i7 6700K temperature too high under load

[DDami2]

I am in the process of building a computer, and I am having problems with high CPU temperatures under load.

My system consists of:

Processor: Intel i7 6700K (stock settings)

Motherboard: ASUS Z170-Deluxe (all settings are default)

Cooler # 1: Swiftech H220 X2 240mm all in one water cooler.

Cooler # 2: Corsair H115i 280mm all in one water cooler.

With stock CPU settings (i.e. all motherboard settings are default), when I run a stress test, I am seeing the CPU core temp jump almost instantly to 75 C and then increase over several minuets to 80 C. It is my understanding that for this processor, Tcase should be around 64 C, and that core/package temps of 80 C are abnormally high, given that the CPU is at stock settings and water cooled.

I originally assumed the problem was due to my water cooling system. I contacted the water cooler's technical support. They helped me troubleshoot the cooler and I remounted the water block several times. In the end, they told me they believed the cooler was working normally. I was still troubled by the high temperatures, so I decided to buy a different brand of water cooling system. After trying the second cooling system, I am still seeing nearly identical temperatures. At this point I believe I have ruled out the cooling system and suspect the CPU.

Here is a graph of what I am seeing…

Can you help me figure out what is wrong?

Your help is greatly appreciated.

[idata]

Hello damian21:

In this case, even though as you mentioned before the t-case of the processor 64°C, that does not mean the temperature cannot get higher than that value, it can, and it is expected depending on the load of work, especially if you do an stress test. The risky temperatures are when it reaches 90°C or 95°C, but when it does that the PC will go off by itself, because the processor has that feature included. So, as long and the PC is not throttling, or getting freeze or going off by itself, the temperatures should be fine, and so is the processor. Now, in regard to the image you gave us, that is a 3rd party tool, so it could have misreading, we have our own tool that we rely on, and if the processor passed the test of it then is because it is working fine. You will be able to install our tool from the following link, second option to the left, it does an overall test including a temperature test: https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/19792/Intel-Processor-Diagnostic-Tool https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/19792/Intel-Processor-Diagnostic-Tool Any questions, please let me know. Alberto

[DDami2]

Thank you for your reply.

I have run the Intel Processor Diagnostic Tool. The results are attached below.

It looks like IPDT runs much cooler and is reporting that everything passes. I do notice some interesting differences in how the CPU behaves when running IPDT vs. Prime95 stress test. When I run Prime95 my motherboard reports that the processor is at 4.2 GHz and the core voltage is significantly higher. When I run IPDT my motherboard reports that the processor is at 4.0 GHz and the core voltage is much lower. My understanding is that 4.2 GHz is the expected turbo clock speed. Is it unusual that IPDT is not running at 4.2 GHz?

Damian

--------------------------------------------------------------------

--- IPDT64 - Revision: 3.0.0.25.W.MP

--- IPDT64 - Start Time: 10/26/2016 9:31:52 PM

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Processor 1--------------------------------------------------------------------Genuine Intel CPU TestModule Version: 1.0.12.64b.WStart Time: Wed Oct 26 21:31:52 2016Test Result - PASS Expected: GenuineIntelDetected: GenuineIntelEnd Time: Wed Oct 26 21:31:52 2016Total Time: seconds: 0--------------------------------------------------------------------Temperature TestModule Version: 1.0.12.64b.WStart Time: Wed Oct 26 21:31:52 2016Test Result - PASSExpected: Greater than 1 degrees below maxReceived: 67 degrees below maxEnd Time: Wed Oct 26 21:31:52 2016Total Time: seconds: 0--------------------------------------------------------------------CPU Brand String TestModule Version: 1.0.12.64b.WStart Time: Wed Oct 26 21:31:52 2016Test Result - PASS Expected String Parts: As Defined in BrandString_LocalConfig.xmlDetected: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-6700K CPU @ 4.00GHzEnd Time: Wed Oct 26 21:31:52 2016Total Time: seconds: 0--------------------------------------------------------------------CPU Frequency TestModule Version: 1.0.14.64b.WStart Time: Wed Oct 26 21:31:52 2016Test Result - PASSProcessor Name: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-6700K CPU @ 4.00GHzExpected CPU Frequency: 4.00Detected CPU Frequency: 3.96206Expected Base Clock: 100Detected Base Clock: 101.591QPI link rate Test - Not supported.Skipping QPI link rate Test.End Time: Wed Oct 26 21:31:53 2016Total Time: seconds: 1--------------------------------------------------------------------Floating Point TestModule Version: 1.0.10.64b.WStart Time: Wed Oct 26 21:31:53 2016Test Result - PASSMillion Floating Points per Second, MFLOPS: 619.2Error: 0--- Floating Point Test Passed!!!---End Time: Wed Oct 26 21:31:55 2016Total Time: seconds: 2--------------------------------------------------------------------Prime Number Generation TestModule Version: 1.0.10.64b.WStart Time: Wed Oct 26 21:31:55 2016Test Result - PASSOperation Per Second: 7.31037e+006Error: 0--- Prime Number Generation Test Passed!!!---End Time: Wed Oct 26 21:31:57 2016Total Time: seconds: 2--------------------------------------------------------------------Cache TestModule Version: 1.0.10.64b.WStart Time: Wed Oct 26 21:31:57 2016Test Result - PASS

