 1 hour the max cpu temp was 59c checked both with the occt program and core temp, having never done any of this before my question to you is, is it a good test? normal temp range? ~30c to 59c does it mean I should look into better cooling? any headroom for OC in the future?

 

[purple stain]

The max temp for that processor is 62c so don't exceed it.
Yes if you are planning to O.C. you should really look into getting an Aftermarket cooler.I would suggest the Cooler Master Hyper212+,probably the best heatsink for it's price range.

Hyper 212+
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065&cm_re=hyper_212-_-35-103-065-_-Product

I would advise against you trying to stress test until you have a more adaquete cooler.

 

[rubix_1011]

Seems a little warm, even with the OEM cooler.

I suggest upgrading your case fans for better airflow, but here is how to test which is the best variable before you buy anything:

Pull the side of your case off, blow a desk or house fan on high into the case. Rerun your benchmarks. If your temps go down, you don't have a cooler problem, you have a case airflow problem. If your temps remain the same, get a better cooler.

Even the best cooler will struggle to cool any CPU if there isn't adequate airflow. This principle is often overlooked when people are looking into getting a different cooler. While it will help, it truly won't succeed until the cool airflow will allow it to.

 

[jim45682]

I prepared to do as you said by removing the case side and then went searching for a fan, couldnt find one but did notice that with the side on I was idle at 33c but with the side off, as I am typing this now its at 30c that mean case airflow problem?

 

[purple stain]

Yes it does.You need to get a better case.

How many fans do you have inside your case?

 

[jim45682]

case is about 5 years old, Apevia not sure what model, full tower, has 2 fans <think they are 80mm> one top sucking air out of the case and one in the back also sucking air out of the case, this system was originaly built by cyberpower and I have only recently started to replace things

 

[jim45682]

Also the side which is off now has a vent in it in the area where the graphics card is and a port that was centered on the cpu hsf in my old setup but it slightly offcenter for this mobo, the port is round and has some sort of plastic extender that brings it down almost to within an inch of the hsf giving it a wind tunnel effect I guess

 

[purple stain]

Since it's a Full tower it should have some mounts somewhere in the front for another fan.You should install a fan in the front cause theirs no air going into the cause.Just from the outcut in the side panel.

 

[jim45682]

yes there looks to be holes for mounting an 80 mm fan in the front, also the rear fan mount has another set of holes further out from the ones used for the 80mm, might be 120mm (about an inch from one set of holes to the outer set) and the hole in the side panel looks like an 80mm fan would mount right in, so if i move the rear 80mm to the front and have it intake the get a good 120mm for the rear exhaust and maybe get another 80mm for intake on the side?

 

[purple stain]

Yes that should work well.Is the fan mounts at the front going to be blocked by a faceplate or anything or will get get a good constant source of air supply?
If i was you i would even get new 80mm fans.The one they ship with the case's and processors are very weak and barely move any CFM's.

If you do go looking for new 80mm Fans i would suggest looking for fans that are in the 30CFM range.As for a 120mm fan look for around 70CFM+.

I can look for you if you want.Are you in the US?Do you want LED fans?Their about the same price as regular ones.

The new fans should give you better airflow and decrease your system temps across the board but don't forget if you want to do some O.C.ing your gonna need a new CPU heatsink.The Hyper 212 is perfect,IMO,and is highly respected across the world.

 

[jim45682]

If you want to make some suggestions on fans thats great, the front mount has the standard "holes drilled or punched in metal" type mesh on the case but also plastic mesh on the plastic front case cover, there is about 1/2 inch empty space between the 2 mesh, the door on the front of the case will restrict flow thru the outer mesh when closed but it wouldnt be that hard to open the door a bit when I game to increase flow.

I was looking at these fans: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233084
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233083

as for the cpu cooler I allready have one of these that I bought to go into my old system about 2 months ago before I decided to fully upgrade http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103064

would it work if I needed to up the cooling later on to OC?

 

[purple stain]

The TX3 would work but it is a lil weak when you need it.I still suggest getting the Hyper 212+.I just got off of another Thread of a person saying they have high temps with the same processor you are using and they were using a TX3.It's not a bad cooler but it's not meant for high wattage CPU's like the Phenom ii x4's.I would think the TX3 is meant for more like 80watt CPU's.

The Xigmatek fans are bit more expensive but if you can spare the cash then go for it.How many 120mm mounts are there?You said one on the back but are you sure their isn't room for one in the front?

 

[jim45682]

front mount is only 80mm I am positive, I have maybe $30 spare to spend on case fans right now or I can wait and have more to spend in a few weeks, not an emergency situation as my temps max out at 50c when gaming for hours on max settings and any OC I would do would be months in the future, but would be nice to see max load 1 hour stress test temps in the 45c range

 

[purple stain]

You sure you don't want LED's?
I would say go ahead and get the Case fans now.Their not that expensive,but then again like you said, it's no emergency.

