CPU seems to reach higher temps than normal while gaming.

[RatB0Y68]

Title sums it up really. I've noticed recently, maybe the past couple of weeks, that my CPU seems to reach higher temperatures than it used to when playing the same games with the same mods and settings.

 

I mostly play Skyrim LE, Skyrim SE & CyberPunk 2077. Before my CPU temp range was about 55-60C. Now I get about 62-67C with occasional fan bursts up to 70ish. This is odd as my CPU is powerful (Intel Core i9 10920K), the heatsink was dusted out relatively recently and I haven't made any colossal changes to either mod setups or graphics configuration. Interestingly, I see no actual performance drops whatsoever. Just that the CPU gets a bit warmer without any explanation.

 

My computer has the latest graphics drivers and Windows updates, my other components such as GPU, are pretty powerful in their own right, enough to not bottleneck the system. Virus scans come up clean (MalwareBytes).

 

Has anyone else had a similar experience with this recently? Any idea as to why this might be happening?

 

Edit: I seem to have solved my problem. I opened up Nvidia control panel and reset my custom application settings back to default global settings. Testing on Skyrim LE, my CPU ran cooler and fans are now quieter even at higher temperatures. Loud fan bursts are gone too. I honestly can't see any visual difference so any benefit to those settings seemed to be too far below the threshold for me to notice.

[MoreSly]

Could you have you changed these settings before the issue started somehow? Still strange that it would heat up like that.

 

Only question I have is - when did you last replace your thermal paste?

[DylanWilson]

I wouldn't think anyone has a 10920k that's old enough to need the thermal paste replaced already, unless they're using liquid metal. Are you sure you didn't change some fan settings or OC something?

 

I just noticed this is a topic from 2 weeks ago that's been bumped, I assume he's figured something out by now.

[MoreSly]

Yeah, you're right about the age. I worded the question oddly but paste is still one of the first things I would check if I had that large of a heat change, personally. Even if it's a recent build it could have been poorly applied and the effects are coming out now. If I'm sure no settings have simply been changed, that is.

[xrayy]

check for dust

check for any changed cpu settings (voltage ? any overclock ? check with a benchmark)

any additional tasks running ? check with task mananger

ambient temperature higher than normal (summer!) ?

fan settings/curve in bios accidentally changed ?

[RatB0Y68]

Hi all. Just dropping back in to let you know I figured out the real cause of my problem.

 

Quite simply, the dust filters on the front of the computer were a bit dusty. After dislodging the dust with a makeup brush, normal service was resumed.

[bobbyskel78]

with electrical/electronics, the most common detrimental instrument to either is heat. sooooo, i always use all my custom PCs w/ the side cover off. i've doubled fans (one atop another), usually there's a setting in the bios to have the cpu fan to run continously, the other fan is run off the chassis mb connector.

currently, i'm running a small fan behind my PC to encompass the entirety and any dust that might accumalate behind. it's customary to clear the dust away, lest one finds their rig sounding like a chopper getting ready for take-off. most pc-techs will say use compressed air to clean .. mobo, keyboard, case. some portions, this isn't adequate and depends highly on the ambient environment. a medium bristled brush is usually ok to clean the heat sink. ground one's self out prior, touch the metal frame of the unit while it's plugged in, this will discarge any static. removal of the cpu fan more than likely, i've yet to run across any quick snaps. for your sanity, use a magnitized screwdriver, normally a cross/phillips.

this is the part where i'm supposed to say use compressed air. i use the paint brush to thouroughly clean the heat sink and if not enough of the conductive gel remains, (cpu to heat sink) add more. prior to this, oh hell, don't pm me, i use a lawn blower with entirety of the pc disconnected and outside. same with the keyboard or i hit it with a brush vacuum.

all i had to do was read the post, yup! poor ventilation and dust build-up. btw, that dust can be conductive, ergo short one's mobo out. just a stupid fact, lent/dust is equivalent in flamability as gas, so on your next outing to the camp, bring a bag of dryer lent and start the grill w/ a flick o' the wrist. (brought to ya' by John Handy ... SNL)