E6600: Is it okay for one core to run...2-3 degrees higher

[rimmi2002]

Hi, I have a E6600 running on a Gigabyte DS3l mobo...with Arctic cooling freezer pro 7 fan. My idle temps are around 32-33 on Core1 and 29-30 on core 2. Is this okay...what is the acceptable difference in core temps between two cores?

I am using TAT to measure the temps is there another better program out there? Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[PeteRoy]

It is acceptable for cores to have slightly different temps, and if your temps are below 50c then you shouldn't worry at all.

 

[n7]

Pretty normal.

Sometimes the temps are very similar; other times people report wide variances.

Wait till you get a quad...the spread between cores can get much wider than a few degrees.

 

[cbuchach]

My E6600 does the same thing with one core always reporting 2-3 degrees higher. Right now they're idling at 39 and 41 C.

 

[graysky]

You can lap the chip and your heat sink if it bugs you. Most C2D/C2Q chips are not flat, they are in fact concave (like a salad bowl). This uneven surface makes obtaining good contact between the base of the HS which is also very likely not flat itself, and the IHS (internal heat spreader) on your chip difficult and is often born-out in temperature variations like you're seeing not to mention higher operating temperatures as well.

Lapping both surfaces will greatly improve the mating of the two surfaces thus increasing the efficiency of heat transfer (lowering idle/load temps) as well as evening out the thermal gradient on top of the chip itself (removing the temperature spread between your cores).

My q6600 had about a 6 °C difference between core before I lapped it. Afterwards, it has a 1 °C difference.
After coretemp screenshot

Lapping also reduced my load temps by 7-10 °C across all 4 cores.
Temp graph comparing lapped, to unlapped

Links to lapping:
Lapping Q6600 IHS
Lapping the Ultra-120 Extreme

 

[Nathelion]

...however, lapping both surfaces will GREATLY reduce the lifespan of the CPU; the C2Ds are intentionally designed with a concave IHS. I can't seem to find the thread just now, but apparently thermal gradients will cause stuff to shift around and eventually break the leads to the pins (or something along those lines). The concave IHS puts more pressure on the die and keeps it in place.

 

[graysky]

@Nathelion - I'd be interested in reading the reference thread you alluded to in your post. I haven't that before and am skeptical.

 

[BadOmen]

I got just the same set (e6600, ds3, ac freezer pro7, but my idle temps are around 47 to 50 degrees between cores. The only explanation I have for those high temps is the room temp, which is quite high. But still, I find it odd. Just changed the mx-1 to AC5 to see if it gets a little better.

 

[Tweakin]

Originally posted by: Nathelion
...however, lapping both surfaces will GREATLY reduce the lifespan of the CPU; the C2Ds are intentionally designed with a concave IHS. I can't seem to find the thread just now, but apparently thermal gradients will cause stuff to shift around and eventually break the leads to the pins (or something along those lines). The concave IHS puts more pressure on the die and keeps it in place.

Oh, I would like to see this also. I believe it is concave due to the mounting process...

My X2's would vary 5-10 degrees between cores, but once I lapped them the difference was reduced to 3-5 degrees.