Thermal sensor issue i7-7700k?

[CK7]

I have a brand new build; EVERYTHING NEW. i7-7700k is running at stock speeds. I have the RAM set to XMP for DDR4-2666. Motherboard is Asus Maximus IX Hero Z270.

I have found that the i7-7700k reports a momentary (a second or less) temperature spike +25 > 35 degrees Celsius anytime a program is opened, a webpage is opened, a background app runs etc. The temperature blip cascades through the cores in random order; not the same every time. This causes my heatsink fan to constantly cycle up and down. Temperatures otherwise report as steady, normal increases. Peak temperature under Prime95 blend test is 71 degrees Celsius.

Attempted solutions:

I have re-installed my heatsink and thermal paste with no change.

I have tried to manually set my fan speed in the bios. The only setting that avoids this issue is setting the temperature / fan at a constant (and loud) 80-100%. I've tried PWM and DC mode.

I have found a few user reports elsewhere on the web, all reasoning that it's just the way it is. I don't accept that. Opening a folder or browser should not spike temps +30 degrees. Not only is the fan cycling annoying, it puts undue stress on my fan; possibly shortening its lifespan.

What's the answer, if any? RMA?

[ASušt]

Pity, that we have waited so long to hear this answer.

At least I want a replacement then.

Because Asus said, that there is no magical fan curve, that is able to differ a temp spike from an actual CPU heating.

Sensor shows 65c, so MOBO thinks that it IS 65c. Doesn't matter 65c for 1 second or more.

[AElib]

The funny thing is that i knew they were going to give us a shitty answer, they needed 3 months to tell us things that we already knew after 1 day.

[AElib]

Do you realize that all what you said it's BS?

1 - First of all, it's impossible that a CPU will run at 90c+ even when it's Watercooled,

2 - why some 7700K runs hotter than others?

3 - you said Intel do not recommend running the outside CPU specifications ( Overclock ) if so why in the hell Intel sells K series CPUs, are you trying to make fun of us?

Do you realize that some 7700K runs even hotter than an AMD Bulldozer Overclocked at 5.0GHz?

There are a lot of things i would like to say but better i stop it here.

Be realistic, Intel FU@@ED UP this time and there is not excuses.

[idata]

I don't even have the major issue like everyone else is having. However, after Intels response just now, they are not getting another penny out of me. I'm going to sell my Intel stuff and go to Ryzen.

Have a feeling since Ryzen is here, now this, largely Intel is going to take a reasonably big hit, no-one cares about them anymore.

[AArth1]

Well at long last we now have the final word from Intel. A totally expected sanitised response which basically tells everyone who is having this issue, and is complaining about, it to go F&$% themselves. This is the thing - I feel certain that the number or people complaining about this issue are in a very small minority compared to the total sales of the 7700k. Intel will have evaluated what measured response they need to meet an acceptable level of damage to their sales and reputation. They really don't care at all if a tiny minority of those that buy from them jump ship to AMD. I'm also certain that they have also evaluated the cost of fixing the problem to be too high and so will sweep this under the carpet, accept the loss of a few sales, and just move on.

As for me, well I have invested way too much time and effort into researching, buying, building and tweaking my system to think about selling it and buying a Ryzen system. That said, my next system build in a few years will NOT be an Intel CPU based system.

What I do know is that the temperature spikes and the subsequent surging fan action is driving me nuts. Now that Intel have returned with their expected answer I feel confident to now move forward with de-lidding my CPU and giving it the thermal treatment that Intel should have sold it with.

[JSanc25]

This was my first intel build, and it will be my last. I haven't done anything to the Cpu, from stock it showed temperature spikes in the 90's from 30 Celsius water cooled! How can you blame this on tinkering with the cpu when I haven't done so and it's running hot. AMD is the way to go, I've been hearing great things about it so far.

[cmack2]

hi Intel Ronald,

you have a PR disaster on your hands - the official response has been too slow & incomplete...

@ the very least - a comprehensive thermal engineering explanation of the 100 degree C operating limit & effect on long term CPU durability...

(particularly electromigration)..

& definitely all the manufacturers advertising, currently, highlight the overclocking performance potential of the 7700k with applicable mobos...

& people with fluctuating-speed air coolers have a right to be disappointed - they should be fore-warned of CPU thermal sensor characteristics...

there have been very many valuable contributions to this forum over time...

i truly hope that Intel completes its answer to us all...

