Core Temp vs CPU Temp

[spades72]

I just recently got an Intel Q6600 (B3 Stepping) and ran it through Orthos on stock speeds for 8 hours to test for initial stability and I noticed a large difference in core temperatures through CoreTemp and the CPU temperature through AI Probe.

CoreTemp reported Core0: 61C Core1: 60C Core2: 52C Core3: 50C but AI Probe reported the CPU temp as 52C under load.

I'm hoping to overclock my Q6600 and I've heard that the temperatures should not go above 65C under load but are they saying that core temperatures should not go above 65C or the CPU temperature indicated by the mobo?

System Config:
Q6600 B3 (stock)
Tuniq Tower 120
ASUS P5K (all voltages stock)
8800GTS 640MB
2GB DDR2 1066

 

[Diogenes2]

I would go with CPU temp if you know it is fairly accurate.. As long as CPU is staying below 60, I would say you are O.K...
If you have a CPU temp monitor in the BIOS, set it to 60 ..

The core temps will vary a lot, and they cannot get out of hand without raising the CPU temp past a warning point.
Gives you a lot less to worry about and fiddle with ..

 

[SerpentRoyal]

Check the Tjunction temperature as reported by coretemp. It should show 100C. You can safely push core temp up to about 80C for short period. 70 to 75C under coretemp is safe.

 

[RussianSensation]

the 9-10*C difference between Cores 1/2 to 3/4 seems to suggest your cooler is tighter one one side than the other. The cores should have similar temperatures.

 

[spades72]

Thanks for all the info guys. I've tried OCing to 3Ghz but I start hitting 65C on the CPU after 15min on Orthos. The cores stay below 75C but cores 2 and 3 stay at least a good 3C to 4C below what cores 0 and 1 are doing. I've checked up on my Tuniq looking to see if my cooler is tighter on one side than the other like Russian Sensation suggested but all the screws are as tight as I can make them. Maybe I placed the thermal paste in the wrong way? I've also read that the Arctic Silver 5 takes up to 200hrs to "burn in" but does that really make a difference?

 

[DaveAmerica]

I had the same difference in core temps and cmdrdredd told me that its due to the fact that...well I'll just quote him:

"This is normal. Core0 is used first while Core1 is usually at idle or used very little until you use a app that can stress both cores. (this applies to quads) as you go down from core0-1-2-3 they are used less and less with core0 taking most of the processes.

When all cores are maxed to 100% it's not uncommon to see slight variance in temp between cores."

 

[JustaGeek]

-Tcase/Tjunction-

--60--/--75--75-- Hot
--55--/--70--70-- Warm
--50--/--65--65-- N
--45--/--60--60-- O
--40--/--55--55-- R
--35--/--50--50-- M
--30--/--45--45-- A
--25--/--40--40-- L
--20--/--35--35-- Cool


http://www.tomshardware.com/fo...core-temperature-guide

 

[QuixoticOne]

Originally posted by: spades72
Thanks for all the info guys. I've tried OCing to 3Ghz but I start hitting 65C on the CPU after 15min on Orthos. The cores stay below 75C but cores 2 and 3 stay at least a good 3C to 4C below what cores 0 and 1 are doing. I've checked up on my Tuniq looking to see if my cooler is tighter on one side than the other like Russian Sensation suggested but all the screws are as tight as I can make them. Maybe I placed the thermal paste in the wrong way? I've also read that the Arctic Silver 5 takes up to 200hrs to "burn in" but does that really make a difference?

I wouldn't worry about 3-4C difference between cores.
The measurement accuracy is not necessarily better than +/- 1C.

The cores are located in physically different places across the IHS.

See this:
http://www.arcticsilver.com/pd...s5_intel_quad_wcap.pdf


And depending on your CPU's IHS, the heatsink you have, and your thermal paste
there are several possible reasons why the cores will be at different temperatures.

The core dies are soldered to the IHS and it could be one solder job is a little
better or worse.

The IHS could be a little more warped away from the heatsink over one die vs. the other.

The heatsink could be a littlle more warped away from the IHS too.

Or as before the thermal paste could be too thick or too thin in one
area or the pressure a little more or less.

Unless you're prepared to disassemble it all, clean the IHS and HS scrupulously,
check them for flatness, grind flat the heatsink and possibly the IHS too (voiding the CPU warranty),
reapply the thermal paste, I wouldn't worry about a slight few degree difference as long as overall
temperatures and clocks are good.

You could upgrade the heatsink to something higher performance like a thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme
but that's expensive and a bit risky due to the weight of it and mechanical stress if you move / bump the PC.

You could probably use a better thermal paste too but again it probably won't help that much.

I'd just leave it or invest in the best heatsink you can buy and be prepared to grind it flat
and buy some $7/tube thermal compound if you want to really improve temperatures
relative to the present situation.

 

[Skott]

What I don't understand is if no matter what you do what if the Tjunction stays at 85C? Seems something buggy about Coretemp when it does that.

 

[SerpentRoyal]

Tjunction is set at the factory...not adjustable.

 

[Skott]

Ah, okay. That explains that. Thanks.

 

[abaqus07]

I dont have any idea.

 

[aigomorla]

i thoguht i should mention this incase no one noticed.

But when you load the CPU in the motherboard and its mounted inside the case, the cores are stacked ontop of each other and not side by side in that PDF file from AS.

So make sure you allign you AS direction correctly. OTherwise your going to miss half the cores on both cores.