7700K: My shortest lived CPU upgrade ever (Feb 6, 2019 update)

[UsandThem]

Cliff notes: My 6700K runs significantly cooler than the 7700K I tried. It caused my Noctua fan to run at much higher RPMs, with plenty of sudden increases because of the temperature spikes. Looking to see how common this was with other owners of this CPU.

So, as you can see if my signature, I am still rocking a 6700K. However, earlier this year, I received a 7700K as part of a forced bundle item when I wanted to buy a GTX 1080ti during the 'mining wars' period. Since Intel had launched their 6 core CPUs, I couldn't really sell it at a decent price because everyone wanted "MOAR!!" cores. So I threw it in the closet unopened and really forgot about it until yesterday. After I decided to clean and organize the closet up some yesterday, I came across it and figured I'd might as well replace my 6700K with it for a little more speed, and since I was going to be taking a hit on the price, I might as well just sell the used 6700K.

I installed it, used the same Noctua thermal paste, and cooled it with my NH-U14S. I fired up the PC and went into the BIOS to see that it was idling at 43c. That is quite a bit higher than my 6700K temps which were always around 27c. I figured I'd run the Intel Extreme Tuning Utility some, and see what the temps did, and I noticed how often the temps suddenly spiked up into the 60s while just doing normal desktop stuff. I decided to run a Folding @ Home project for a few hours, and the temps occasionally jumped into the 70s.

At this point, I figured I must have not tightened the cooler enough, or used too little / too much paste, so once again I removed the Noctua cooler, reapplied the paste making sure there was just the right amount used, and fired the PC back up. I headed into the BIOS and saw the temp at 42.5c.

I ran another Folding @ Home project, and saw the temps the same as they were before. At that point (after about 8 hours) of testing the 7700K, I decided to go back to my 6700K, which idles around 27c, and climbs to the upper 40s / low 50s while doing the Folding projects. So I read plenty of threads around the internet about constant 7700K temperature spikes, so I know I'm not the first person who has seen this, but is this normal for the 7700K?

Feb 6, 2019 Update: It was Asrock's dumb "multicore enhancement" causing the higher temps.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Sadly, I don't have too much direct experience here, having not owned a 6600K nor a 7700K, but I did own for a brief period a 6400, and BCLK OCed it to 4.5Ghz. Where I thought it was stable, but it wasn't for gaming, and it ran kind of hot too.

But I think I recall reading things along the lines of what you're experiencing, when Kaby Lake 7700K came out.

 

[Eug]

I returned a 7700K iMac and got a 7600.

On one test encode for video, the 7700K would go into vacuum cleaner fan mode within 30 seconds and would stay there for the rest of the 10 minute encode.

With the 7600, it would stay near silent for 9.5 minutes, and then would get louder for the remaining 3 minutes.

While the encodes would be 25% longer on the 7600, I’m much, much happier with the quietness of the 7600.

Problem with the 6700K though is that it does not have hardware 4K 10-bit HDR HEVC decode. Something that can’t play 100% cleanly with 100% CPU usage on the 6700K will play 100% cleanly with 5%-10% CPU usage on the 7700K. BTW, the same video will play 100% cleanly on my Core m3-7Y32 fanless MacBook with 25% CPU usage.

This can be done on a discrete GPU though.

 

[wahdangun]

its because the thermal paste between the die and IHS is junk, its a product from a time where intel is monopolistic, lazy and greedy.

why not sold it to third world country, its still moronic expensive in here (its $ 200 used).

 

[DrMrLordX]

Hell it's hard to get a 7700k for less than $300 used on eBay. fyi that same toothpaste TIM is under the lid of Skylake as well. They've been using it since Haswell.

OP sounds like that 7700k was just a dud.

 

[LTC8K6]

6700K 4 core turbo is 4.0
7700K 4 core turbo is 4.4

Significant difference.

 

[EXCellR8]

Yea I would have done the delid and kept the 7700 but the 6700 is still a good CPU

 

[mopardude87]

I saw videos of people using cheap coolers on the 7700k and it had decent load temps? My buddy getting his MSI z270 today from Fedex for his 7700k and i ordered him a 212 LED too cause for 4k he does not plan to overclock atm with his 1080ti.

Should be a nice upgrade over his fx8350.

