I recently completed a small form factor (SFF) PC build, and I've been monitoring the temperatures closely. My CPU idles around 60 to 70 degrees Celsius and can spike to 80 to 90 degrees Celsius under load. I'm concerned about the longevity of my hardware, especially since I've experienced thermal throttling during benchmarking. I'm considering upgrading to a 240mm all-in-one (AIO) cooler to help with thermals and airflow since my current setup has all intake fans blowing air toward a single exhaust fan at the top. I'd appreciate any advice on whether an AIO would make a significant difference and any suggestions for improving airflow, as my research was limited during the build process. Thanks for your help!
5 Answers
If you're worried about high temps, disabling Precision Boost Overdrive (PBO) in BIOS could help. AM5 CPUs can hit up to 90C due to their built-in overclocking features, which is likely what's going on here. As for the AIO, it might improve things, but don't expect a miracle. Your airflow setup seems decent, but check how the cooler is positioned—is it pushing air toward the rear exhaust fan? That can make a difference.
You likely did something wrong with the installation. High idle temps usually mean either the thermal paste wasn't applied correctly, or you missed removing protective plastic from the cooler. Definitely investigate that before considering a cooler upgrade!
Before jumping to an AIO, try to fix your existing cooler problems. Your idle temp shouldn't be that high to begin with!
Going for an AIO mounted on the side could significantly lower your temps. When I tested similar models, I saw a 20-30 degree difference at full load. Still, if you think your current cooler isn’t doing the job, try remounting it and applying new thermal paste first. My setup under load runs at around 55C, even with aggressive undervolting. Here's a video of my cooling performance if you're interested! https://youtu.be/zlrKaHRYRAc?si=bKUe3XRB73NkjDHt
Honestly, idle temps of 60 degrees are pretty high. You might want to double-check if the thermal paste is applied correctly. If you haven't removed the plastic from the cooler, that could be the issue too.
True, and sometimes people just forget about that. Make sure everything is set up right before investing in a new cooler.