# CPU Temperature Question



## Hivetyrant (Oct 24, 2008)

All right, recently, had a computer custom built. It's a gaming computer, but I was somewhat dissapointed. They advertised the machine at 3.2 ghz dual core. What they didn't mention is that you had to overclock it to get there.

So I end up with an Intel Celeron e1200 dual core processor. Great thing, and got it overclocked to about 2.1 ghz so far. I ran a double instance test of prime95, and both cores ran steady at 44 C most of the time, the max temp being 45 C in a few cases lasting seconds.

What I would like to know is what would be the maximum optimal temperature for this CPU? I've looked all over the web, and while I keep reading about people with their temperatures fine at 3.2 ghz and higher, I want to know what the max is I should push. I don't want to halve my CPU's lifetime because I decided to play "how close can we get".

For other information, I have 4 gig of DDR2 ram 800 MHZ(though it only shows up 3.15 with Windows XP Pro SP2), and an ASRock 4core 1600-D800 motherboard. Have a fan and heatsink on the CPU, a good fan on the video card, power supply is stable, and an extra fan in the side for good measure.


----------



## Tumbleweed36 (May 14, 2005)

You don't want that CPU to exceed 60c in most instances. They will operate slightly higher than that, but heat does kill components, so stay on the safe side would be my advice and stay below that threshold.


----------



## Hivetyrant (Oct 24, 2008)

Thanks. Just ordered a 5 inch fan for the back of the case to suck all the hot air out, so that should lighten the load a bit.

I also plan on getting a PCI fan. But on the ASRock board, it's stacked:

North Bridge
PCIE x16
PCIE x1
PCI
PCI

If the north bridge were on top top part of the computer(depends on how you look at it).

Would I just be blowing on the video card(in the PCIEx16) if I got one, even if it was one of those double fans?

And should I buy anything to cool off the memory? I've heard that with my particular motherboard, that by OCing the memory, you're also OCing the memory, to a certain extent, anyway.

And what's the max safe temp for my memory, do you think? The cards haven't been running particularly hot, but I do know that different equipment has different tolerance levels than other(like supposedly my video card can run at 100 degrees no problem, though it runs at 55, max).


----------



## Tumbleweed36 (May 14, 2005)

Pardon the pun, but I am not a fan of pci fans. I would think if you have a nice back fan (120mm is what I use-3 speed Antec Tricool) pulling the hot air out and a fan in front (I also use a 120mm for the front) pulling cool air in the case, it should be fine. Mine cools nicely and I am even running both fans on the slowest speed) 

That is what I would do (one front, one back) to create a smooth air flow through the case and that is what you want. Other fans could be added, but I don't do that unless needed because of the possiblity of turbulance in the case and the noise factor.

Frankly, the memory is something that I just don't worry about because as goes the heat in the case, goes the memory heat. They can withstand quite a bit of heat as can the video card. BTW, some use the heat spreaders on their memory and I have done that, but don't see much difference.

Why not hold off on the PCI fan for right now and try the front and back fan to see if that does the job. Just don't fix it by adding more if it is not broken.

Post back with any questions/concerns.


----------



## Hivetyrant (Oct 24, 2008)

Thanks.

And it's not so much a case of fixing something that's not broken, it's making sure nothing GETS broken. Dual core chips are not cheap(I know 50-60 bucks doesn't sound like much, but this computer is my once every 2-3 years super-expensive project, something I can only afford every once in a while.).


----------



## Hivetyrant (Oct 24, 2008)

.....


----------



## 1 g0t 0wn3d (Jan 31, 2007)

its a good point, but the two cheap fans in the front and back should easily be better then a pci fan


----------

