This post largely mimics one I've made over on the Intel Communities forum, but I'm curious to hear what some here have to think about the issue. It appears that there may be an issue with some i7-4790K CPUs that are overheating abnormally, even with what would normally be adequate cooling. The thread on the Intel forums can be found
here.
To start, here's the basics of the build I just completed:
OS: Windows 7 64-bit
MB: MSI Z97-GAMING-5
CPU: Core i7-4790K with no overclock running a MASSCOOL 8W2002B1M4 CPU cooler (probably only marginally, if at all, better than a stock cooler)
RAM: 8GB (2 x 4GB) G-Skill Ripjaws X Series DDR3 1600
GPU: MSI GTX 970 GAMING 4G
First off, I don't intend to overclock this CPU (at least right now) . I opted for a CPU cooler that wasn't stock only for ease of installation. But I did want the flexibility to possibly explore this down the road at a later time. Unfortunately, any kind of stress testing using a variety of programs (Prime95 v26 and v28, OCCT, etc) results in core temps upwards of 95-100C in most cores without any overclock (aside from the the turbo boosting that happens stock). I've reapplied thermal paste multiple times just in case to verify I didn't totally screw something up there somehow, but it makes no difference. I was also able to get a replacement CPU from Amazon, but it exhibited the same behavior (if not slightly warmer actually). I'll probably end up sending the new one back since it seems to be marginally even worse.
It sounded to me at first like maybe this was just normal for this CPU and that it just runs really hot. Someone in the thread over on the Intel forums reported really good results with a Scythe Mugen 4. Unfortunately it won't fit in my build because the CPU fan interferes with the RAM heatsinks on my Ripjaws. The Mugen 4 is going back, and I've got a Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO on order now that looks like it should clear the RAM better. We'll see what kind of difference that makes when I receive it tomorrow.
But this whole scenario is really pathetic. The whole point of buying a K "unlocked" CPU is to have the flexibility to overclock with some better-than-standard cooling. But based on what I'm seeing on the Intel forums, quite a few people are having these issues. It seems these CPUs (or at least a certain batch of them), needs much better-than-standard cooling just to operate under their normal thermal requirements! This is not by any means my first computer build, and I'm 100% confident the cooling is installed properly. There really seems to be something odd going on here.
I'm tempted to return the CPU, but I'm not sure what I'd get in its place. Not sure if the locked i7-4790 CPUs suffer from the same troubles, but I've considered doing that. I've never really been into overclocking (and honestly know very little about it), so if swapping for a locked CPU makes this problem go away, I might just consider it.
Bottom line: Has anyone else who recently purchased an i7-4790K observed any similar issues? I'm really curious if Intel actually has a problem here with a bad batch of CPUs making there way out there with some ridiculous thermal issues.