Motherboard running hotter than CPU?

[Klown4]

Hello all,

I just built my first desktop system after nearly a decade of only using a laptop. I'm taking a lot of care making sure my temps in the system are all good.

I noticed in every program I used (Everest, HW Monitor, Core Temp, Speed Fan) that my motherboard reading is hotter than my CPU reading. Isn't this backwards as the CPU should be running hotter?? Maybe the sensors are switched? Maybe my CPU cooling is just that good?

Currently just running a couple tabs in Chrome and some music in Winamp, my temp readings are:
Motherboard: 39C (102F)
CPU: 25C (77F)

Ambient room temp: 70F


CPU: AMD Athlon II X3 450 (stock)
CPU cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus (with stock thermal paste)
Mobo: BIOSTAR A770E3
Case: Rosewill Destroyer (1 intake fan, 2 exhaust)

 

[mdd1963]

I would not worry about it, the MB reading is likely just the internal case temp near the sensor.....it might be reading sympathetic heat from GPU fan....

 

[ChromeTusk]

I noticed in every program I used (Everest, HW Monitor, Core Temp, Speed Fan) that my motherboard reading is hotter than my CPU reading. Isn't this backwards as the CPU should be running hotter?? Maybe the sensors are switched? Maybe my CPU cooling is just that good?

CPU: AMD Athlon II X3 450 (stock)
CPU cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus (with stock thermal paste)
Mobo: BIOSTAR A770E3
Case: Rosewill Destroyer (1 intake fan, 2 exhaust)

I noticed the same thing after upgrading from the stock AMD cooler (on Phenom II 965BE) to the Zalman CNPS-9900A LED. The stock cooler's fan points toward the CPU and causes airflow to spill over the MB. Tower heatsinks like the Hyper212+ and CNPS-9900A do not create this spillover airflow.

My solution was to increase the speed of my case fans, especially the main rear exhaust fan. MB temps are still slightly higher than the CPU, but the 120mm case fans spin faster than the CPU's 120mm.