Also if the added case fans don't help or you don't want the Temps where their at, try lowering your CPUvoltage to 1.325 until you want to O.C.
I've heard lots of people saying the voltage is set to 1.4 by default but it's actually supposed to be at 1.325 for the Phenom ii x4 955.

 

[jim45682]

where do I find that voltage? this is the info I have and LED's dont matter to me, performance does

 

[jim45682]

sorry i cant seem to get the pics sized right to read the values

according to speedfan vcore graph the voltage jumps around from 1v to 1.4v, I guess lower voltage when idle?

 

[purple stain]

AMD Cool&Quiet is on.It reduces the voltages and clocks when it idles to conserve energy,also it's supposed to save money on the electrical bill.I have mine turned off because it's O.C.ed.

Don't use AMD Overdrive go into the BIOS and reduce the CPU volt to 1.325.But if you did want to use AMD Overdrive the CPU voltage is the first one in the Voltage list.See here....


Uploaded with ImageShack.us

 

[purple stain]

As i can see your BIOS and AMD Overdrive aren't communicating correctly,one of the problems with using AMD Overdrive.You see the multiplier bars under the "Clocks" section on the bottom left,it's suppoed to unlocked so you can advance past 16x but it's not because your BIOS and AMD Overdrive aren't working together correctly.If you ever wanted to change something or O.C. do it from the BIOS.In the BIOS the multiplier is unlocked and can go past 16x.

 

[jim45682]

Yea I didnt figure it would be that easy to OC, my mobo has an easy OC function on it, button and dial on the mobo to tweak the fsb I think, but from all I have heard its kinda crap too, guess the old fashion ways are still the best, but thats the reason any OC'ing is months down the road for me as I have never done any of that and dont know what I am doing yet....and after stepping up to this rig from my old stock e6750 dual core this thing feel super fast allready, besides other than mmo gaming <currently running Rift at max settings> and web surfing this comp is just a hobby.

 

[jim45682]

Best answer selected by jim45682.

 

[purple stain]

Alright well just make sure you lower the CPU Voltage until your ready to O.C.You don't need it that high and it will increase the life cycle of the processor.

 

[jim45682]

Alright well just make sure you lower the CPU Voltage until your ready to O.C.You don't need it that high and it will increase the life cycle of the processor.

Well I ordered the fans and got them in, went with the Xigmatek fans, so now I have 2x front 80mm intake fans (thought it was a single spot but ended up it was a side-by-side fan mount allowing 2) 1x rear 120mm exhaust, 1x top 80mm exhaust and 1x side 80mm intake with an air tube directing it directly at the cpu hsf.

I also took the opportunity to reroute all my cables to provide the best airflow possible, the rear exhaust and side intake are both plugged into the mobo chassis fan connectors, the other 3 are all molex adapted.

Cool and quiet is on auto, smart fan is disabled voltage is still set on auto (I tried setting 1.325 in bios, but the only options close were 1.335 and 1.227 and when set to either of those the bios shows them in red as unsafe)
Ambient room temp 22c sitting fully idle 26c as I am typing this with 4 web pages open its bouncing between 26c and 27c and running OCCT stress test 100% load it maxes at 57c but averages 55c down 3-4c from before the new fans

 

[purple stain]

The voltage is to high and the stock heatsink is the reasons why the temps are still so high.Although it's not nesscesary,i would advise you to turn down the voltage to 1.3.1.335 is fine it doesn't have to be perfect.The mobo is giving you that because it isn't the default settings.It shouldn't be any problem becuase your actually lowering the voltage rather than raising it.Which won't casue any harm at all.The voltage that it's at right now combined with the stock heatsink is why your temps are so high.Turn down the voltage until you get a new heatsink.

I guess theirs not much point in adding new fans anyway because i forgot that your using the stock heatsink.Stock heatsinks have the fan right on top of the heatsink itself so they can't breathe.

 

[jim45682]

The voltage is to high and the stock heatsink is the reasons why the temps are still so high.Although it's not nesscesary,i would advise you to turn down the voltage to 1.3.1.335 is fine it doesn't have to be perfect.The mobo is giving you that because it isn't the default settings.It shouldn't be any problem becuase your actually lowering the voltage rather than raising it.Which won't casue any harm at all.The voltage that it's at right now combined with the stock heatsink is why your temps are so high.Turn down the voltage until you get a new heatsink.

I guess theirs not much point in adding new fans anyway because i forgot that your using the stock heatsink.Stock heatsinks have the fan right on top of the heatsink itself so they can't breathe.

Dropped the voltage back down to 1.335, disabled cool and quiet and ran occt cpu test for 30 min, max 54c averaged 52c would I be better off with that TX3 that I have laying around untill I can afford a better hsf? or just stick with stock untill then?

 

[purple stain]

It isn't nessesary because theirs nothing that you can do that will max out your comp as much as a stress test,so the stockheatsink is fine until you decide to O.C.But since it's laying around why don't you give it a try and see what temps you get just for fun.