I just replaced my 3500+ Venice with a 3800+ x2 Toledo ($92 @ Newegg). I have it running at 2.4Ghz, 1.3v (default voltage). It runs a bit hot -- 40C idle, low 50s while gaming, and maxes out at 60C when running dual-Prime95 to pin both cores at 100% load. Not really in the danger zone, but compared to what I've read on these forums, it does seem hot.
I have good cooling but not great -- replaced the 3500+ stock HSF with a ThermalTake Silent 939 K8 (mounted w/Arctic Silver V). I wanted something with heat pipes and a copper plate, but that did not require removing the mobo to install a backplate or some crazy docking mechanism. I looked at the Arctic Freezer 64 and similar models, but those things are gigantic and weigh a ton! The idea of strapping that thing to my mobo seems kind of frightening. I was also afraid it would not clear the transistors and RAM on my mobo (ASRock 939Dual-SATA2).
What got me thinking about case ventilation is that with the side panel removed, the maximum load temp while running dual-Prime95 drops from 60C to 54C. Also the idle temp drops from 40C to 35C. Obviously removing the cover is going to improve cooling, but that seems pretty drastic. Ambient temp in here is 76F (24C). Would a difference of 5-6C be indicative of a case ventilation problem? (I remember reading that a properly-ventilated case should actually run cooler with the cover on, due to airflow, but that seems counter-intuitive.)
My case is an Antec SX630-II that I've had for a few years, with front intake fan blowing in, rear exhaust fan blowing out. It's a bit cramped in there, with the long PCI-E vid card basically segmenting the interior in two. I also have 4 IDE drives, and although I replaced the ribbon cables with round IDE cables, they are still rather large (especially where they fan out to the IDE connectors).
So, bottom line -- does this sound like a case ventilation issue? Is there anything I can do to improve the airflow in this old case, or should I look at replacing it? Any suggestions for a good replacement? Or am I barking up the wrong tree entirely, and really in need of one of those monster CPU coolers that look like a giant ashtray?
Thanks in advance for any advice.
I have good cooling but not great -- replaced the 3500+ stock HSF with a ThermalTake Silent 939 K8 (mounted w/Arctic Silver V). I wanted something with heat pipes and a copper plate, but that did not require removing the mobo to install a backplate or some crazy docking mechanism. I looked at the Arctic Freezer 64 and similar models, but those things are gigantic and weigh a ton! The idea of strapping that thing to my mobo seems kind of frightening. I was also afraid it would not clear the transistors and RAM on my mobo (ASRock 939Dual-SATA2).
What got me thinking about case ventilation is that with the side panel removed, the maximum load temp while running dual-Prime95 drops from 60C to 54C. Also the idle temp drops from 40C to 35C. Obviously removing the cover is going to improve cooling, but that seems pretty drastic. Ambient temp in here is 76F (24C). Would a difference of 5-6C be indicative of a case ventilation problem? (I remember reading that a properly-ventilated case should actually run cooler with the cover on, due to airflow, but that seems counter-intuitive.)
My case is an Antec SX630-II that I've had for a few years, with front intake fan blowing in, rear exhaust fan blowing out. It's a bit cramped in there, with the long PCI-E vid card basically segmenting the interior in two. I also have 4 IDE drives, and although I replaced the ribbon cables with round IDE cables, they are still rather large (especially where they fan out to the IDE connectors).
So, bottom line -- does this sound like a case ventilation issue? Is there anything I can do to improve the airflow in this old case, or should I look at replacing it? Any suggestions for a good replacement? Or am I barking up the wrong tree entirely, and really in need of one of those monster CPU coolers that look like a giant ashtray?
Thanks in advance for any advice.
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