- Nov 3, 2008
- 283
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So, I'm probably about to tell you something you already know. But maybe some people don't, so here goes.
About three years ago I got an inexpensive after market CPU heatsink and fan to replace the swarm of mosquitoes that intel included with my core i5 750. I was specifically interested in a quiet cooler with acceptable performance, since I'm not an OC'er. I was extremely pleased by both the silence and performance on the new cooler (a SilenX model something or other.)
However, recently I had noticed my CPU temps getting pretty out of control. I was running in the high 70s and low 80s in Prime95 heat tests and even reaching those numbers while gaming. Today, I had a problem with my video and, fearing the best, immediately checked to see if the card had failed (failed card = excuse to replace 3 year-old card!), but allas, the cord had just pulled loose. Anyway, I noticed with the case open what I would call a ton of dust on the CPU heat sink. It occurred to me that there was enough dust to inhibit airflow over my heatsink, so I vacuumed it off.
Result: my CPU is now at 69-71 in Prime95.
About three years ago I got an inexpensive after market CPU heatsink and fan to replace the swarm of mosquitoes that intel included with my core i5 750. I was specifically interested in a quiet cooler with acceptable performance, since I'm not an OC'er. I was extremely pleased by both the silence and performance on the new cooler (a SilenX model something or other.)
However, recently I had noticed my CPU temps getting pretty out of control. I was running in the high 70s and low 80s in Prime95 heat tests and even reaching those numbers while gaming. Today, I had a problem with my video and, fearing the best, immediately checked to see if the card had failed (failed card = excuse to replace 3 year-old card!), but allas, the cord had just pulled loose. Anyway, I noticed with the case open what I would call a ton of dust on the CPU heat sink. It occurred to me that there was enough dust to inhibit airflow over my heatsink, so I vacuumed it off.
Result: my CPU is now at 69-71 in Prime95.