AMD APU Temp Issue

[z_man_200]

     I recently built a rig centered around an A8-6600K, planning to use its integrated graphics. I knew that AMD's stock coolers were notorious for running hot, so I bought a Hyper 212 Evo after reading many good reviews. When I fired up a few games after getting the machine up and running, I was pleased with the graphics, but then I looked at the CPU temps in Speccy and HWMonitor. I was hitting 80-90C when under game load and idling at 55+.

 

     Fast forward through 5 reapplications of thermal paste (both Arctic Alumina and the Cooler Master stuff) and even trying the stock cooler, I broke down and got a CM Seidon 120V and Arctic MX-4. However, even now I need to keep my APU underclocked to about 2.4GHz and I still idle around 45-55C and hitting just under 70C under load.

 

     Here is what I want to know: does this sound like a possible processor problem worthy of an RMA (I purchased from Newegg and can still do that), is it possible that I got two bad coolers/I suck at applying thermal paste, and finally, if nothing else, are 45C idle, 68C load acceptable temps for a machine to last a few years?

 

My Specs:

 

Operating System

  Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit SP1

 

CPU

   AMD A8-6600K

 

RAM

   8GB 2133 G.Skill Ripjaws 

 

Motherboard

   Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd. F2A88XM-D3H (P0)

 

BIOS

   F6 

 

Graphics

   768MB ATI AMD Radeon HD 8570D (integrated)

 

Storage

   931GB Western Digital WDC WD10 EZEX-60ZF5A0 SATA Disk Device (SATA)

[DigitalHermit]

It's fine... I've got an A8-5600k 3.9GHz OC (stock voltage), and it keeps at around 50-60C at idle and goes up to almost 90C under full load (including the IGP) (ambients are around 40C)... It should be safe until 95C (ambient at 40C)...

[ForsakenLive]

What are your voltages?

Also AMD has not the best reputation when it comes to thermal sensors. 

[DigitalHermit]

What are your voltages?

Also AMD has not the best reputation when it comes to thermal sensors. 

^this^

 

It's either you'll trust your mobo's sensors or you'll trust the on-die sensors... and they have around 40C difference in my case...

[z_man_200]

Well if inaccurate sensors is the case, this post, as well was buying a second cooler, is pointless lol. So should I be looking at the "CPU" temp under the Motherboard's section in HWmonitor then? 

[z_man_200]

What are your voltages?

Also AMD has not the best reputation when it comes to thermal sensors. 

1.3 under load and .9 when doing nothing

[DigitalHermit]

Well if inaccurate sensors is the case, this post, as well was buying a second cooler, is pointless lol. So should I be looking at the "CPU" temp under the Motherboard's section in HWmonitor then? 

cpu_temp.PNG

I can see Gigabyte fixed the issue of weird temp outputs on HW monitor... (Imagine a -8C system temp)

 

I'm trusting the sensors on the board for now since it's the more realistic one (for me)

 

But in your case, all the temp readings look fine, so yeah... The one under mobo reports the temp around the socket (I think) while the one under cpu reports on-die temps... It's normal to go beyond 80C on an APU from my experience...

[-rascal-]

If 31°C is with the system idling, then that reading makes more sense.

Have you compares the CPU temperature versus the reading in the BIOS? If is also shows about 30°c, then its more or so correct.

[Apach3]

It's fine... I've got an A8-5600k 3.9GHz OC (stock voltage), and it keeps at around 50-60C at idle and goes up to almost 90C under full load (including the IGP) (ambients are around 40C)... It should be safe until 95C (ambient at 40C)...

 

50-60C idle? that's what it should be at LOAD.

 

and correct me if i'm mistaken, but isn't 90C deadly for AMD processors? i know 70C load isn't recommended for the FX series, but i don't have any experience with the APU side of things all that much.

[Fordje26]

 From my experience only AIDA64 gives accurate readings on AMD.

[z_man_200]

50-60C idle? that's what it should be at LOAD.

 

and correct me if i'm mistaken, but isn't 90C deadly for AMD processors? i know 70C load isn't recommended for the FX series, but i don't have any experience with the APU side of things all that much.

From my reading, 74C is the recommended maximum for my processor.

[z_man_200]

 From my experience only AIDA64 gives accurate readings on AMD.

I'll give that a try

[z_man_200]

Well based on AIDA64, my water cooler is doing a fantastic job...