[RRies]

I haven't said anything since I posted comment # 60 but I agree with all replies since Intel's response. I purchased their PPTP soon after purchasing the CPU. However when I had the same spike and temp issues and found this forum in Feb, I had already lost confidence in the product and lifespan and had them process a refund of my PPTP within the 30 days. I too am more than disappointed and frustrated that a company we all seemed to be waiting on for cutting edge CPUs and technology could let us all down and after spending quite a bit of money on all our setups. I could still have faith in this company if they either fixed it somehow with some remedy such as CPU replacement upgrade plan to the next generation made with solder instead of this substandard TIM problem we are dealing with. If not then my only recourse will be as most of the others have stated and that is to move to AMD products for me, my family and grandkids etc and any techie facebook friends. It's more than a slap in the face that it took three months to respond with anything other than "we are investigating" but to expect that this cpu will last with those spikes and temps and that is normal or by design. Good bye all and thanks for all the tips on OC'ing if I ever delid mine.

[sstru2]

Hi Ronald,

You just said that it shouldn't be overclocked, so why are you advertising it as processor that people should buy to overclock? http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/gaming/overclocking-intel-processors.html Overclock Your CPU with Unlocked Intel® Processors

Also Intel has tutorials on their site on how to overclock your processor http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/gaming/how-to-overclock.html How to Overclock Your Unlocked Intel® Core™ Processor .

We are getting some mixed messages here. Intel has all these promotions and tutorial on overclocking, basically telling people, pay us this hefty premium amount of $$$ so you get this processor that you can overclock, (and btw, this is how you actually overclock it, and you guys provide tutorial), and then after people buy them, you said here, naah you shouldn't actually overclock it.

Look at tutorial. It say:

2.2 - Increase frequency

3.2 - If not stable: Increase voltage

3.3 - If stable: Push frequency higher or complete overclocking

And you also provide important rule: "The Rule: maximize frequency and minimize voltage while extracting as much heat as possible so the system remains stable."

And what you said was: "We do not recommend running outside the processor specifications, such as by exceeding processor frequency or voltage specifications"... Huh?

So I guess everyone here get their money back, until you guys work it out internally on which one actually is it?

Thanks

[BBob7]

@Ronald_Intel, In regard to Intel's response....

So what you're basically saying is that Intel is engaging in misleading advertising?

May I point out this page: http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/gaming/overclocking-intel-processors.html Overclock Your CPU with Unlocked Intel® Processors

Intel advertises the 7700K as an overclocker, but when questioned about thermal performance problems which are present in the 7700K chips, which severely compromise their overclocking potential, Intel's official answer is do not overclock.

As an Australian citizen I cannot speak for other countries, but are you aware that the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission imposes heavy fines and corrective actions on this kind of thing?

[NPaus1]

is it possible to get a copy of the results from this internal investigation???

there are lots of customers continuing to report issues that contradict with your internal testing.

[DBux]

What a disappointment. Yes, many of us feared that the answer would be similar to this one, but I still had hopes. Intel has misbehaved and will have its punishment in the future, no doubt; many of us are not just users, but small local vendors: Intel can be sure that we will not recommend them from now on.

Anyway, and thanks to the help provided by everyone in this thread, I assure you that I'm not going to give up and I will find the optimal configuration for my computer and overcome this crap with which Intel has deceived us (and lastly, I'm still hopeful that future bios upgrades will take these issues into account; maybe Asus/MSI/Gigabyte will be more careful with users).

[idata]

Well, I for one am going to write to all of the tech magazines that I can think of, and I will also let my suppliers know. To get a brush-off of this kind after waiting 3+ months is outrageous.

At the VERY least I expect Intel to replace my CPU with one that has a proper thermal solution: 97C at 4.7GHz with a good water-cooler is simply not acceptable. Just to make the point: 4.7GHz is only a 4.44% overclock on the 4.5GHz turbo.

As we know, the i7 7700K is unlocked so that it can be overclocked. Intel supplies an overclocking guide and an overclocking utility; AND they supply a $30 extended warranty to cover overclocking. So it is only correct to say that overclocking voids the BASIC warranty ... and it is certainly a bit rich to say that Intel does not recommend overclocking. It would be like a car manufacturer selling a car that can do 200kph but recommending that the car should not be driven over 100kph, and saying that driving at over 100kph would void the warranty!!.

So my decision now will be whether or not to continue sending the CPUs back until I get a good one ... or move over to AMD. My feeling right now is that moving over to AMD will be a whole lot less of a bother as I expect that I might have to go through 20 CPUs before getting one that I am happy with, based on the feedback from reviewers and forums.

