I've recently upgraded my system with an Asus ROG Strix X870E-E Gaming Wifi and an AMD 9950X3D CPU. My case is an old NZXT H710i that has three fans pulling air in from the front and three exhausting air on top, along with a back fan. I initially used a Phantom Spirit 120 EVO cooler, which caused my CPU to hit 87°C during a Cinebench multicore run. I then switched to a Noctua NH-D15, even using a 7mm offset bracket to optimize airflow towards the hotspot, and applied a negative 20 on the AMD Curve optimizer. Despite this, the CPU still reaches 83°C when running Cinebench, and I worry it could approach 90°C if left running. Both coolers have good reviews, so I'm concerned that my CPU might be from a bad batch. Any suggestions for improving the cooling performance without setting TPU or PTT limits?
5 Answers
If you're really worried, you could set a temperature limit to around 80-85°C. That would keep temps down under load but might result in a minor performance hit. Just something to consider!
You should try tweaking your PBO curve to see if that helps reduce temps. If you're still finding it too warm, consider upgrading your case for better airflow. I have a Fractal Pop Air with additional fans and it keeps my 5800X3D cool at around 55°C with the NH-D15, but your CPU pulls more power, so more airflow would definitely help.
87°C is reasonable for air cooling during a benchmark. If you're concerned about heat, consider switching to an AIO cooler. It looks great and might give you better temps. But honestly, 87°C isn't alarming, so you could just leave it as is and nothing would go wrong.
Hitting 87°C with a 9950X3D isn't bad at all. AMD CPUs are designed to boost until they reach thermal limits, which for Zen 4 and Zen 5 is around 95°C, so you're actually well within normal bounds. If you're running benchmarks like Cinebench, this is expected behavior, as those tests push CPUs hard.
It's normal for these CPUs to run hot, especially under load. Just keep in mind that air coolers can struggle with high TDP CPUs in cases with average airflow. You might be expecting too much from an air cooler in that setup.
I tested with the side panel off and it didn't help. Are we sure the airflow is truly a problem?