--- Reading Cache Size ---

- Detected L1 Data Cache Size --> 32

- Detected L1 Inst Cache Size --> 32

- Detected L2 Cache Size --> 256

- Detected L3 Cache Size --> 8192

Cache Size Test Passed!!!

End Time: Wed Oct 26 21:31:57 2016

Total Time: seconds: 0--------------------------------------------------------------------MMXSSE TestModule Version: 1.0.10.64b.WStart Time: Wed Oct 26 21:31:57 2016Test Result - PASS

--- Determining MMX - SSE capabilities ---

--- CPU FEATURES DETECTION FOR --- --- MMX SSE ---MMX - MMX Supported --> YesSSE - SSE Supported --> YesSSE2 - SSE2 Supported --> YesSSE3 - SSE3 Supported --> YesSSSE3 - SSSE3 Supported --> YesSSE4.1 - SSE4.1 Supported --> YesSSE4.2 - SSE4.2 Supported --> Yes --- MMX SSE - capabilities check complete ---MMX Test Result --- PASSSSE Test Result --- PASSSSE2 Test Result --- PASSSSE3 Test Result --- PASSSSSE3 Test Result --- PASSSSE4.1 Test Result --- PASSSSE4.2 Test Result --- PASS

End Time: Wed Oct 26 21:31:57 2016

Total Time: seconds: 0--------------------------------------------------------------------AVX TestModule Version: 1.0.11.64b.WStart Time: Wed Oct 26 21:31:57...

[idata]

Hello damian21:

Thank you very much for taking the time to provide that information. In regard to your question, when running the IPDT the processor should go up to 4.20 GHz, this could be a misreading. Did you restore the BIOS to defaults and then run the tool? Which Windows version are you using? In regard to temperature, everything seems to be just fine, and so are the rest of the features that were tested, and if none of the symptoms above is happening then the processor seems to be working fine. Try to reset the BIOS to defaults, and run the tool again, just to check if the clock speed now shows 4.2 GHz. Any questions, please let me know. Alberto

[DDami2]

Thank you for your continued help Alberto.

I am using Microsoft Windows 10 Pro 64-bit Version 1511.

My BIOS settings were already default, but I reset them again and re-ran the tool. After doing that I still see the same behavior I described before. If I run Prime95 I see that all 4 cores are at 4.2 GHz. Then when I run IPDT I see that all 4 cores are at 4.0 GHz. If I run Prime95 again after IPDT, then Prime95 also only runs at 4.0 GHz until I reboot the computer.

In my BIOS I noticed a setting called "ASUS Multicore Enhancement" that is enabled by default. The description of enabled is: ASUS optimized core ratio Turbo settings. The description of disabled is: Intel default Turbo core ratio settings. I then tried disabling this setting in order to use the Intel default Turbo core ratio settings. When I did this, the BIOS also changed another setting "CPU core ratio" from "Sync all cores" to "1 core ratio: 42 and 2-4 core ratio: 40". With this configuration both IPDT and Prime95 run at 4.0 GHz. I think that makes sense since both programs are loading all 4 cores, and the setting seems to imply that it will only run at 4.2 GHz when only 1 core is active.

Next I tried turning "Sync all cores" back on. That set "1-4 core ratio to 42". In that configuration it behaves like my original description with Prime95 at 4.2 GHz and IPDT at 4.0 GHz.

