Which Temperature Reading Is Accurate?

Hardware Hub CPU
1

Hi all. 

I have a stock clocked FX8350 on an Asus Crosshair V Formula-Z motherboard and I use AI Suite for temperature and frequency monitoring.

At current, AI Suite claims that my processor is at 40 degrees Celsius. The number only changes if I add a considerable and consistent load on the CPU.

I just now downloaded an application called CoreTemp to find out what my CPU's VID (stock voltage) was. In the Temperature readings section of CoreTemp It claims that " CPU #0" has a temperature reading about 25 Degrees Celsius. It does however fluctuate fairly often as it seems that CoreTemp updates its reading faster. It fluctuates between 19C and 29C.

Which temperature is the actual temperature? Which application do I trust? If AI Suite is wrong then I've been living a lie, but it will be a very pleasant lie to wake up from..

Thanks in advance, ~Tas

2

Idle temps on AMD CPUs are notoriously off. But I'd say that 40 degrees at idle with a stock cooler is about right. 

3

My apologies, my cooler is not stock. I have currently the Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO. I know it does not make too big of a difference but it may change your answer?

4

Maybe try installing a 3rd party temp monitor and see which it matches closest to.

Open Hardware Monitor is accurate (YMMV) and free.  Should work with AMD but I have only used it with intel.  It's actually the software that NZXT uses for monitoring their CLC's like the x40

http://openhardwaremonitor.org/

5

OpenHardwareMonitor is much more congruent with CoreTemp, It states 18.5C with a max reading of 28.9C since I opened the application... 

Is it safe to assume thats a more accurate picture of my temperatures? Because if so, I'm going to overclock...

I already know my 8350 is stable at 4.8GHz, but I didn't keep it there because temperature was the only problem..

6

I would say so - YMMV but I had nothing but issues with AI Suite and removed it from my system.  I checked my temps with coretemp and it is the same as Open hardware monitor.

If you want to do some testing open hardware can write to a log file and you can track your temps over a few days to look for any anomalies (such as temps reported being lower than ambient or strange spikes etc)

7

The temp that Asus suit shows, is the socket temp.

Thats accurate.

If you are idleing at 40C then you have a bad airflow in the case, or you did not applied the thermal compound the good way.

Normaly the CPU should be arround ~10C higher then ambiend on idle.

8

I already know I have fairly bad airflow I'm in the process of getting a better case but I don't have the money for the time being. 

So if overclocking and being weary of not letting it get too hot which reading do I pay attention to???

What temperature should I not let the socket reach when running Prime95?

I try to not let the cores hit 70C.

I overclocked to 4.5GHz yesterday with a voltage of 1.3825 and prime95 maxed my core temps at 60C but the socket got up to 70C a couple times. Is that safe? 

9

no that to high

max is arround 62C on cores and 75 on socket if im right. But in my own experiance, my FX8350 crashed at 5.0GHz wenn my socket temp went over 65C.

10

I concur. 62-65 is about where you want to be on an FX part. I prefer to stay under 60.