I will be using Artic silver 5,for mild overclocking like maybe 4.5Ghz the 212 led should hold up right? I don't expect the moon for the $25 spent of course. What temps could i expect for stock would you say?He has TONS of airflow so no worries there he is kind of obsessed with airflow with like a 400cfm house fan blowing directly from a air conditioning vent right into his tower no joke.We got dry heat so no condensation YET.

 

[Zucker2k]

6700K 4 core turbo is 4.0
7700K 4 core turbo is 4.4

Significant difference.

Yea, sounds like OP could do with some nice underclocking/undervolting. I'd also check all my voltages; ie. don't leave anything on auto. There are plenty Kabylake overclocking and hopefully underclocking guides online to peruse from.

 

[UsandThem]

6700K 4 core turbo is 4.0
7700K 4 core turbo is 4.4

Significant difference.

Yea, sounds like OP could do with some nice underclocking/undervolting. I'd also check all my voltages; ie. don't leave anything on auto. There are plenty Kabylake overclocking and hopefully underclocking guides online to peruse from.

I checked the voltages, and everything looked good. I expected higher temps at load from the boost difference, but I didn't expect sitting at the desktop to go from 27c to 43c with the Noctua cooler. To maintain those desktop temps, my cooler fan spins at 730 RPM for the 6700k, and for the 7700k it was spinning at 930 RPM.

 

[Roger Wilco]

Are you worried about overclocking headroom? Those temps are considered pretty safe for a 7700K from everything I've read. It's a factory overclocked 6700K, essentially.

I use a Noctua NH-U12S, but I delidded my chip and used liquid metal between the IHS and die. Idle is around 32 C. Max load without AVX will hit 70 C max. Max load with AVX (Prime95) will hit 75 C max. I run the chip at 5 Ghz on all cores, and I think my AVX offset is -3.

 

[UsandThem]

Are you worried about overclocking headroom? Those temps are considered pretty safe for a 7700K from everything I've read. It's a factory overclocked 6700K, essentially.

I use a Noctua NH-U12S, but I delidded my chip and used liquid metal between the IHS and die. Idle is around 32 C. Max load without AVX will hit 70 C max. Max load with AVX (Prime95) will hit 75 C max. I run the chip at 5 Ghz on all cores, and I think my AVX offset is -3.

Not worried about overclocking, but the thing that annoyed me was my cooler fan was noticeably louder spinning faster at the desktop, and the large temp spikes caused the fan to spin up and down faster which added to the noise.

After seeing this and remounting the cooler to take user error out of the equation, I found this thread on Google and read through it before posting this thread here:

https://communities.intel.com/thread/110728

 

[Campy]

Have you considered undervolting? The motherboard might just be giving it too much.

 

[UsandThem]

Have you considered undervolting? The motherboard might just be giving it too much.

I've been reading quite a few threads around the net seeing if that was an option, and from what I can tell, my stock voltage should be fine (I believe it was 1.23v).

Edit:

I just double-checked, and with the 7700k it was 1.23, and with my 6700k it is 1.20 at stock.

 

[Campy]

I've been reading quite a few threads around the net seeing if that was an option, and from what I can tell, my stock voltage should be fine (I believe it was 1.23v).

Edit:

I just double-checked, and with the 7700k it was 1.23, and with my 6700k it is 1.20 at stock.

Yeah that's not particularly high, but there are many 7700k that can clock significantly higher than that at 1.25v, so I was thinking perhaps it could be lowered even more for stock clocks.

 

[UsandThem]

Yeah that's not particularly high, but there are many 7700k that can clock significantly higher than that at 1.25v, so I was thinking perhaps it could be lowered even more for stock clocks.

Possibly. Maybe this week when I have some free time, I'll throw it back in and see what I can do with it. I'm going to sell either the 6700k or 7700k, so I need to decide soon to get one of them gone. The load temperatures weren't such a surprise as I know they can get warm at load, but it was the idle temps that shocked me the most. I just wasn't expecting to go from 27c to 43c at the desktop.

 

[aigomorla]

7700k
+
https://www.amazon.com/BoArt-Delid-...&sr=8-2-spons&keywords=intel+delid+tool&psc=1
+
https://www.amazon.com/d/Soldering-...s&keywords=thermal+grizzly+liquid+metal&psc=1
+
https://www.amazon.com/Permatex-800...d=1541482545&sr=8-6&keywords=silicone+sealant

Or you can use double sided sticky tape....
https://www.amazon.com/eBoot-Adhesi...1541483117&sr=8-18&keywords=double+sided+tape

not mounting tape, but regular double sided tape.
Ive seen a few people get away with that, as once you have the cpu clamed on the retension, the IHS should not move at all.

