How accurate is coretemp?

[badnewcastle]

I've used, 3 kinds of temp recorders to read the temps of my processor, I'm not to worried as none of the temps are getting within even 40c of the tjunction for my E6750:

Idle:
nTune: Reads 20-21c (This program supposedly sucks)
TAT: Reads 21-24c (I here this isn't very accurate)
Coretemp: Reads 36-39c (Supposed to be the most accurate)

Load: Prime95 Small FFT Ran for 1 hour 3 mins 0 warnings 0 errors specs in sig...
nTune: Reads 45-46c
TAT: 47-48c
Coretemp: 56-58c

Seems like coretemp is the loner and wanted to know if it is the lone accurate one or if it is just being really conservative instead of accurate.

 

[MichaelD]

Core Temp directly reads the digital temperature probe inside the CPU core itself. It is very accurate. Most utilities that come with the motherboard read the CPU SOCKET temp (that little 1/2" square space at the bottom of the CPU socket) and aren't accurate.

The problem with Intel TAT is in it's coding. That program DOES read from the digital temp probe, just like Core Temp. The problem is that the program was written for two year old Intel MOBILE CPUs for laptops. TAT gets temps for some CPUs right and temps for others WRONG. Especially for newer dual and quad core CPUs and therefore isn't as reliable. It's still better than any motherboard utility though.

Here's an example. Right now my Q6600 is overclocked to 9*333 and voltage is on auto. Right now I'm listening to MP3s, emailing and have about a dozen IE windows open. The Gigabyte EasyTune utility says my CPU temp is 28C. But CoreTemp says my 4 cores are at 42/40/40/40C. Firstly, "28C" is a single temp and my CPU has 4 cores. Secondly, 28C is only 6C above my room temp. The odds of my CPU that is overclocked being only 6C higher than room temp are next to nothing...unless I'm running some crazy watercooling system...and I'm not.

Core Temp>TAT>MB Utility

 

[graysky]

Right, you can trust coretemp... or read uncle web's post in this thread and you can measure it yourself using crystalcpuid. I'm sure if you do, you'll see it agrees w/ the coretemp values.

 

[badnewcastle]

Originally posted by: badnewcastle

Idle:
nTune: Reads 20-21c (This program supposedly sucks)
TAT: Reads 21-24c (I here this isn't very accurate)
Coretemp: Reads 36-39c (Supposed to be the most accurate)

Load: Prime95 Small FFT Ran for 1 hour 3 mins 0 warnings 0 errors specs in sig...
nTune: Reads 45-46c
TAT: 47-48c
Coretemp: 56-58c

Do these temps seem high? or are they good? I think I might have put too much Thermal Compound on. Those temps are with Tuniq Tower 120 and mild oc to 3.2ghz; only had to bump vcore up by .0125 and NB from 1.275 to 1.3. Memory is running at recommended 2.2v per Crucial.