I3 540 temps

[Thegeek]

Ok, so I've nearly finished building my brothers computer. I asked a question not long ago about Mini-ITX cases. I installed the motherboard in the case I got along with the memory and CPU. At the moment I do not have an HDD to install an Operating system on. I've installed the i3 540 CPU with the stock cooler. I didn't feel the need to buy and after market cooler because my brother only wants the computer for web based things, music and videos.

Any way, with only the motherboard, memory and CPU installed I went into the BIOS to check everything was ok. The temp idle for the CPU was 50-54C on idle. I've seen a few threads on different sites saying that it's normal with the stock cooler.

I didn't use the Intel paste that was already on the heatsink itself, I applied different paste. The air flow of the case is not awesome but it may need a fan or two.

Any way, is this normal for an i3 or not...?

Thanks fellow geeks.

 

[mxsix]

That sounds just fine. Also, in the BIOS you will always see higher temps than idle in Windows (or any OS). Once you put an OS on it you might see temps more around ~45C give or take 5 in an idle OS.

 

[Thegeek]

Thanks for replying so quick.

At first I was thinking that I didn't apply enough paste, but I guess the temps would be much higher than they are right now. I'll check it out once I've just an Operating system on it.

Thanks again.

 

[geekapproved]

You should have just used the paste that comes with the cooler. Those temps are VERY high for idle. My i3 maxes out at 60c under 100% load with the cheapo,joke of a fan that came with it.

You also should have come here for advice before you build your brother a computer based on an old discontinued socket. You should have built him a i3 on s1155, not s1156.

If you had built on the new socket, your brother would have been able to upgrade to Ivy Bridge cpu in the future. With s1156 he really won't have any upgrade options because they stopped making s1156 cpu's a while back.

 

[Thegeek]

The CPU was going cheap ( brand new ) and the motherboard was laying around my house ( also brand new ).

 

[geekapproved]

The good thing about that i3 is it's overclockable

 

[Thegeek]

Not interested in overclocking on this machine, mate. Not with these temps any way! :lol:

Could you recommend a better heatsink for an Mini ITX case?

Structure size: 320*mm*260mm*88mm

 

[Thegeek]

I bought a aftermarket heat sink and I couldn't fit it on my motherboard because part of the heat sink was hitting the chip set heat sink. Annoying.

So for now I down clocked the cpu so it's sitting at 41c in BIOS. Like I said, it's not going to be for intensive games or anything.

Also, I made another thread about itx heat sinks and someone said that my case might be a problem, and I think I agree. Here is the case I have : http://www.cable-trader.co.uk/items/Evo-Labs-E-S009BS-Slimline-Gloss-300W-Psu-Computer-Case---Black

It's a cheap one