Question/Suggestion about Ryzen 3900XT Idle Temps (Using Noctua NH-D15) Should I Undervolt?

Bappy on 11/12/2020 - 12:01
Last edited 11/12/2020 - 12:22 by 1 other user

Hi Guys,
Need some suggestion and advice please… just finished a Ryzen 3900XT build for my main rig but I am concerned about the CPU temp.

Quick Spec of my PC for better understanding:

CPU: Ryzen 9 3900XT running stock speed
Cooler: Noctua NH-D15 Chromax
MotherBoard: MSI B450 Carbon Pro AC
RAM: 4x8GB Crucual Ballistic CL16 3600
Case: Meshify C populated with 3x Arctic P12 PWM as intake plus 3x exhaust fans (2 Arctic P12 PWM and 1 included case fan)
GPU: GTX 1650Super (Yes I know but I don't play games these days)
PSU: Seasonic 650W Platinum rated

PS: I live in QLD and its summer too, with no aircon in my room but my case has decent airflow I believe

It took me a while to set up the cooler - as it is huge and barely fits the case (literally one of the fan sits on the RAM and still touches the side panel)
I never used Noctua coolers before, but I think I mounted it right, used the free thermal paste came with the cooler (NT-H1 I think).

I am bit disappointed on the CPU temp to be honest (as I understand the cooler is one of the best air cooler in the market).

The CPU temp hovers around 45°C-55°C idle (approx 2%-8% load), sometimes go under 40.
The CPU Core Voltage was also really high, sitting around 1.45v.
I did bit of research, and hesitant to undervolt (yet), then found an option online and enabled the AMD cool and quiet option from the MSI BIOS.
Since then the CPU voltage has been lower but still fluctuates and can reach 1.45v when in use.

The Idle temp is still same though…

When I did stress testing, AIDA64 obviously smash the temp, CPU temp average is around 79°C with occasional spikes upto 93°C (just for a second though)
Cinebench R23 sees more comfortable 70°C average temp with max reaching around 77°C
I noticed single core benchmark on Cinebench spikes the CPU volt to 1.45volts, whereas during Multicore benchmark it stays around 1.35volt

Regarding games, I don't game much these days… played Fifa20 for 30mins the CPU temps averages around 60°C
Note: As far as I can see no issue with CPU clock speed though.

Now I am OK with the stress testing result but concerned about the idle temp…

Do you think this is normal behaviour for a Ryzen CPU?
I saw various video about overclocking and undervolting the CPU at the same time but I am

I have no experience so bit reluctant to apply overclock and undervolt it, specially because I cannot find any decent instruction for MSI MotherBoards…

I am happy to use a better Thermal Paste (maybe thermal grizzly kryonaut?) and remount the Cooler but I heard the Noctua's included thermal paste is also decent.

Please advise, I will really appreciate it.

Computing AMD Computer Component CPU

Comments

  • NuclearWessels on 11/12/2020 - 12:34
    +1

    Is 45-55 reported in Windows or what is the BIOS? Ryzen is very sensitive when it comes to voltage/frequency scaling. There are quite a few programs that prevent it from properly entering an idle state, and temperature monitoring programs are the usual culprit. More on it here:

    https://www.reddit.com/r/Amd/comments/cbls9g/the_final_word_…

    You should use the Ryzen Master or CPU-Z software only, uninstall any other monitoring software (or at least disable it properly, including any services). My NZXT fan controller software for example will prevent it entering a low voltage idle state.

    The idle voltage is the best indicator, and it should drop under 1.0V at idle - if its not dropping then that is the reason for your high idle temps.

    • Bappy on 11/12/2020 - 12:56

      Thanks,
      Temp is on Windows… I am mainly using HWMonitor (its also from CPUID/CPU-Z) but also have RyzenMaster running

      Once I enabled the AMD Cool and Quiet feature from the MSI BIOS, the CPU voltage dropped heavily (previously it was sitting on 1.45ish, now during idle its around 1-1.1 but also fluctuates and spikes to 1.45v)

      The Idle temp hasn't lowered much though since I enabled this AMD Cool and Quiet feature

      • ScottyDont on 11/12/2020 - 13:06
        +1

        I swapped hwmonitor for hwinfo64 on my laptop and saw a huge drop in CPU load (11w average to around 2w), significantly improving runtime. Swap to something else and see if it improves

        • Bappy on 11/12/2020 - 14:04

          Thanks, will give it a shot

          • NuclearWessels on 11/12/2020 - 22:20
            +1

            @Bappy: For what it's worth I think you shouldn't bother undervolting. Your temps seem fine, especially if you're in QLD right now without air-con. Your max temperatures are better than what I get on my 3800X.

