Windows 7 - i5 processor

Can someone tell me what a i5 processor should run temp wise? I just built a stock system with the stock cooling fan. The temp seems to be in the 58 - 60c range at idle.

Yeah, that's too high. Not dangerous, but high.

I run at around 40 in a warm room at idle. A typical temp is more like mid 30s in a low to mid 70s Fahrenheit room.

Check what is going on with your fans and heatsink.

The room where my computer sits is currently at 84 degrees Fahrenheit / 29 degrees celsius with 46% humidity. Here are the temps for my i5-2400 CPU. As you can see, even in a relatively warm room my temps are at acceptable levels.



I'm using a Zalman CNPS9900 at a low RPM.
The Intel stock coolers will normally run at higher temps than the aftermarket coolers.

Mine is in a rather warm room and runs about 36°C at idle. I'm using a Corsair H50.

Sandybridge i5 or previous generation?

For previous, Tcase is 72c, so it is not dangerously high, but if it is that high at idle, it will probably approach that under load. A good idle should be around 40c or less.

The Sandybridge should run cooler.

Here's an i7-2600 at basically idle. Just a few IE tabs open and the radio going (WMC). This is with the stock cooler.

GeneO, you do realize that Tcase temp and core temps are 2 different measurements, right? Us mere mortals don't have the tools, sensors and software to actually measure the Tcase temps. Tcase is measured at the geometric center on the topside of the processor integrated heat spreader. Therefore, you can run core temps well in excess of 72c and stll have Tcase temps within a safe range. Unfortunately, there isn't a direct correlation to core temps and Tcase temps to just translate what your numbers would be. But I've got one of these 72c Tcase Intel chips and you can run the cores upwards of 85-90C and still won't shut themselves down from overheating. For a rough ballpark, your core temp can usually run 15-20C higher than Tcase max.

Yes, I realize that. The core temp can be higher but Tcase is a good target to shoot for keeping the load temp under for 24x7 IMO.

You may be able to run them that high without shutting down, but you will reduce the lifetime of the processor due to electromigration, which has an exponential dependence on the temperature.

I agree, if you can stay under the tCase you are better off. But it's always good for people to realize that you can near the tcase temps on a full load box without being in the danger zone.

I often wonder what the real world time difference is. For example, would it take a processor that might last 8 years and shorten it to 3 years...or would it be more like a CPU that would have lasted 72 months only makes it 71 months?

I personally believe that enthusiasts obsess way too much over temperatures. A small few might have a true heat problem, but the vast majority are probably perfectly safe for the entire useful life of their rig without a dozen case fans, the perfect thermal paste and the most sophisticated CPU cooler which can be purchased.

Well like I said it depends on the temperature exponentially, so it can destroy the traces on your chip if you run it too high too long. How long I don't know, but that is why processor manufacturers have temperature and voltage limits. It doesn't take much effort or money to keep your processor core voltages under Tcase if you are not extremely overclocking.

For enthusiasts who turn over their systems every year or couple of years, I guess there is probably not much concern.

Intel's recall of the Sandybridge chipset was due to electromigration of the SATA components. True, design issue, but nonetheless, as components shrink, electormigration concerns grow.