Then overclock to 5ghz....

I highly recommend u use a delider, as its stupid easy to delid vs a razor.

I just double-checked, and with the 7700k it was 1.23, and with my 6700k it is 1.20 at stock.

That is because the 7700k is 4.4ghz, and 6700k is 4.0ghz....
the .03vcore is minuscule gain for .4ghz and you should not worry much about it.

 

[Borealis7]

yes they do run quite hot.
i've owned a 7700K since launch, sitting under a Noctua NH-C14 block. my idle temps are ~33C and IBT load temps 85C, all stock.
this doesnt leave me much room for overclocking unless i buy an AIO water cooler, but from what i've seen, i'll have to get the really expensive ones to see a meaningful improvement over the C14.

my previous CPU was a 2700K, idled 25ish and loaded 55-60

 

[mopardude87]

Would 43 cel idle on a CM 212 LED be fairly good while sitting in the bios? Ambient temps closer to 80 fah then anything. I put artic silver 5 on this cooler btw.I want to maybe stress test this thing but you people with coolers twice as expensive are running into the 90s like initial d so idk if that is even safe?

My buddy got his Z270 board and we installed the 7700k. Used to the temps on like the i5 2500k and similar chips being so much cooler.He mentioned i could buy the 212 later as he plans on upgrading and i could use the 212 on my i5 8400 later on.

 

[LTC8K6]

BIOS is not idle though...

 

[mopardude87]

BIOS is not idle though...

Exactly i told my buddy we should do some testing but he was to excited to bother with it.Maybe today to be safe assuming he hears me out? I am certainly positive a stock clocked 7700k will be fine with this cooler.He has enough airflow in his tower.

I am usually very anal about my own builds,temps and stuff MUST be acceptable and i won't take anything less then that.I do prime95 and all that and will on my i5 8400 when i get it today.Videos do suggest load temps hit about 75 cel on a case with little air flow on stock.cooling. Maybe a few less degrees with Artic silver 5?

My build sits in a Antec 900 with all fans in place on high,about to mod 2 more 120mm where the dvd rom usually would sit. Should increase further airflow to the cpu.

 

[UsandThem]

not mounting tape, but regular double sided tape.
Ive seen a few people get away with that, as once you have the cpu clamed on the retension, the IHS should not move at all.

Then overclock to 5ghz....

I highly recommend u use a delider, as its stupid easy to delid vs a razor.

Yeah, I've eyed those things debating going through with it. I could also just sell my motherboard/CPU/CPU and move over to a Ryzen 2700X.

Going to mull things over for a few days, and decide which path to stay on / go down.

 

[aigomorla]

Yeah, I've eyed those things debating going through with it. I could also just sell my motherboard/CPU/CPU and move over to a Ryzen 2700X.

unless you need those extra cores, i highly doubt you'll notice any benefit over a 5ghz quadcore.

So to me it feels like its an extra expense at one which you could easily hold off til we actually require those extra cores.

 

[UsandThem]

unless you need those extra cores, i highly doubt you'll notice any benefit over a 5ghz quadcore.

So to me it feels like its an extra expense at one which you could easily hold off til we actually require those extra cores.

More cores is not needed (for me) right now for sure, but while Intel CPU prices are up right now because of their 14nm shortage, I can pretty much upgrade (or actually side-grade) for no cost, and I won't be on a dead socket anymore. That's why I couldn't sell my 7700K at a decent price when I first got it, because that was after Intel launched their Coffee Lake CPUs, and 6 core CPUs like the i5-8400 and i7-8700 were priced pretty aggressively before the shortage.

If I were able to catch a good deal (like the Ebay 10% off sale, or a good Newegg Shellshocker deal) I'd likely jump at it. Newegg has a combo deal with the 2700X right now, but I don't like the motherboard they have it paired with (Asrock X470 Master SLI/AC).

 

[AdamK47]

You're going to be on that 6700K for quite a while if you're worried about temps higher than what you have now.

My 9900K (and previous 8700K and 8086K) would idle higher in the BIOS. Once in Windows they idle in the 20s.