Does anyone have a suggestion on what numbers I should trust?

 

[DigitalHermit]

50-60C idle? that's what it should be at LOAD.

 

and correct me if i'm mistaken, but isn't 90C deadly for AMD processors? i know 70C load isn't recommended for the FX series, but i don't have any experience with the APU side of things all that much.

 

I think I've got a faulty on-die sensor... The readings can jump up to 10C in 1 second... I'm sure that I've attached my cooler correctly, with the proper amount of thermal paste...

 

It also went to 105C (according to the on-die sensors as reported by HWMonitor) this one time I was rendering a 1080p video (before I got the 260X) and it didn't shut down or throttle...

 

Any free alternatives that are as realiable as Aida64 you can recommend to me?

 

Edit: Checked out temps using coretemp... It's reporting 0C...

Edit2: Checked temps using AMD Overdrive... It's reporting 38C (+- 15%) (now at 51C Idle... Note the delta of ~10C to ambient)

Edit3: Checked temps using Aida64... On die is 15C (wat) and 35C (+-15%)

PS: I'm overclocked at 3.9GHz.... I'm planning to step it up to 4GHz by multiplier...

[soaringchicken]

Should be fine, I have a 6800k that runs at 90 degrees under a tough load. Ramp up the fan speed if you want it a little cooler. If you're still getting those temps maybe try leaving the case door open :3 although then dust gets in.

[Apach3]

I think I've got a faulty on-die sensor... The readings can jump up to 10C in 1 second... I'm sure that I've attached my cooler correctly, with the proper amount of thermal paste...

 

It also went to 105C (according to the on-die sensors as reported by HWMonitor) this one time I was rendering a 1080p video (before I got the 260X) and it didn't shut down or throttle...

 

Any free alternatives that are as realiable as Aida64 you can recommend to me?

 

Edit: Checked out temps using coretemp... It's reporting 0C...

Edit2: Checked temps using AMD Overdrive... It's reporting 38C (+- 15%) (now at 51C Idle... Note the delta of ~10C to ambient)

Edit3: Checked temps using Aida64... On die is 15C (wat) and 35C (+-15%)

PS: I'm overclocked at 3.9GHz.... I'm planning to step it up to 4GHz by multiplier...

 

i've heard of faulty sensors, but wow that's pretty bad.

 

have you tried using the motherboard's socket sensors? even if they are less accurate than a working on-die sensor, at least they're much more consistent. that's what i did to measure idle temperatures with the FX-8350 i had.

[DigitalHermit]

i've heard of faulty sensors, but wow that's pretty bad.

 

have you tried using the motherboard's socket sensors? even if they are less accurate than a working on-die sensor, at least they're much more consistent. that's what i did to measure idle temperatures with the FX-8350 i had.

 

BIOS readings are usually stable at around 45C-55C... Every single program in Windows report with a different offset (Some values from AMD Overdrive actually reported in the negatives)...

Also, I'm not with the desktop at time of posting this... I won't be able to update... For now, I reverted to stock clocks and will try for 4GHz on Saturday...

 

I'd grab an IR Thermometer if I had the money and I knew where to find one or maybe one of those dual probe thermometers...

[SlayerOfHellWyrm]

Those temperatures are quite normal for AMD chips, especially and APU where you're using the integrated graphics for gaming. If you want lower temps, try adding in a discrete graphics card, to some load off the APU. You'll find you'll have cooler temps then, however, it will still be running hot, compared to an Intel chip. That being said, if you wish to not go that route, those temperatures are just fine to last you several years. It's when you start hitting the 80's and 90's where I'd be concerned about a shorter lifespan, if the temps stay there for a prolonged time.

[z_man_200]

Those temperatures are quite normal for AMD chips, especially and APU where you're using the integrated graphics for gaming. If you want lower temps, try adding in a discrete graphics card, to some load off the APU. You'll find you'll have cooler temps then, however, it will still be running hot, compared to an Intel chip. That being said, if you wish to not go that route, those temperatures are just fine to last you several years. It's when you start hitting the 80's and 90's where I'd be concerned about a shorter lifespan, if the temps stay there for a prolonged time.

Thanks for answering my other questions. I think for now I'll stick with underclocking just to be safe, but it's not even that big of a deal since this build is a huge upgrade from my 6+ year old laptop. Thanks for all your guys' input!