12700k reaching 90/95 degrees whilst gaming.

[jniemtus]

I have been using my 12700k for just under 2 years now and recently decided to download a temp monitor. On some newer games, the temps reach 90/95 and stay there, and sometimes spike to 97. I have a very powerful 3 fan watercooler for it which I have just taken out, cleaned, moved air bubbles out and reapplied thermal paste. Whilst this did drastically improve the temperatures on some games, other games are still sitting on this temp. Is this safe? Is there anything else I can do to lower the temps? Should I underclock the CPU? I am very lost right now

[n_scott_pearson]

It is considered safe by Intel. So long as the temperature is not sitting for long periods at the Tjmax temperature (~100c), you should be ok.

Let's face it, to handle the instantaneous temperature changes of modern processors (especially with Turbo Boost), you need a far higher capacity thermal mass in your subsystem's water block.

...S

[jniemtus]

Thanks, on certain more demanding games it will sit on 90/95 but it never hits 100, is that okay?

[n_scott_pearson]

Yes, that is ok. In me previous response, I meant to say 'you need a... water block that is currently available in the market for a reasonable price.

Another thought: The voltage regulation and memory components near the processor also need additional cooling that they are not normally getting with standard liquid cooling systems. I saw an AIO product a couple of months back that had a fan built onto the top of the water block to provide just this capability. The advantage of this is you don't need to separately provide cooling for the VR or memory components. Great idea. If I was building a system today (or very soon, my son is collecting the funds), I would definitely look for a unit with this capability.

...S

[jniemtus]

Thanks that's really helpful! I'll look into doing this, my GPU is quite big and it's in the slot closest to my CPU, would moving it away to the furthest slot help?

[IsaacQ_Intel]

Hello jniemtus

Thank you for reaching out to the Intel® communities. We appreciate the opportunity to assist you with your inquiry.

Regarding your recent question, it's worth noting that relocating your GPU to a different PCIe slot could potentially affect its performance. Typically, the slot closest to the CPU tends to provide the highest bandwidth. We recommend checking your motherboard's specifications for further guidance. If your GPU is functioning effectively in its current slot, relocating it may not yield significant benefits.

Let us know if further assistance is required, otherwise let us know to close the thread.

Best regards,

Isaac Q.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[IsaacQ_Intel]

Hello jniemtus,

We hope you are doing fine.

Were you able to check the previous post?

Let us know if you still need assistance.

Best regards,

Isaac Q. 

Intel Customer Support Technician

[IsaacQ_Intel]

Hello jniemtus,

We hope you are doing fine.

We have not heard back from you. So we will close this thread. If you need any additional information, submit a new question, as this thread will no longer be monitored.

Best regards.

Isaac Q.

Intel Customer Support Technician.