I'm just sorry that I have wasted so much time and effort on this ... as a long-term user of Intel products I am bitterly disappointed.

[idata]

If people genuinely contact PCworld, PCGamer, Guru3D, TechPowerup etc with this thread, and a detailed explanation of the issue, and showing how many people have it, it will hold Intel in a terrible light and position after AMD's recent success. Go for it.

[NDe_S1]

Hi,

I just contacted all major PC magazines here in Belgium like Clikx/ZDnet/PC Magazine.

So if everyone could do this for his own country maybe we can get Intel's attention.

Grtz

[ASušt]

If there will be a some kind of petition page, give a link.

About stock everything: just have reseted to default BIOS + decreased the voltage to 1.15 + adaptive mode to have even less voltage in idle (about 0.702v).

Spikes are just like they were before. 28 -> ~47c.

If someone is lucky to get Asus attention, i'll join in.

[idata]

It would also be useful to start a new topic on all of the forums asking people to register their disapproval. This was done when Adobe changed to a subscription model, as a result of which the company changed the model for photographers, offering an attractive subscription option as well as a continued outright purchase alternative.

It would also be good to agree a statement that we can send to the various publications, as well as a list of publications, so that we can all send an email to each publication. More is better in this case, I think.

I'm away until the weekend but if no-one else has put together a statement by then I will be happy to do so.

We should push for Intel to take back and fix our CPUs ... we should NOT accept a product that is clearly substandard.

[DFara]

Yeah people, reach out and let the folks know about this issue/thread, and Intel's response. This is not right. By the way, where is the explanation as to WHY 95 Celsius is safe? Could it be that the ceiling was determined as a reaction to the later realized flaw in a series of these chips? I guess we'll figure soon if that's the case, whether our chips will fry to death in the next couple years or not.

[GMaci]

I think we deserve a better analisys and an official statement where Intel confirm this abnormal behaviour of these CPUs. If they say tha's normal I'll use my pc as normal. If breaks will occur I'll claim to Intel for refund of CPU and related componente.

I just build a system for video editing and, beside the issue os thermal spikes, I can't accept 90° average for exporting a 2' 4K clip with 1 filter (internal gpu disabled too!). And I had to restore CPU to normal clock in order to avoid more temp rising.

That's unacceptable for a cpu sold as top in his category and enginereed for overclocking.

[PGarc12]

Ok, so we have a final word from Intel... however, there's still some weird stuff going on, but for me the answer is OK, what I was expecting.

- If this is suposed to be normal (stated by Intel now), then why are they admitting RMA's of processors due to this fact? (spike temps)

- Yes, on MOBO's you can set up fan speeds (if they're PWM) based on an exponential Temp/RPM graph, however since the issue are minimal spikes reaching 60-70ºC easily for just a second, in order to do a workaround with this you should decrease the RPM's at these temps, which means whenever the CPU is doing real load and heavy load will work hotter due to fans not acting as they should. For me this is not an acceptable solution, if you use fans.

In my personal case, I'm using a watercooling system (Kraken x62) and pikes doesn't matter as the fans won't go crazy (they need the CPU to be more time on the top temps for a while to spin faster), but I can asume people with air cooling might feel frustrated for what I said above.

Now I'm a bit more "paceful" by knowing they know about the spikes and they consider it normal, and since my unit hasn't go over 82º even on stress tests I'm ok with it, knowing it supports up to 100ºC.

Still, something is wrong in the equation, since if this is normal and true, means i7 7700K shouts for watercooling instead of air cooling systems, and that's not stated anywhere, so people might get the surprise when they see their fans spinning at high RPM's without heavy load on the CPU (and as said, the only solution via BIOS and RPM control is to decrease RPM on 70ºC+ values which is risky).

[YRenk]

I don't accept this and i can't ! How can my cpu jump to 100C degress after i start my computer !? and why it can't calm down !? I couldn't even overclock my computer because of this issue ! How isn't it problem !? Are you joking with us or something !? Yes , we all know to make smoother transition of fan revolutions but why we need to do that !?????????????? Why my cpu can't work fine !? You will never tell us about what is really problem , right ? When AMD released RYZEN , i prefered to buy INTEL ! But you even can't tell us what is problem ! We all made very big mistake for believe to INTEL . I just understood that . I don't know who will listen to u and this s*it ! We are waiting truly result ! We are all waiting truly solution !