I've been using my AMD Ryzen 7 3800X for about 5 years now, and I've always noticed that it runs pretty hot, even when idling between 70-85°C. I assumed that was just normal. Recently, while playing Star Citizen, I saw the temperature spike to 95-105°C, which prompted me to look into it more. I heard AMD CPUs should idle much lower, and that 85°C is pretty much the upper limit for gaming. Am I missing something here? I've got a Noctua fan and I keep my setup clean, but I'm curious why it's running so hot, especially since I live in a colder climate where my room temp is around 20-25°C.
3 Answers
Have you checked the thermal paste under your cooler? It might need replacing after 5 years. If it’s dried out, that could definitely be causing the high temps.
Five years is definitely a long time for thermal paste! You should consider reapplying it. Keeping an eye on those temperatures is important, especially since you've mentioned they were high from the start. Better safe than sorry!
Yeah, I'm on it! It’s been on my mind for a while now, especially since I remember the initial temps being high. It’s good to finally get this sorted.
Honestly, if the thermal paste was old, that's a major factor—but don't forget to check that the cooler is properly secured and using the right brackets. Sometimes coolers can get loose over time, and that definitely won’t help your temps!
I actually just found out I needed to replace it. Tried taking it off myself, but the paste had hardened so much it was like trying to break cement! I ended up sending it to a local repair shop, and they're fixing it for me now.