Computer runs hot, suggestions?

[yippy3000]

So I keep hearing about people on air cooling with CPUs and GPUs that max out at 60C under load.  My computer IDLES at 50C and goes up to almost 90 under load.  I know this is still safe/within spec but reading the forum I get the impression that this is very high compared to the normal.  Any ideas what I can do to improve it?

 

Case: Fractal Design R5 with middle drive cage removed

GPUs: SLI EVGA GTX 970 SSC+ with +100MHz OC (the new one with better cooler) in case PCI slots 2 & 5

CPU: i7-4970k OC to 4.7GHz

 

At idle, my GPUs are around 50C and the CPU around 45.  The PCH and motherboard VRM are also high, about 55C

 

Under load temps go up within 4 min to CPU: 92C  Upper GPU: 88C Lower GPU: 80C.  After some time, the PCH and VRM will also go up into the 60s.

 

I attached my current fan configuration.  The bottom fan only goes on when the PCH is above 60C.  The front two fans are the stock fans that came with the case running on high through the built in fan controller.

 

Would opening up one of the upper moduvents and putting a 120/140mm fan help temperatures much? I have been trying to avoid opening up the top for both noise and I like to put things on top of the case (headphones, external hard drive) but I will if it helps a lot.

[manikyath]

hows the dust situation?

[ZetZet]

What's your ambient temp? Generally the way to improve cooling is to improve airflow and since you have R5 it's probably not the best.

[Speed bump]

I've seen some sort of bracket where you can aim a fan at the GPU, you might want to DIY built it, they say it helps alot.

[SirWendall]

It also depends in the room or enviroment that your PC is in. Like yesterday my PC throttled and my socket temps peaked at 71C but everything is fine now that I moved my PC back.

[yippy3000]

It also depends in the room or enviroment that your PC is in. Like yesterday my PC throttled and my socket temps peaked at 71C but everything is fine now that I moved my PC back.

 

 

hows the dust situation?

 

 

It also depends in the room or enviroment that your PC is in. Like yesterday my PC throttled and my socket temps peaked at 71C but everything is fine now that I moved my PC back.

 

 

What's your ambient temp? Generally the way to improve cooling is to improve airflow and since you have R5 it's probably not the best.

Ambient temps when I ran the screenshot temps were 67 F inside my house.  The case is also up on my desk to no restrictions on intake but the back does exhuast into a curtain.

 

hows the dust situation?

Dust free, all intakes are filtered and regularly cleaned.

[DigitalHermit]

Ambient temps when I ran the screenshot temps were 67 F inside my house.  The case is also up on my desk to no restrictions on intake but the back does exhuast into a curtain.

 

Dust free, all intakes are filtered and regularly cleaned.

 

So ~20C...

 

What cooling solution are you using right now?

 

Try reapplying thermal paste and reseating the CPU cooler...

[yippy3000]

So ~20C...

 

What cooling solution are you using right now?

 

Try reapplying thermal paste and reseating the CPU cooler...

CPU Cooler is a Corsair H80.  I haven't tried re-applying thermal paste yet but that would only help the CPU.  GPUs and motherboard also are hot and those are factory applied/sealed.

[SirWendall]

So ~20C...

 

What cooling solution are you using right now?

 

Try reapplying thermal paste and reseating the CPU cooler...

True. The CPU might not be seated right.

[DigitalHermit]

CPU Cooler is a Corsair H80.  I haven't tried re-applying thermal paste yet but that would only help the CPU.  GPUs and motherboard also are hot and those are factory applied/sealed.

 

Hmm... have you tried running the system with an open side panel?

 

Also, are you using the fan config that you illustrated?

[yippy3000]

I will try redoing the CPU cooler, I have some arctic thermal paste laying around and when I did the CPU it was my first AIO and I am not sure I was good about tightening it in a cross pattern.

[yippy3000]

Hmm... have you tried running the system with an open side panel?

 

Also, are you using the fan config that you illustrated?

Yes, I am using the fan config illustrated, that is why I included that so people can see exactly how my cooling is set up.  I have done webbrowsing with the side panel off but I haven't tried that under load.  When browsing it doesn't seem to change much.

[Profquast]

So I keep hearing about people on air cooling with CPUs and GPUs that max out at 60C under load.  My computer IDLES at 50C and goes up to almost 90 under load.  I know this is still safe/within spec but reading the forum I get the impression that this is very high compared to the normal.  Any ideas what I can do to improve it?

 

Case: Fractal Design R5 with middle drive cage removed

GPUs: SLI EVGA GTX 970 SSC+ with +100MHz OC (the new one with better cooler) in case PCI slots 2 & 5

CPU: i7-4970k OC to 4.7GHz

 

At idle, my GPUs are around 50C and the CPU around 45.  The PCH and motherboard VRM are also high, about 55C

 

Under load temps go up within 4 min to CPU: 92C  Upper GPU: 88C Lower GPU: 80C.  After some time, the PCH and VRM will also go up into the 60s.

 

I attached my current fan configuration.  The bottom fan only goes on when the PCH is above 60C.  The front two fans are the stock fans that came with the case running on high through the built in fan controller.

 

Would opening up one of the upper moduvents and putting a 120/140mm fan help temperatures much? I have been trying to avoid opening up the top for both noise and I like to put things on top of the case (headphones, external hard drive) but I will if it helps a lot.

You have a lot of power hungry components in a relatively closed case, the air in the case will warm up. The warm motherboard is a good indicator of this. The only way to keep your components cooler is by installing more fans to improve airflow. If possible you could change your 970's for reference models, they are generally better for SLI configurations because they exhaust the heat out of the back of the case instead of in the case itself like an open air design does.

[DigitalHermit]

Yes, I am using the fan config illustrated, that is why I included that so people can see exactly how my cooling is set up.  I have done webbrowsing with the side panel off but I haven't tried that under load.  When browsing it doesn't seem to change much.

 

If the rad and the GPU heatsink are clean, then the only suggestion I can make is to turn down the OC or tweak the voltage settings... try looking for the lowest possible voltage that is stable under load for your current clocks...

[yippy3000]

FOLLOWUP:

 

I pulled off the cpu block and noticed that the thermal paste was not evenly spread, it looked like pressure was not even.  Even after re-applying one of the support studs seemed loose on the backplate.  I pulled everything off a second time, including the backplate this time and found that one of the screw hole spacers on the backplate was way longer than the other three.  I filed it down to match the others and reinstalled everything.  I am now getting 10C less under load for the CPU.  Apparently my poor temps were due to a manufacturing defect on my waterblock backplate.

[Elapo]

I've a Define R4, running a very similar setup in terms of GPU. (SLI 970, but strix). What I did was open the side vent and make an intake blow right between my cards. The top one maxes out at ~73C, the bottom one at 65 or so. (they do idle fairly high, but that's because of the fans turning off.). 

 

Now, this obviously won't work if you have the version with the side window, but if you don't, it might be worth a try.