Real Temp - New temp program for Intel Core processors

[rge]

Thanks rge. I've run out of thumbs up for all of your testing. It helps everyone understand the gradients that exist and goes further than my testing that was always done at idle without a heatsink installed.

I still read in forums about users running Prime95 with reported core temperatures of ~60C but their heatsinks don't even feel warm. Now we know why. The heat dissipates rapidly from the source when a heatsink is installed.

It confirms TjMax=100C is correct for the E8400 and that the RealTemp calibration method at low MHz / low core voltage, is valid for users that want more accurate core temperatures. It might need to be adjusted by a degree or two based on your recent testing so could you create a small chart showing what temperatures a user should aim for when calibrating? Intel OEM, aftermarket air and water. I might have some fun with my drill this week to see what I can learn.

Thanks, I enjoyed all the testing as I know you do...great educational hobby. As for calibrating idle temps, after all my testing I was looking for a reference and saw one of your old posts that already correctly estimate idle temps for high end cooling.. But I can list what I found for water, zalman, and intel stock.

Interestingly, the gradient with intel stock cooler at low volts idle is ~10-11C. If you then turn a box fan on high (15inch fan at high rpms).. you lower temps and drop gradient 2C, more effective cooling compresses temp range and corresponding gradient becomes smaller...that is not exactly the way I imagined gradients before testing. And yep the gradient to the heatsink is huge.

To calibrate idle temps for core 2 duo: First set vcore 1.1V bios +/-~.03v and 6x333 mhz manually or leave speedstep enabled. Then set idle so it reads listed degrees above ambient for given cooling:

COOLING...............................IDLE DEGREES ABOVE AMBIENT
High end water...............................6C above ambient
High end air (true push/pull) ........6-7C
High end air (1fan).........................7C
Mid air (zalman 9500)....................8-9C depending on fan rpm
Intel stock cooler...........................10-11C

Need to use listed volts for calibrating, increasing volts significantly will widen the gap between better and worse cooling and alter the gradients.

Edit: I will have to leave quad estimating to you, i dont have one.