Processor Temperature

[mirhagk]

I have been wondering lately about the heat of processors, like how hot should they be, how hot can they get, etc.

I looked at this website and apparently it says my processor should be 65-75 degrees http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000687.htm

I opened up speccy and it says my processors are at like 40C, I'm just wondering how accurate that is, and what are the effects of a proccessor being overly hot and overly cool.

EDIT: I'm also curious about my graphics card, as it allows me to adjust the fan speed... wouldn't I always want it running full speed (at least if I'm gaming).
And one of my cores is 2.4 GHZ and the other is like 1.2... is that normal too lol?

[chrisbrown]

Note: These numbers are based on general internet consensus regarding current processors; older ones can tolerate a little more heat due to less sensitive internals.

1. For temperatures below 80C it is mostly a matter of efficiency. Under identical load and operating conditions, a CPU at 60C uses more energy than one at 40C, and this is why there is a market for big and/or expensive coolers.

2. Physical damage starts upwards of 80C or so. Newer chips will shut down before damage occurs, but accidents happen.
Accuracy will vary, but I've never had a reason to doubt the numbers expect for obvious anomalies (0C, -255C, etc).
I've noticed Intel chips seem to run cooler than the competition from AMD, but that could just be circumstantial.
Regardless, 40C is a typical idle temperature. Download prime95 and see what happens under load.

3. GPUs are designed with moderately higher (~20C) tolerances. 90-100C is getting up there, but is still relatively safe.
Don't bother with the fan speed. The difference in efficiency is at most a few watts, and there's no risk of damage unless you're on Mercury.

4. As for the clock speed difference, Intel's SpeedStep and AMD's CoolNQuiet reduce CPU performance in favour of power saving, while TurboBoost and Turbo Core offer what is essentially on-demand overclocking.
I'd assume at least one of these is either installed or in BIOS on your machine.

[mirhagk]

k thanks, I was just confused about my GPU fan, like shouldn't it just always be on max?

[chrisbrown]

No need, it can monitor and adjust itself as needed. Just set it to auto or disable control, whichever applies to the control program. Don't force it to a low speed, that'll cook it once you start gaming if the controller can't override it.