I'm looking for some advice on thermal management for my new PC. I recently built it with a 9070XT GPU and a 9700X CPU. Right now, I have two fans in the front, one in the back, and two CPU fans. Despite setting up the fans for optimal airflow, I'm still experiencing high CPU temperatures. For example, while playing ARC Raiders, my CPU hits around 91°C, and it drops to about 80°C when I remove the side panel. How should I proceed from here? Should I invest in a water cooling system? I don't have any more slots on my motherboard for additional fans. Also, is it really bad to run the PC without the side panel?
2 Answers
Did you remember to take off the plastic wrap from the bottom of the cooler? That’s a common oversight. Also, make sure your front fans are configured to pull air in, and the back fan is set to exhaust.
After about 30 minutes on the desktop, what are your idle temperatures? AMD CPUs do run warm, so hitting the low 90s°C while under load can be normal, especially with air cooling. Here are a few suggestions: If there's room in your case, consider adding 1-2 exhaust fans at the top to improve airflow. Also, check the BIOS settings for PBO with a Curve Optimiser offset; a small negative offset might help lower temps without sacrificing performance. While a water cooler could help, it's best to start with enhancing airflow first.
My idle temp is around 49-60°C. I’ll definitely check those tips! It's good to know I’m not hitting the TJmax. Just worried about dust accumulating without the side panel.