I've just built my new PC, featuring a 9800X3D and a 360 mm Arctic Liquid Freezer III. Whenever I stress test the CPU, the temperature skyrockets to 95°C almost immediately. I've already tried reapplying thermal paste, but I noticed that the clock speeds are running slightly below base clock during these tests, which makes me think the CPU is throttling to avoid overheating. My idle temperatures are around 50 to 55°C with the pump and fans cranked up to 100%. What should I do next to address this issue?
5 Answers
You might want to recheck the mounting of the cooler and the thermal paste application. Noise from the pump is a good sign—make sure it's working. My brother had a similar problem but fixed it with a repaste!
Have you checked whether the protective plastic cover on the cooler's cold plate was removed? I know it sounds basic, but it's something that could easily be overlooked.
Actually, it didn't come with one, which I thought was strange.
By design, these chips push for peak performance which means they can run hot. Just ensure that the cooler is properly mounted and consider undervolting or tuning your settings to help manage the performance and heat better. Also, remember that higher temperatures can be normal for peak workload scenarios; it's the stability that counts.
But if it's throttling and not boosting, that's concerning. It shouldn't be hitting those temps at stock settings.
It's actually normal for the 9800X3D to hit those high temperatures during stress tests, as the latest AMD chips are designed to operate at 95°C to maximize performance. If you're worried about it throttling, make sure your cooler is mounted properly and the thermal paste is applied correctly. Also, check your BIOS for any undervolt options or performance tweaks that might help manage temperatures better.
Just remember, if you're seeing instability or constant throttling at those temps, it might be an issue. If it's stable but hitting high temps, it's likely fine.
In my experience with a similar build, I hit about 92°C on stress tests, but that was with heavy tuning. A good remount with better thermal paste might be necessary—sometimes that can make a world of difference!
I already did the repaste, but the problem still persists.