Is my new Intel i7-3770S defective?

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Specifically, is my new Intel http://mail.aol.com/36611-111/aol-6/en-us/Suite.aspx i7-http://mail.aol.com/36611-111/aol-6/en-us/Suite.aspx 3770S Core# 1 defective?

Is something wrong with core # 1? At idle and under load speeds the 4 Digital Thermal Sensor readings show that Core # 1 consistently runs 5-http://mail.aol.com/36611-111/aol-6/en-us/Suite.aspx 7C hotter than Core# 0 and 7-11 http://mail.aol.com/36611-111/aol-6/en-us/Suite.aspx C hotter than Core# 2 & Core# 3. This holds true for current , minimum and maximum readings of all cores. As loads increase all temperatures rise with Core# 1 leading the way. As loads decrease, all temperatures drop with Core# 1 lagging behind, but not sticking up. Motherboard temperature does not seem to be a factor: All core readings rise and fall at the same rates and with the same temperature differences as given above. Voltage readings are stable and close: each core is less than 0.01V different from the others for current readings, less than 0.005V for Maximum and no difference for Minimum readings. % Core usage does not seem to be a factor: If any thing Core# 0 seems to get more usage than any core. I am NOT over clocking my CPU. Readings were taken by the http://mail.aol.com/36611-111/aol-6/en-us/Suite.aspx HwiNO64 utility.

I began researching temperature issues with my Intel Core http://mail.aol.com/36611-111/aol-6/en-us/Suite.aspx i7-http://mail.aol.com/36611-111/aol-6/en-us/Suite.aspx 3770S when I noticed that the single simple CPU reading from the http://mail.aol.com/36611-111/aol-6/en-us/Suite.aspx Asrock motherboard Utility seemed to run hot at idle (47-http://mail.aol.com/36611-111/aol-6/en-us/Suite.aspx 49C). I became concerned when it came close to http://mail.aol.com/36611-111/aol-6/en-us/Suite.aspx 80C when I ran the Windows Experience Index utility, so I quickly stopped that test.

Initial research suggested that the large original case power supply located close to the CPU or a poorly seated/uneven CPU heat-sink might be problems. Stepwise, I reseated the heat sink, added two case fans, replaced the case power supply with the http://mail.aol.com/36611-111/aol-6/en-us/Suite.aspx PicoPSU, then replaced the original thermal grease, rotating the heat sink 90 degrees and re-seating the heat sink times 4 (each time with a new thin even layer of grease). (I tried the latter steps to discern if an uneven heat sink base might be causing a localized hotspot) I have not replaced the heat sink yet. It did not look/feel uneven.

After all the changes above the single CPU temp reading from the http://mail.aol.com/36611-111/aol-6/en-us/Suite.aspx Asrock and the single CPU Package reading from http://mail.aol.com/36611-111/aol-6/en-us/Suite.aspx HwiNO64 now run 41-http://mail.aol.com/36611-111/aol-6/en-us/Suite.aspx 43C at idle, but on the http://mail.aol.com/36611-111/aol-6/en-us/Suite.aspx HwiNO64 utility Core# 1 still shows the same temperature discrepancies. High temperatures on the http://mail.aol.com/36611-111/aol-6/en-us/Suite.aspx Asrock and http://mail.aol.com/36611-111/aol-6/en-us/Suite.aspx HwiNO64 utilities when running the Windows Experience Index are now in the upper 60's- mid 70's http://mail.aol.com/36611-111/aol-6/en-us/Suite.aspx C range.

So, back to my original question: Is my new Intel http://mail.aol.com/36611-111/aol-6/en-us/Suite.aspx i7-http://mail.aol.com/36611-111/aol-6/en-us/Suite.aspx 3770S Core# 1 defective? If not, why do these discrepancies persist? I did run a search of this Intel support list, but did not find much. Some writers elsewhere hint that core temperature differences may be "normal" but no explanation for the phenomenon is given. I did find an article on a rather tech oriented site that purports to explain why Ivy Bridge CPU's might run hot in general because of the thermal compound inside of the CPU, but nothing directly on core temperature differences. (Although it might tie in?) So, Intel, even if the above core differences may be normal, what is the reason that they occur? If not normal, can it be fixed?

Thanks,

RL

Here is my setup:

CPU: Intel Core http://mail.aol.com/36611-111/aol-6/en-us/Suite.aspx i7-http://mail.aol.com/36611-111/aol-6/en-us/Suite.aspx 3770S with stock heat sink & 4 pin http://mail.aol.com/36611-111/aol-6/en-us/Suite.aspx PWM fan

Motherboard: http://mail.aol.com/36611-111/aol-6/en-us/Suite.aspx ASRock http://mail.aol.com/36611-111/aol-6/en-us/Suite.aspx Z77E-http://mail.aol.com/36611-111/aol-6/en-us/Suite.aspx ITX with Intel http://mail.aol.com/36611-111/aol-6/en-us/Suite.aspx Z77 (Panther Point http://mail.aol.com/36611-111/aol-6/en-us/Suite.aspx DH) Chipset

RAM: 2 X http://mail.aol.com/36611-111/aol-6/en-us/Suite.aspx 4GB http://mail.aol.com/36611-111/aol-6/en-us/Suite.aspx DDR3 1600 http://mail.aol.com/36611-111/aol-6/en-us/Suite.aspx Mhz <a href="http://ma...