I upgraded from an i5-10400F to an i5-14600K, and my gaming performance improved significantly with my Radeon RX 9069 XT 16GB. However, the CPU now runs much hotter. In Elden Ring, it reaches around 85–95°C, and in Cyberpunk 2077 it stays around 85–90°C at 1080p, maximum settings, and ray tracing enabled. I'm currently using a Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE V3. The temperatures only become more comfortable when I reduce the CPU power limits in the BIOS. Should I replace the air cooler with an AIO, or should I troubleshoot something else first?
4 Answers
A 14600K with a Peerless Assassin usually should not be sitting close to 95°C in games unless the case airflow, mounting, or motherboard power settings are contributing. What case and fan setup are you using? Three fans may be enough, but their direction and placement matter.
An AIO may lower temperatures somewhat, but it will not fix poor case airflow or an incorrectly mounted cooler. Improve intake and exhaust first, then consider an AIO only if you still want lower temperatures after checking the basics.
That cooler should be capable of handling a 14600K during gaming, so I would not buy an AIO immediately. Remove and remount the cooler, check that no protective film was left on the cold plate, and apply fresh thermal paste. Also verify that the fans are spinning correctly and that the case has a sensible airflow path.
I’ll remount the cooler and check the paste, airflow, and fan curves before spending money on another cooler.
Try undervolting the processor or setting a stricter long-term and short-term power limit in the BIOS. That can reduce temperatures with little or no noticeable gaming performance loss. The CPU is designed to protect itself by regulating clocks when it reaches its thermal limits, so temperatures are not automatically dangerous if performance is stable.
The case is a Mars Gaming MC-MAG, and it has three fans that came with it. I’ll check whether they are positioned correctly for intake and exhaust.