Intel Q9650 - Help with Temps

I have had several issues with the stock Intel fans. I have also had issues with the thermal paste. Arctic Silver thermal paste has reduced temps (and is used by most tech builders). Aftermarket heatsinks usually will do better. I have abandoned the finned type heatsinks for liquid cooler types. I have reduced CPU temperatures considerably using a liquid cooler type. I have a Thermatake cooler HERE that I'm now using.

Chad mate my tester machine runs that CPU and with the replacement cost (I have been quoted $390) it is one that you do not want to go bung.
If you have a stock cooler on it get rid of it real quick and get a decent air cooler or liquid cooler on as soon as.
I find that particular CPU is a real sweet one but does run fairly hot - ARK | Intel® Core?2 Quad Processor Q9650 (12M Cache, 3.00 GHz, 1333 MHz FSB) it's Tcase is 71.4C so anything over 40C I am not happy with and I have had a couple of close calls with it already.

What I run is a CoolerMaster Hyper 612 PWM CPU Cooler on mine and Artic Silver 5 for the thermal compound. Even so it is not unusual for mine to run around 40C which isn't bad but I would like cooler on general use. Scans etc bump it up to 52C +.

if you go LC then I would suggest the Intel BXTS13X (I run my Ivy Bridge slightly OC'd with this) or the Corsair Hydro Series H60 SE (I am putting into a new general use build).

I picked up one of these today: ::: Zalman, leading the world of Quiet Computing Solutions ::: - The Zalman CNPS5X Performa.

It will work with my Core 2 Quad now, and when I upgrade to a Core i7 later, it will work for that as well!

It's GOT to work better than the OEM Intel fan and for only $18.95, I figure I couldn't go wrong!

** Update**

I got the heatsink/fan installed (It included Thermal Grease), now the processor temp at idle is @ 27-Degrees Celsius (80-Degrees Fahrenheit) according to CPUID's HWMonitor and the fan is running slower than the OEM fan (Presumably because the processor is cooler).

I assume under HWMonitor CPU temp is the Tcase temp? Under the processor itself it shows the 4 core's and individual temps. I ran the Windows performance assessment which pushes the processor up to 90+%, the max temp core 0 got was 65-degrees Celsius, which was the hottest one, the rest were several degrees less. The "CPU Temp" got up to a max of 51-degrees Celsius.

Obviously much better than before, but are these good temps?

It's like the OEM heatsink/fan didn't do much!

Thanks,

-ThaChad

back when I had a core 2 quad one of the best air coolers was the artec freezer pro 7. still avaliable and cheap as chips.

gives a huge difference over the stock cooler.

badger906 said:

back when I had a core 2 quad one of the best air coolers was the artec freezer pro 7. still avaliable and cheap as chips.

gives a huge difference over the stock cooler.

Hum Badger I had two of those and although good coolers I found both had very flimsy Intel mounting brackets and consequently had to replace both with other brand coolers. Mind you I do think some of the fault lay with me and maybe I was a bit overzealous with tightening them down on the processors - one a Q9650 and an i5 2500. But all the same I would still not use them myself again.

Personally I am sold on liquid cooling for the main part because of the quieter and I think more efficient operation.

I had a couple with no major issues. but youre not the only person thats had issues.

I completely agree with the all in one liquid coolers, they're fantastic for the money and do an amazing job!

been eying up a corsair h105 for my cpu and another for my gpu with a kraken bracket on my media pc, make it ultra quiet!

badger906 said:

I had a couple with no major issues. but youre not the only person thats had issues.

I completely agree with the all in one liquid coolers, they're fantastic for the money and do an amazing job!

been eying up a corsair h105 for my cpu and another for my gpu with a kraken bracket on my media pc, make it ultra quiet!

No Badger I wasn't intimating that I was the only one who had issues mate just pointed out what they were for me and did not intend any inference that this was to only issue with this or any other coolers others may have had.

Anyway this is getting a bit OT and I am sure the OP isn't that interested in what I or you or anyoenelse has to say about any coolers in general.

He is happy with what he has got and I apologise to the OP for taking his thread off on a tangent.

im sorry I didnt wish for that to sound condescending, was just my poor lazy grammar :) I was implying id heard others with similar issues. not that it was just you and your fault. I apologise for any offence/rudeness!!.

badger906 said:

im sorry I didnt wish for that to sound condescending, was just my poor lazy grammar :) I was implying id heard others with similar issues. not that it was just you and your fault. I apologise for any offence/rudeness!!.

Well I guess I would be a hypocrite if I said I hadn't made a few slips Badger. So apology accepted as you have made it and I for my part maybe could have read less into your comment than I did.

I think we can move on from here and do what we are here for and that is to help out those less fortunate with their problematic machines:)

To Chad I am pleased it had an easy outcome and this would be a good reference thread for those with similar problems with the older CPU's as I said my tester although is really good is slower then my other machines.
If you want to get a little more out of the machine try this as it is the bible of all tutorials for me.
Optimize Windows 7