I received a couple of temperature PMs this past few days asking whether their processor temp is okay or if it is hovering a little high. Lucky, I have been studying the thermal specification of my processor for the past 3 weeks now using Intel's datasheets, google and popular overclocking forums around.
Now, I'm not taking credit for the information you'll read here since these are not might. These are simply the resources that I've read, used as a reference and studied to understand the thermal specifications and operations of my processor. Hopefully, it will help you as it did to me.
First off, download your respective processor data sheets below and read it like its your way to salvation:
To prevent nose bleeding when reading the guide, here are a few definitions:
- Thermal Design Power (TDP) - represents the maximum amount of power the cooling system in a computer is required to dissipate. [...]
- TCase - The temperature measured from the center of your IHS (Integrated Heat Spreader)
- TJunction - The temperature measured from the DTS (Digital Thermal Sensor) under each core.
- Ambient Temperature - the air temperature in your area (sa imong kwarto!
) - PROCHOT# (your PROCESSOR is f***ing HOT) - is a state where your processor starts manipulating and lowering your frequency and core ratio because the thermal threshold for the Core temperatures are almost maxed out. This is the processor's desperate attempt to cool itself down to prevent damage. (refer to: data sheet)
- THERMTRIP# - the idiot outside the computer keeps on pushing his overclock without checking the temps which causes the processor to shutdown. (refer to: data sheet)
And the guide that will take your breath away....
Core 2 Quad and Duo Temperature Guide - by CompuTronix
The tools that you will be using. BTW, RTFM for the calibration guide of each programs, these are the popular ones:
RealTemp 3.00
Core Temp 0.99.4
Speedfan 4.37
If at this point, you're feeling paranoid, here are a couple of statements that will boost your morale:
Unclewebb (Author of Realtemp):
When overclocking you don't have to worry too much about temperatures. As long as your computer is stable and it is not thermal throttling then it should be fine. The Intel Core processors do an excellent job of looking after themselves. When a CPU is too hot, you will lose stability when running Prime95 small FFTs and it will either report an error or your computer will re-boot. As long as your computer is stable then there is no need to worry about temperatures. Just run it as cool as possible to maximize stability and your ability to overclock it.
Retrospekt (Overclock.Net)
Seems like everyday we have people talking about their max temps and how they do not want to exceed such and such temperature. Here is a news flash:
Temperatures do not matter until you throttle. There is no max temperature threshold that will affect the life of your chip until you hit your throttle temperature.
People are constantly saying "Don't push your chip past a 65c load, it is safest to keep it under that". Now I ask, why would you say that? Because you heard everyone else say that?
If you go to other forums, mainly xtremesystems, hardforum, arstechnica, none of them talk about this "max temp" mumbo jumbo. It seems like this ideology has plagued this forum and everyone is going along with it.
Overclock your chip,
watch your voltages, but don't freak out so much about temperatures. Run stress software to make sure you don't throttle, but other than that, it doesn't really matter. I've had my E1200 at a 78c load for about 6 month now, it is still running strong and I reckon it will be for a long while.
And one last thing before you start posting your temps here...
Lando95 (Overclock.Net):
Your temperatures mean absolutely nothing without providing the ambient temperature. In order to make any form of comparison between different rigs, then the ambient temp must be exact same. For example: let's say that John Doe has a 3.0 Prescott and is using a Thermalright XP-90 as a heatsink. John claims that his idle temps are 50C and full load temps are 65C. Most people would say that is way too hot. Those same people would also say to reseat the heatsink, try different amounts of thermal interface material, etc., etc. Well, if John's ambient temps were ~35C, then his cpu temps would be in line with the performance of the heatsink. Now if John's ambient temp was 25C, then his cpu temps would be way too high given the cooling that he is using.
Another example: let's say both Chris and Mike both claim that their car has 500 horsepower. However, Chris' car weights 4000lbs, while Mike's car weighs 2500lbs. Who would win in a drag race? Mike would of course(assuming all else is equal). Both cars have the same amount of horsepower, but other factors, such as the weight, are very important when trying to make a comparison. The bottom line is that you just can't make a direct comparison of temperatures without knowing all the variables; ambient temperatures being of the most important of those variables when discussing cpu temps.
**EDIT**
if you prefer RealTemp, please read the discussion on the program's official forum. as EarlZ said, there are lots of information regarding DTS (Digital Thermal Sensor). Of the three, I use both RealTemp and Core Temp, if you haven't noticed, they are both reporting different temperatures (3~5c difference) but I don't check the temperatures reported. Instead, I set them both to use 'Delta to Tjunction Max', you'll find out that both programs now report the same difference until Tjunction Max.
Read the thread here:
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...d.php?t=179044
Temperature Guide: Quick References (C2D and C2Q Only)
Originally Posted by Rainerius
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