I recently got back into PC gaming after a while and bought a solid setup with a 4080 and 13700kf processor. Upon testing out some games, I noticed that my CPU temperatures were alarmingly high, reaching over 90°C on some cores while gaming at 1440p. I reset the BIOS to default settings and made some tweaks to the CPU cooler, which brought the temperatures down to around 70-75°C at 1080p. However, when I switch back to 1440p, temperatures jump to 80-85°C on some cores. I've attached a photo of my fan setup (https://imgur.com/a/AySTdyk). I have a Frostflow 240mm AIO cooler on top acting as exhaust, with additional exhaust and intake fans. I'm looking for advice on whether my fan configuration is optimal or if I should consider upgrading the CPU cooler. Any tips would be greatly appreciated!
4 Answers
Make sure that your fans are set up correctly. The side fans should be configured as intakes instead of exhausts to enhance airflow. This is especially important for cooling the 13th gen i7, which can still have some thermal issues.
There are several BIOS settings you can adjust to help reduce temperatures. For instance, consider turning off hyperthreading to save around 3-4°C. Lowering your power limits may also help by a couple of degrees. Since you have an MSI motherboard, disabling Enhanced Turbo can prevent those occasional hotter cores. Locking your cores can stabilize temps even more. You might also want to experiment with undervolting.
Have you tried running your PC with the side panel off? It could help lower the temps significantly. If that improves things, consider rearranging the fans to maximize airflow into the case. You might also want to clean your cooler and reapply thermal paste to ensure it's properly seated.
Yeah, I took the side panel off and noticed a slight improvement with the overall CPU temp dropping to around 74°C. Two cores were still hitting 80 and 81°C though. Should I tweak the fan setup?
Taking the side panel off is a good idea to check for improvement. 80-85°C isn’t outrageous for a 13700kf; those chips can run hot. But if you're still concerned, consider optimizing your cooling further.
For sure! I found that keeping the side panel off dropped my temps by about 5°C overall.
How would you suggest I configure my 7 case fans and two AIO radiator fans?