Quad core temps - is this normal?

[Gibbo]

I have just built a Q9550 based system and am a little concerned at the CPU core temps as reported by Everest - not because they are high ( they are not ) but because they are uneven:

at idle:

Core 1: 37C
Core 2: 30C
Core 3: 38C
Core 4: 27C

Cores 1 & 3 are always significantly warmer than cores 2 & 4.

Is this indicative of a misfitting heatsink or something, or am I worrying over nothing and this is perfectly normal?

[sjbuck]

It's definitely worth re-seating it. A couple of deg c difference is normal but your 11 deg out there. It should only take a few minutes to re-seat, well worth it.

[Ommid]

I have just built a Q9550 based system and am a little concerned at the CPU core temps as reported by Everest - not because they are high ( they are not ) but because they are uneven:

at idle:

Core 1: 37C
Core 2: 30C
Core 3: 38C
Core 4: 27C

Cores 1 & 3 are always significantly warmer than cores 2 & 4.

Is this indicative of a misfitting heatsink or something, or am I worrying over nothing and this is perfectly normal?

What heatsink are you using? What thermal paste? And when did you put it together? Is your CPU running at full frequency or does it step down? Seems a little high but not that high

[Gibbo]

What heatsink are you using? What thermal paste? And when did you put it together? Is your CPU running at full frequency or does it step down? Seems a little high but not that high

Noctua NHU12P
Some Coolermaster paste I had unopened lying around
About 2 weeks ago
I think it steps down

[Gibbo]

It should only take a few minutes to re-seat, well worth it.

No - my case is a bastard and it's a motherboard out job........while it's out I shall cut a hole in the motherboard tray to get at the back of the cpu with the board in situ....

[Grey M@a]

I would say that is normal as one or two of the cores are barely being used by apps and windows as nothing is quad core coded atm. Those temps are a let better than what I manage to get out of a 6600 in the shuttle. I sit around the low 40's idle and once I crank the games I can hit high 50's to low 60's in the summer. Just one of the downsides to building a SFF build :/

[Singh400]

I would say it's normal behaviour. Reseat if you want to. I had the exact same problem with my Q9450. First time round, I caked on the Artic Silver (*grins*) and the second time round, I cleaned it off, and just applied a very very thin layer. Results were that the temps were virtually the same (maybe a couple of degrees difference). It's the load temps you want to keep an eye on.

[Gibbo]

First time round, I caked on the Artic Silver (*grins*) and the second time round, I cleaned it off, and just applied a very very thin layer.

I used a very thin, almost transparent, even layer on the top of the CPU of this Coolermaster stuff I had. I doubt I could've been any more sparing with it tbh.

[Grymdawg]

If you can live with it leave it for now. If the load temps arent too bad then i wouldnt worry too much about it.

If i had such a difference i would probably reseat it (i am awkward like that). And aye dont cake on the thermal paste, a thin layer will do the job .

If you reseat it let us know the temps and any improvements or differences.

[Gibbo]

If you can live with it leave it for now.

This is my prefered course of action.

If the load temps arent too bad then i wouldnt worry too much about it.

Can you recommend a free app to do some load testing?

If you reseat it let us know the temps and any improvements or differences.

If I do I will.....

[Grymdawg]

As my current PC isnt OCed i dont use a temp monitor as such.

Probably try Coretemp? http://www.alcpu.com/CoreTemp/

I never used it myself, i think the last temp monitor i used was ASUS Probe or something?

Hope that helps a tad

[Gibbo]

As my current PC isnt OCed i dont use a temp monitor as such.

Probably try Coretemp? http://www.alcpu.com/CoreTemp/

I never used it myself, i think the last temp monitor i used was ASUS Probe or something?

Hope that helps a tad

Not after a monitering app as such - merely an app to simulate load conditions so that I might take temps under load using Everest.

[Singh400]

Not after a monitering app as such - merely an app to simulate load conditions so that I might take temps under load using Everest.

In that case get IntelBurnTest and run it.

Watch your temps rise worringly high. With this little app, I managed to trip the PROCHOT switch - my Q9450 reached 71C

[LuckyNV]

Temp difference between cores is normal, in extreme cases there can be upto 10C difference.

many factors contribute including uneven IHS, uneven heatsink mount, uneven heatsink design (heatpipe location on the base etc...)

[arthurleung]

Might be your Core0 temperature is stuck. Does it increase in line with the other cores if you run all cores at 100%?

[sammorris]

It doesn't look that bad, core temps can often be inaccurate anyway. If they were higher I'd be more concerned.