Max safe temps for AM2 X2 5000+

Hello,

I'm currently running an AMD X2 5000+ CPU in an Asus M2N-E AM2
motherboard w/ 2G DDR2 800 sticks, ATI1800XL and 250 WD SATA hd.. My
temperatures run from 35-38 C at idle to 65C with both cores maxed out.

(running multiple instances of Prime95, BURNK7.EXE, etc) I don't think
even the latest games can generate that much heat, so let's say that
during normal applications with some heavy gaming sessions, the
temperatures range from 38C to 60C or thereabouts. I experience no BSOD

or unexpected shut downs/ freezing. Is this temperature range
considered safe for this CPU or should I invest on more heavy duty
cooling? My case ventilation is already optimized with one intake and
one exhaust fan and a side fan with air guide blowing directly on the
CPU and heat transfer to the heatsink is excelent, since temperatures
drop 10 C almost instantly the second I unload the CPU.

Thanks in advance for your help.

On Fri, 06 Oct 2006 12:42:59 -0700, cagliostro wrote:

Hello,

I'm currently running an AMD X2 5000+ CPU in an Asus M2N-E AM2
motherboard w/ 2G DDR2 800 sticks, ATI1800XL and 250 WD SATA hd.. My
temperatures run from 35-38 C at idle to 65C with both cores maxed out.

(running multiple instances of Prime95, BURNK7.EXE, etc) I don't think
even the latest games can generate that much heat, so let's say that
during normal applications with some heavy gaming sessions, the
temperatures range from 38C to 60C or thereabouts. I experience no BSOD

or unexpected shut downs/ freezing. Is this temperature range
considered safe for this CPU or should I invest on more heavy duty
cooling? My case ventilation is already optimized with one intake and
one exhaust fan and a side fan with air guide blowing directly on the
CPU and heat transfer to the heatsink is excelent, since temperatures
drop 10 C almost instantly the second I unload the CPU.

Sounds high to me. What kind of cooler came with your 5000+? My X2 3800+
AM2 came with just a plain aluminum cooler and 70x15mm fan. Your idle
temps seem fine, but top end looks high to me. Are you using smartfan? I
turned mine off and let the fan run max all the time for the CPU fan.
System fan I left as smart and it only runs about 1500RPM while the cpu
runs about 3100 rpm. With a top end cpu like the 5000+ you might want to
try a larger fan that'll move more air than the small 70mm fan, or replace
the whole cooler. Or turn the fan on max all the time if not that way now.

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Unfortunately, the only X2 5000+ I could get at the time was an OEM
version so I provided my own fan. It's a Spire Coolers # SP779B3-1
copper base with 70 mm fan ( see
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835166033 ) At the
time it was one of the few reasonably priced AM2 coolers that had good
reviews and were rated at least as good if not better than the stock
AMD fan/cooler. I don't have SMARTFAN turned on, so it's already
running at its top speed. So you think 60 C will be harmful to the CPU
in the long run? I'd really hate to take the system apart to mount one
of those monstrous heat-pipe coolers but I guess I will if there's no
other way.

Wes Newell wrote:
On Fri, 06 Oct 2006 12:42:59 -0700, cagliostro wrote:

Hello,

I'm currently running an AMD X2 5000+ CPU in an Asus M2N-E AM2
motherboard w/ 2G DDR2 800 sticks, ATI1800XL and 250 WD SATA hd.. My
temperatures run from 35-38 C at idle to 65C with both cores maxed out.

(running multiple instances of Prime95, BURNK7.EXE, etc) I don't think
even the latest games can generate that much heat, so let's say that
during normal applications with some heavy gaming sessions, the
temperatures range from 38C to 60C or thereabouts. I experience no BSOD

or unexpected shut downs/ freezing. Is this temperature range
considered safe for this CPU or should I invest on more heavy duty
cooling? My case ventilation is already optimized with one intake and
one exhaust fan and a side fan with air guide blowing directly on the
CPU and heat transfer to the heatsink is excelent, since temperatures
drop 10 C almost instantly the second I unload the CPU.

Sounds high to me. What kind of cooler came with your 5000+? My X2 3800+
AM2 came with just a plain aluminum cooler and 70x15mm fan. Your idle
temps seem fine, but top end looks high to me. Are you using smartfan? I
turned mine off and let the fan run max all the time for the CPU fan.
System fan I left as smart and it only runs about 1500RPM while the cpu
runs about 3100 rpm. With a top end cpu like the 5000+ you might want to
try a larger fan that'll move more air than the small 70mm fan, or replace
the whole cooler. Or turn the fan on max all the time if not that way now.

--
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On Fri, 06 Oct 2006 17:03:27 -0700, cagliostro wrote:

Unfortunately, the only X2 5000+ I could get at the time was an OEM
version so I provided my own fan. It's a Spire Coolers # SP779B3-1
copper base with 70 mm fan ( see
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835166033 ) At the
time it was one of the few reasonably priced AM2 coolers that had good
reviews and were rated at least as good if not better than the stock
AMD fan/cooler. I don't have SMARTFAN turned on, so it's already
running at its top speed. So you think 60 C will be harmful to the CPU
in the long run? I'd really hate to take the system apart to mount one
of those monstrous heat-pipe coolers but I guess I will if there's no
other way.

I don't know if you'll be reaching 60C for long periods of time. I sure
wouldn't want to go over it by much. The thing I wouldn't like most is
that fan. At 6000 rpm is got to be noisey.