  • mizx on 11/12/2020 - 13:24
    +1

    Idle temperature's are fine. Ryzen CPU temps spike up like a saw then drop down gradually, repeats. The same applies to idle CPU voltage, which is by design. The voltage when under load is the more appropriate/actual one.

    Undervolting is definitely the way to go with Ryzen as the boosting behavior with pre-5000 series is near perfect, but with a downside… All core overclock will lead to better multicore but worse singlecore. Besides, the drop in temperature is perfect for summer. For comparison, here is my 2600X's voltages, averaging at 1.33. Ryzen 3000 series are on 7nm (also on a different design) whereas 2000 series are on 12nm, which means it's packing more heat, hence hotter.

    Undervolting is quite easy, the difficult part is finding stability. I have mine at negative offset at 0.08125, it wasn't stable at 0.10000 so I gradually reduce it per step until it became stable.

    Agreed with using HWiNFO64.

    Some of the info here others might find wrong.

    EDIT: For temps, everyday usage is <60 degrees, during R23 <70 degrees.

    • Bappy on 11/12/2020 - 14:04

      Thanks heaps, still have to do bit more research on undervolting as I have zero experience… need a good demonstrations on MSI Bios too

      My main disappointment is seeing NH-D15's performance, but maybe I had high expectation or maybe my Mounting could be better (its actually rather easy to mount though, challenge is to fit it into the case)

      I will keep digging…

      • mizx on 11/12/2020 - 14:41
        +1

        I've got an ASUS mobo, but this video ought to help.

        Your cooler is one of the best among the top coolers, I've seen many posts on AMD reddit with concerns about their 3000 series temperatures, afaik that is just how things are. You could also try ramping up your CPU fan curve more aggressively in bios.

        • Bappy on 11/12/2020 - 15:27

          Thanks appreciate your help.

          Will check out the video… and yes already got custom fan curve which is pretty aggressive already.

  • garetz on 11/12/2020 - 13:26

    79°C with occasional spikes upto 93°C (just for a second though)

    This is not physically possible, it means your temp censor is not accurate.

    • Bappy on 11/12/2020 - 14:03

      This is based on HWMonitor during AIDA64 stress test.
      I also monitored the temp on Ryzen Master and had similar result

      Which part is not possible may I ask? Like peaking upto 93degrees? I honestly didn't see it but the stats on AIDA64/RyzenMaster/HWMonitor showed this as max temp

      • garetz on 11/12/2020 - 14:40
        +1

        Temperature increase and decrease is a gradual process, there is no way, physically, and i mean based on physics, that the temp can goto 93 degrees for 1 second, then back down to 79 a second later.

        either the real temp of the cpu is 93 degrees, and its incorrectly reporting the temp as 79 degrees, and the 1 second jumps are the accurate reading.

        Or its probably a software glitch or temperature censor problem.

        • Bappy on 11/12/2020 - 15:29

          Thanks - yes you got a point.

          My source is the stats of those monitoring software, I ran it for 10mins and sort of looking at it but didn't see it raise to 93degrees (it was rather around 79-80degrees) but yet the max temp on all the stats were showing 93degrees

  • DarthAntz on 11/12/2020 - 16:36
    +2

    Room temperature affects the temps. I get 10 degrees difference between summer and winter, easily the spectrum of indoor temps.

    I use only the temp reading in gpu-z, as I've seen other posts here about HWinfo not being so accurate. Ive got no idea if gpu-z is accurate either.

    Check your bios, and run your pc with the side panel off for a bit to see if fans are drawing in warm room from the area, and your case is also not contributing to cooling.

    Good luck.

    • Bappy on 11/12/2020 - 17:03

      Thank You, will do another check…

      However I think my case/cooling system is more than adequate - its Meshify C case (Mesh Front) with three P12 PWM fans as intake and 2 more P12 PWM fans plus one stock cooler as exhaust…

      • DarthAntz on 14/12/2020 - 11:43
        +1

        Sounds beautiful!

        Hope you can post the results when you find the solution.

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