Is my CPU temperature too high?

Kingofthehill · 03 Jul 2012

So I have Pentium 4 3ghz that i bought few days ago and everything works fine except that temperatures are a bit weird. I start windows, check the temp and it's alerady on 56C and when working for a while, playing games and stuff it gets to 65-67 but never more. So i'm not sure are those temps bad for my cpu? I have put cooling paste, pc was cleaned a week ago, fan works at 3700+ RPM. Could the problem be that the case on left side is completely closed?

ignatzatsonic · 03 Jul 2012

Do you know if this particular 3.0 is a Prescott core or a Northwood core? Going from memory, I think the Prescotts ran hotter?

Are you using the stock Intel cooler? Not overclocked?

I wouldn't think the left side being closed is a major factor.

What do you use as an exhaust fan (size, brand, speed)?

What case?

What ambient temperature?

solarmystic · 03 Jul 2012

Hello and welcome to the forums Kingofthehill!

The Pentium 4 line, especially the infamous 90nm Prescotts (the 3rd and last generation of the single core Pentium 4s), were well known for being heat and power consuming monsters.

While we often take forgranted the massive leaps in in both process technology and design philosophy in the newer Intel chips that have led to reduced average operating temperatures and power consumption (post Pentium D/Core 2 era), there was a time when Intel thought differently.

Reading your post is like a blast from the past, a past nobody from Intel wishes to remember, a dark time where AMD actually had a chance to compete with them on equal footing for awhile (with their Athlon64 chips)

Are you using the default cooling fan that came supplied with the chip or any aftermarket coolers?
65 - 67 Celcius at peak load is perfectly normal for a Pentium 4 chip depending on the family (Prescott or Northwood)...

To know which family your Pentium 4 chip belongs to, you can use CPUz

http://www.cpuid.com/softwares/cpu-z.html

EDIT:- Beaten like a horse by ignatzatsonic

Kingofthehill · 03 Jul 2012

It is Prescott. Not sure if overclocked, I have to ask the dude from who I bought it.