I looked up the description of Turbo on the processor spec sheet which says "Max turbo frequency is the maximum single core frequency at which the processor is capable of operating using Intel® Turbo Boost Technology." If IPDT enforces that definition of Turbo, maybe it makes sense that it is only running at 4.0 GHz since it loads all cores. However that doesn't agree with your previous statement that IPDT should be running at 4.2 GHz.

What do you think?

Damian

[idata]

Hello damian21:

Thank you very much for letting us know that information, it is very useful for us and for all the peers viewing this thread. Actually, according to our information, the IPDT should show 4.2GHz of processor frequency regardless if just one core is enable or if the four cores are enable, so, we will do a research on this situation in order to find out if that is expected on the 6th generation processors or not. I just wanted to let you know also that the processor does not seemed to be defective, this problem seems to be related with the tool itself, but we will verify that to make sure if that is the way it works with some processors or if it has some misreadings on the report.

As soon as I get any details on the investigation, I will post the results on this thread.

Any questions, please let me know. Alberto

[DDami2]

Alberto,

Since you mentioned possible misreadings in the report, I just want to clarify that the processor speeds I have been describing are those measured by my motherboard software, not the IPDT processing frequency test. My motherboard software displays core voltage, base clock, core ratio multiplier, and processor frequency measured in real time. When the processor is idle I can see it drop down to under 1.0 GHz, with a corresponding core voltage drop. When the processor is under load I can see the processor frequency increase in steps (normally up to 4.2 GHz) along with the core voltage. All of this I believe is the expected behavior. When I first run Prime95 my motherboard shows the processor ramps up to 4.2 GHz and the temps go up to 75-80 C. When I run IPDT, during the temperature test, my motherboard shows that the processor is only at 4.0 GHz and the temperatures look good. Interestingly if I run Prime95 again after IPDT, my motherboard shows that the processor speed now only ramps up to 4.0 GHz. Also I see that the processor is now running 10 degrees Celsius cooler (65 C), and at a lower core voltage, than the first time I ran Prime95. It stays like this until I reboot the computer. It sure looks to me like running IPDT changes some setting, that at least on my system, subsequently prevents my processor from hitting the expected 4.2 GHz turbo frequency. My concern would be if IPDT is enabling a voltage, temperature, or other criteria for turbo mode that isn't being met by my processor but should be, thereby preventing it from using turbo.

All that aside for a moment, I am still not feeling completely resolved about the original high temperature question. I now understand from your previous response, and several other posts in this forum, that temps as high as mine (80 C) are safe. However I have also seen some posts that have reinforced my notion that temps much above 64 C are unusual for stock settings. For example:

In the end, what I would really like to understand is which of the following categories I fall in:

1. My processor is completely typical. If I were to buy a second one I would likely see the same temps within several degrees.
2. My processor is totally within spec but happens to be on the hot side. It might be a poor overclocker, but that is just the luck of the draw.
3. My processor is borderline. The temps are technically safe, but they really aren't what they are supposed to be. At stock settings my cooling systems fans will have to run faster and louder than they should.

If you could answer that as honestly as possible, that would really help me to feel resolved.

Thanks again for all your help.

Damian

[idata]

Hello damian21:

In regard to your question, the answer is actually the number two, normally what it is expected is for the processor to reach around 30C at idle, and then depending on what the PC is doing, what kind of applications are running or if you do a stress test it is expected for it to reach 60C or 70C, but those are not specific values, they can be a little bit higher or lower, depending also on room temperature, in this case the fact that according to those tools is reaching 80C is a little bit higher than it should but still expected, as long as it does not reach 90 or higher should be fine. Now, we rely in our tool, and based on it the temperature is just fine, according to the report the processor shows a temperature of 67 degrees below max, which is perfect, that means it is running approximately at 33C and that is pretty good. When you use third party tools, they might have misreadings and some values might be different, that is why we rely in the information our tool reports. So, to answer the original question, in regard to the temperature the processor is fine and working as it is expected, within the specs, specially if the PC is not throttling or getting freeze. I sent you a private message, with the results of our research. Any questions, please let me know. Alberto

[ssote]

damian21 wrote:

