I'm new to AMD CPUs and noticed that my Ryzen 5 5500 is hitting temperatures of 96 °C while gaming and when building shaders. I've already replaced the thermal paste, but the temperatures are still high. I've read that it's common for Ryzen CPUs to reach above 90 °C for performance. Is this true, or should I be worried about these temperatures? I've tested it with games like Helldivers 2, Avowed, and during the shader cache part of The Last of Us Part II, and the CPU even hits 100% usage during these times.
4 Answers
Your Ryzen 5 5500 shouldn't be hitting those high temperatures while gaming, even with a basic cooler. I've got the same CPU in another rig, and it only reaches about 78 °C at full load, and that's with a weaker air cooler. What cooler are you using? Also, it's normal for the CPU to hit 100% when loading shaders, so once it finishes, it should drop back down to normal usage.
The stock cooler really isn't that great, and yes, it can lead to those high temps. If you're using stock, it's definitely worth considering an upgrade. I've had a Ryzen 5600 with the stock cooler, and it never got that hot. Maybe your case's airflow isn't optimal either?
Which CPU cooler do you have? Maybe the screws weren't tightened all the way. It's worth double-checking. If you're still using the default cooler, it might be time for a better one, as they usually struggle with temperature management. Also, AM5 non-X3D chips can handle up to 95 °C, but consistently hitting 90 °C is pushing it. Make sure your case has good airflow too!
You really should get a better cooler if you're using the stock one. The Ryzen 5000 series can handle high temperatures but should ideally stay below 80 °C under load. Also, ensuring there's good airflow in your case can significantly help with those high temps.
I'm using a Revenger G-VR346, which I got with my upgrade kit.