Cpu @ 72C with load!!, 55C without Help? Tips?

[gbuc]

hey guys,
i've been looking around for more information and haven't had too much luck.
immediately i want to say I realize i should probably just buy a aftermarket heat sink and cpu fan but still I'm confused about these temperatures, they seem very unreasonable even for stock.

i'm using both speed fan and core temp to read my temps. they both say i am around 53-55C idling temperature. when i am at the bios it idles around 48C.
when i play starcraft 2 it runs around 70-74C. i run it on highest graphics but i did a few tests, and even lowering it, (to medium) didn't make any difference. i have messed around with a few other things such as (in windows 7 control panel) using active vs passive cooling, turning off Q-fan in the bios, doing some cable management, double checking my heatsink/ processor// grease, taking out another harddrive.
also i have even taken a room fan and pointed directly into the case and seen no differences at all ( both aimed through the vents, and with the side off).
also i tried covering up the side panels to force air to come through in a way i thought made more sense. temperatures may have raised 1C but i'm not sure.
yeah.
heres my relevant specs:
(i built this over the weekend, had a veteran computer building friend help me)
cpu Amd Athlon x4 640 3ghz
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103871
mobo ASUS M4A87TD/USB3 AM3 AMD
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131651R
graphics (pretty ridiculous, probably contributing alot to heat) Twin Frozr II
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125317
case (comes with back fan and two small fans out the top, which i leave on max power) XCLIO Godspeed 747
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811103035
psu
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817709027

please any advice would be helpful. i'm assuming im going to have to buy some 120mm fans to fill out the rest of the case but how could that help if using my room fan didn't do anything!
also, i've looked around apparently my processor's max temp is 70C so I am pretty concerned
and it hasn't shut itself off yet, as most people experience with overheating.

help

 

[whooleo]

Check the ambient temperatures if they are to high it could be contributing to massive heat, if that is the problem a good case fan would help.

 

[gbuc]

it is a little hot in my room right now,
but my thermostat in the hall says 77F, so 25C.
Could be the problem. Could that make a big enough difference though?

what should i be shooting for cpu temps under load and idle? I was expecting something more like 55-60C under heavy load, but i am pretty noob.

 

[gamerk316]

For CPU temps, at full sustained 100% load, I put the warning at 65C (still hot, but at sustained 100% load, acceptable, as real-world temps will be lower).

Load temps vary depending on the type of cooling you have; 50C is a good all-around starting point, lower being better, of course.

 

[gbuc]

okay thanks,
also now i think something got screwed up. lol.
now my core temp and speed fan say the temps are at 15C. which makes no sense. i guess my sensor fried itself...
sigh.
bios still said like 35 or something i'm going to check again though.

 

[beanoslim]

Stock coolers are rubbish, especially when cpu is loaded. Get a decent heatsink cooler and go from there.

Is the CPU running at default speeds and voltages, also is the thermal paste applied properly?
http://www.arcticsilver.com/amd_application_method.html#

I don't think 70+ is a surprise with a stock cooler.

 

[gbuc]

hmm after looking at your link beanoslim, i'm thinking i may not have let the grease set long enough.
the paste should have been applied correctly. though it was all the stock stuff.
perhaps the grease was still settling.
the paste was already on the bottom of the heat sink and i just clamped it down on the CPU, I assume it applied itself correctly. though now i messed with it and its probably not set correctly any more.

i think I am going to test it with a new thermal paste after cleaning off the old and see what happens.
if that doesn't work, after i let it settle in, i'll upgrade the heat sink, though perhaps i should just do that any ways.

 

[beanoslim]

I think your system deserves a decent heatsink and they don't have to be expensive.

If the stock heatsink had the thermal pad attached then thats all you need, apparantly.

I always clean the whole lot off and start fresh, as described by malmental, get these when ordering your heatsink.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835100010&Tpk=arcticlean

As for heatsinks, the Hyper 212 seems popular -
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065&cm_re=hyper_212-_-35-103-065-_-Product

This is also a cool and quiet cooler, I keep recommending it but I've just realised its much more expensive in the US-
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835118020

Or if you want to spend some cash for some serious cooling -
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835608019
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835608018

Both of these cool all the surrounding components as well.

 

[iam2thecrowe]

balderdash! you dont need aftermarket cooling for a stock clocked cpu. re-seat it with AS5 first and see how it goes, and make sure its secured properly. 72 degrees C is past its safe temp i wold say. When you remove the heatsink, see if it looks like it has been sitting evenly. maybe you have a defective heatsink (concave or convex) , it happens from time to time.

 

[beanoslim]

Aftermarket coolers provide better cooling, are quieter, look better and don't need to be expensive.

I think that was the point I was making, not that it was essential.

 

[Wisecracker]

What's your vCore? Drop it back -0.0125v and see how that helps your temps. 71c // 1.4v is AMD spec -- doesn't mean you have to go there if you don't want to be there. Check for a BIOS update.

I don't know the stock volts for an Athlon quad --- but with that motherboard you should easily be running 14x240MHz even with the stock HSF. That would help your gaming and boost the IMC.

If you have the CPU vcore set at *Auto* in the BIOS it may be over-volting --- switch to 'Manual' and see what your options are for adjustment.

If you cannot adjust from the BIOS, try a utility like k10stat or PhenomTweaker or AMD OverDrive.

 

[beanoslim]

the paste was already on the bottom of the heat sink and i just clamped it down on the CPU, I assume it applied itself correctly. though now i messed with it and its probably not set correctly any more.

Just to clarify, you had a stock cooler with a thermal pad on it??

Did you then put thermal paste or grease on the cpu as well??