Alberto,

Since you mentioned possible misreadings in the report, I just want to clarify that the processor speeds I have been describing are those measured by my motherboard software, not the IPDT processing frequency test. My motherboard software displays core voltage, base clock, core ratio multiplier, and processor frequency measured in real time. When the processor is idle I can see it drop down to under 1.0 GHz, with a corresponding core voltage drop. When the processor is under load I can see the processor frequency increase in steps (normally up to 4.2 GHz) along with the core voltage. All of this I believe is the expected behavior. When I first run Prime95 my motherboard shows the processor ramps up to 4.2 GHz and the temps go up to 75-80 C. When I run IPDT, during the temperature test, my motherboard shows that the processor is only at 4.0 GHz and the temperatures look good. Interestingly if I run Prime95 again after IPDT, my motherboard shows that the processor speed now only ramps up to 4.0 GHz. Also I see that the processor is now running 10 degrees Celsius cooler (65 C), and at a lower core voltage, than the first time I ran Prime95. It stays like this until I reboot the computer. It sure looks to me like running IPDT changes some setting, that at least on my system, subsequently prevents my processor from hitting the expected 4.2 GHz turbo frequency. My concern would be if IPDT is enabling a voltage, temperature, or other criteria for turbo mode that isn't being met by my processor but should be, thereby preventing it from using turbo.

All that aside for a moment, I am still not feeling completely resolved about the original high temperature question. I now understand from your previous response, and several other posts in this forum, that temps as high as mine (80 C) are safe. However I have also seen some posts that have reinforced my notion that temps much above 64 C are unusual for stock settings. For example:

/thread/105327 Are these temps allright?

/thread/102481 Intel i7-6700k temperature

/thread/105603 i7 6700k temperature too high

In the end, what I would really like to understand is which of the following categories I fall in:

1. My processor is completely typical. If I were to buy a second one I would likely see the same temps within several degrees.
2. My processor is totally within spec but happens to be on the hot side. It might be a poor overclocker, but that is just the luck of the draw.
3. My processor is borderline. The temps are technically safe, but they really aren't what they are supposed to be. At stock settings my cooling systems fans will have to run faster and louder than they should.

If you could answer that as honestly as possible, that would really help me to feel resolved.

Thanks again for all your help.

Damian

With four cores active on the i7 6700k the cpu will not turbo up to 4.2GHz. http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/processors/000005641.html Frequently Asked Questions about Intel® Turbo Boost Technology

The CPU will throttle if temperature reaches TJ is 100c page 95 intel PDF http://www.intel.com/content/dam/www/public/us/en/documents/datasheets/desktop-6th-gen-core-family-datasheet-vol-1.pdf http://www.intel.com/content/dam/www/public/us/en/documents/datasheets/desktop-6th-gen-core-family-datasheet-vol-1.pdf . so 65c in HWmonitor is just fine.

[idata]

Hello wingman99:

Thank you very much for providing that information, it will be very useful for all the peers viewing this thread. Is just that based on the testings we have done, for the i7-6700K processor the IPDT should show 4.2GHz as expected CPU frequency regardless of the quantity of cores that are enable. Regards Alberto

[DDami2]

Alberto,

Thank you for your strait forward answer and explanation. That makes a lot of sense. At this point I feel resolved, and believe I finally have a good understanding of the subject.

I appreciate all the time you have taken to help me.

Damian

[idata]

Hello damian21:

You are welcome, perfect, we are glad to hear that you received all the information you were looking for and now you have a better understanding about this matter. Any other inquiry, do not hesitate in contact us again. Alberto

[ssote]

Intel Corporation wrote:

Hello wingman99:

Thank you very much for providing that information, it will be very useful for all the peers viewing this thread.Is just that based on the testings we have done, for the i7-6700K processor the IPDT should show 4.2GHz as expected CPU frequency regardless of the quantity of cores that are enable.RegardsAlbertoProcessori7-6785R – 3.30 GHzi7-6700K - 4.00 GHz1 Bin = 100 MHzProcessor CoresQuad-coreQuad-coreActive Cores4C3C2C1C4C3C2C1CMax Intel® Turbo Boost Bin Upside24560002Max Intel® Turbo Boost Frequency3.53.73.83.94444.2

http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/processors/000005523.html Intel® Core™ i7 Desktop Processor Turbo Boost Technology Frequency...

With testing windows threads all cores in a rotating manner with a single threaded application.

[idata]

Hello wingman99:

Thank you very much once again for providing the information posted above. As you can see it works different depending on the model of the processor, for this processor specifically as you mentioned before, there is only one core that needs to be enable for the processor to reach 4.2 GHz using the IPDT, let me apologize for any misinformation. Regards Alberto