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Well..I've been running Speedfan in the background and looking at the
temp chart log. I see that max temps didn't exceed 55 C after a couple
of hours of BF2 and FEAR...I guess I can live with that. It's the CPU
test utilities like CPUBURN and Prime95 that really push it over 60 C.
But, of course I don't NEED to run those. I guess I'll keep an eye on
the temps with Speedfan and make sure they don't creep up above 55 C.
As far as the CPU cooler, the Spire fan hasn't gone above 3800 rpm and
it's actually fairly quiet...not as loud as my HIS X1800XL vga fan at
70%,. that's for sure.

Wes Newell wrote:
On Fri, 06 Oct 2006 17:03:27 -0700, cagliostro wrote:

Unfortunately, the only X2 5000+ I could get at the time was an OEM
version so I provided my own fan. It's a Spire Coolers # SP779B3-1
copper base with 70 mm fan ( see
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835166033 ) At the
time it was one of the few reasonably priced AM2 coolers that had good
reviews and were rated at least as good if not better than the stock
AMD fan/cooler. I don't have SMARTFAN turned on, so it's already
running at its top speed. So you think 60 C will be harmful to the CPU
in the long run? I'd really hate to take the system apart to mount one
of those monstrous heat-pipe coolers but I guess I will if there's no
other way.

I don't know if you'll be reaching 60C for long periods of time. I sure
wouldn't want to go over it by much. The thing I wouldn't like most is
that fan. At 6000 rpm is got to be noisey.

--
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On Sat, 07 Oct 2006 00:24:30 -0700, cagliostro wrote:

Well..I've been running Speedfan in the background and looking at the
temp chart log. I see that max temps didn't exceed 55 C after a couple
of hours of BF2 and FEAR...I guess I can live with that. It's the CPU
test utilities like CPUBURN and Prime95 that really push it over 60 C.
But, of course I don't NEED to run those. I guess I'll keep an eye on
the temps with Speedfan and make sure they don't creep up above 55 C.
As far as the CPU cooler, the Spire fan hasn't gone above 3800 rpm and
it's actually fairly quiet...not as loud as my HIS X1800XL vga fan at
70%,. that's for sure.

That's supposed to be a temp controlled fan and the top speed is supposed
to be 6000 rpm according to the specs. If you've never seen more than 3800
rpm something may not be installed correctly, or mabe the temp readings
are arong. And trust me, at 6000 rpm, you're going to hear it.:-)

http://www.spirecoolers.com/fcc.asp?ProdID=240

All in all it looks like a decent cooler. I just can't stand the smaller
fans with high rpm's.

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wrote:
Hello,

I'm currently running an AMD X2 5000+ CPU in an Asus M2N-E AM2
motherboard w/ 2G DDR2 800 sticks, ATI1800XL and 250 WD SATA hd.. My
temperatures run from 35-38 C at idle to 65C with both cores maxed out.

(running multiple instances of Prime95, BURNK7.EXE, etc) I don't think
even the latest games can generate that much heat, so let's say that
during normal applications with some heavy gaming sessions, the
temperatures range from 38C to 60C or thereabouts. I experience no BSOD

or unexpected shut downs/ freezing. Is this temperature range
considered safe for this CPU or should I invest on more heavy duty
cooling? My case ventilation is already optimized with one intake and
one exhaust fan and a side fan with air guide blowing directly on the
CPU and heat transfer to the heatsink is excelent, since temperatures
drop 10 C almost instantly the second I unload the CPU.

Thanks in advance for your help.

First, an occasional temp of 65C shouldnt kill the CPU. amdcompare.com
shows a max temp for this CPU of 70C, at which point the machine
*should* shut down. However, two things should be adressed. First is
that prolonged exposure to temps over 60 might shorten the life of the
CPU. Second is that temps have a tendancy to creep up once dust starts
to build up. So todays 65C could easily mean 70C in a few weeks or
months.

-Dylan C

Perhaps I should emphasize that the 65 C temps are obtained while
stressing the CPU with more than one instance of BURNK7.EXE and/or
Prime95 torture test...This brings the cpu to a state where literally
nothing else runs...this would be a totally unrealistic level of CPU
usage and valid only as a test tool to produce maximum heat stress. In
the real world, even when running very demanding games while performing
other CPU intensive tasks in the background, the CPU core temps have
never gone over 55 C. That's still somewhat high but well within the
thermal envelope for this CPU as you point out. Ideally I would like
the temperature never to go over 50 C even under maximum thermal stress
but I suppose I can live with 55 C tops under real world usage.

Dylan C wrote:
First, an occasional temp of 65C shouldnt kill the CPU. amdcompare.com
shows a max temp for this CPU of 70C, at which point the machine
*should* shut down. However, two things should be adressed. First is
that prolonged exposure to temps over 60 might shorten the life of the
CPU. Second is that temps have a tendancy to creep up once dust starts
to build up. So todays 65C could easily mean 70C in a few weeks or
months.

-Dylan C

Yep, you're right...I think the problem is that the temp sensor/speed
controller is actually right in the airstream of both the CPU fan and
the side port fan..so that it's probably "optimistic" as far as the
temperatures it sees. A fan controlled by the actual CPU dye temp would
probably work better. I've tested it by disconnecting the side port fan
that blows directly on the CPU and sure enough the CPU fan rpm goes up.

Wes Newell wrote:

That's supposed to be a temp controlled fan and the top speed is supposed
to be 6000 rpm according to the specs. If you've never seen more than 3800
rpm something may not be installed correctly, or mabe the temp readings
are arong. And trust me, at 6000 rpm, you're going to hear it.:-)

http://www.spirecoolers.com/fcc.asp?ProdID=240

All in all it looks like a decent cooler. I just can't stand the smaller
fans with high rpm's.

--
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