What are good motherboard temperatures?

[HungryHamster]

I never monitored my motherboard temps until just recently throuch iCUE. I assume the motherboard temp just gives a good indicator of the ambient temps in the case. So far I think the highest I've seen it get to was around 36 when I had my door closed and my room was getting warm due to heating. Is that pretty safe?

[RONOTHAN##]

3 minutes ago, HungryHamster said:

I assume the motherboard temp just gives a good indicator of the ambient temps in the case.

Depends on the sensor on the motherboard, that can sometimes be true, but most of the time when I think of motherboard temp sensors it's usually describing the VRM temps, which are very different than the ambient case temp. The VRM temp, as long as it's below 100C there's nothing to worry about, though on high end boards like you're probably running it's rare to see them get much above 60-70C. It's not a temp I'd worry too much about. 

[Dukesilver27-]

36C is summer temps in some places, of course it is safe.

Nobody checks motherboard temps, they check a specific component of it, mostly VRM temps, because it directly affects CPU performance if the VRM is throttling.

[HungryHamster]

19 minutes ago, RONOTHAN## said:

Depends on the sensor on the motherboard, that can sometimes be true, but most of the time when I think of motherboard temp sensors it's usually describing the VRM temps, which are very different than the ambient case temp. The VRM temp, as long as it's below 100C there's nothing to worry about, though on high end boards like you're probably running it's rare to see them get much above 60-70C. It's not a temp I'd worry too much about. 

As always, thanks for your detailed response. I just looked at it again and apparently there are 7 different temperature sensors for the motherboard. Would it make sense for all of them to be reading the VRM temp? I had only been looking at #1. I'm not sure if there's a specific one I should be looking at.

[DreamCat04]

8 hours ago, RONOTHAN## said:

Depends on the sensor on the motherboard, that can sometimes be true, but most of the time when I think of motherboard temp sensors it's usually describing the VRM temps, which are very different than the ambient case temp. The VRM temp, as long as it's below 100C there's nothing to worry about, though on high end boards like you're probably running it's rare to see them get much above 60-70C. It's not a temp I'd worry too much about. 

In my Dell G5, the VRMs are completely naked and my i7 9700 pulling an average of 80W in one game gets them as high as 90°C xD. I don't like my PC with the software that's on it that I need though to have fan control (you ABSOLUTELY want that on the G5) but getting a new one is too expensive for me even though I could afford it. And I don't know if I should act quick and get one with a 3060, because I'm only playing on 1080p 144Hz and I don't know if the 4060 when that releases would be too much

[RONOTHAN##]

On 12/12/2022 at 8:40 PM, HungryHamster said:

Would it make sense for all of them to be reading the VRM temp?

Not all of them, some of them are other things like CPU temperature. It depends on the specific board how they're laid out, though for the most part I wouldn't worry about any of the motherboard temps unless they somehow got over 100C.