I just built my first PC and I'm wondering if I really need to invest in a separate CPU cooler. Here are my specs: I'm using a Gigabyte eagle AX B650 motherboard paired with a Ryzen 5 7600 CPU (running at 3.8 GHz with the stock cooler). My graphics card is a Radeon RX 7800 XT, and I have 32GB of Kingston Fury RAM. For storage, I've got a 1TB WD Black M.2 and a 2TB SATA SSD. I'm using an 850W Corsair PSU in a Corsair 4000D case.
Right now, my CPU idles at around 50-60 degrees Celsius. I have two fans at the front (one stock and one Noctua NF-S12A PWM), a stock fan at the back, and another Noctua NF-A12 on top blowing air out. My CPU fan is just the one that came with the CPU box.
I'm using the curve optimizer from Ryzen Master, and my CPU fan is set in slope mode. Should I get more fans or a better CPU cooler, or is it fine as is? Is there a specific test I can run to see if I really need to upgrade?
3 Answers
If you want to really push your CPU, run a stress test using Prime95. If your temperatures stay manageable under full load, you should be okay. Many users find the stock coolers loud, but if the noise isn’t an issue for you, then just stick with it for now. You don’t need additional fans at this moment.
Your temperatures look good overall! If you can handle the noise from the stock cooler, you're probably fine. Just keep an eye on it, and if you start experiencing thermal issues, then think about upgrading.
You can grab a decent cooler for $30 to $45 which is worth considering if you're interested in better cooling performance than the stock option provides.
Got it! I live in a noisy environment, so I doubt I’ll notice it much. Sounds like I can just hold off on upgrades for now?