how hot is to hot?

[Starfirexp]

i recentlly built a amd xp 1800 system and found it running , in my mind to **** hot at 131'f . i have a shim and the paste on top of cpu with a 7000rpm fan and two case fans , yet i am afriad to run it since it is so hot in my mind. i thought cpu melt down was at around 120'f . Am i out of the loop how hot is to hot?

[SEALTEAMTHREE]

Hmmm lets see here....131 F is 55 C...you're running a little hot by my standards, but its nothing to be worried about. AMD says that safe maximum operating temperature is about 60-65 C, and burn out occurs around 90 C (about 185 F). So to answer your question, no you aren't going to fry your CPU, but it is running a little hot. My T-bird 800 overclocked to 950 (overclocking makes the CPU run faster and hotter) is chugging along at 35 idle/41 load (idle is sitting doing nothing, load is ten minutes or longer into an intense 3D game). What kind of case and heatsink do you have? I had problems with my current system that involved having a lousy tower that had the power supply mounted vertical over the CPU and caused the fan on my heatsink to draw hot air down out of the PSU over my heatsink. My CPU ran at 48 idle/55+ load for about a year and a half until I bought a better tower with a horizontal PSU and a rear-mounted exhaust fan. Also, if you're using the crappy fan that came with a retail Athlon, get something better, at least a thermaltake Volcano 6cu+. Whatever you get, stay away from the orbs. They are terrible at cooling a CPU and if the fan breaks down, you have to buy a whole new unit instead of a new fan.

[DocEvi1]

what case did you buy? I'm looking to get a new case, I am in the same postition as you were.

[SEALTEAMTHREE]

http://www.directron.com/s500p.html

InWin S500 midtower features a horizontally mounted PSU and two fan mounts (one in the back, one in the front), a removeable harddrive cage, drive rails for two 5 1/4 drives and two 3 1/2 drives. I got it for $68 with a generic 300 watt AMD compliant (not approved) powersupply and shipped to me in florida via UPS ground. The place is in Texas, so adjust shipping according to your location.

[missiveusa]

I bought the same InWin case for less at pagecomputer. Excellent cooling properties, straightforward case. Excellent choice.

$49.95 + S/H

[Jimstep]

Your temps are okay. My 1.4Ghz TB is running at about 53C full load. Your cpu is 1.5Ghz. When I overclock to 1533Mhz, my temps are about 57C under load.

Be careful with the InWin cases that have the horizontally mounted p/s. The one I returned had the p/s sitting right on top of the h/s fan assembly. Due to the high speed cpu fan, heat was being sucked out of the p/s, artificially raising my temps. My temps were around 65C with this setup.

My new case has five case fans; three in front blowing in(one which blows over the harddrive) and two in the rear blowing out, plus the p/s fan blowing outward. The two in the rear sit over the h/s fan assembly keeping the air cooler around the cpu.

Merry Chrismas!!

[Jimstep]

Your temps are okay. My 1.4Ghz TB is running at about 53C full load. Your cpu is 1.5Ghz. When I overclock to 1533Mhz, my temps are about 57C under load.

Be careful with the InWin cases that have the horizontally mounted p/s. The one I returned had the p/s sitting right on top of the h/s fan assembly. Due to the high speed cpu fan, heat was being sucked out of the p/s, artificially raising my temps. My temps were around 65C with this setup.

My new case has five case fans; three in front blowing in(one which blows over the harddrive) and two in the rear blowing out, plus the p/s fan blowing outward. The two in the rear sit over the h/s fan assembly keeping the air cooler around the cpu.

Merry Christmas!!

[missiveusa]

I think the InWin case Jimstep refers to is the A500 model, a cheaper version of the S model. The A model has only one fan intake; the S500 has two: one in front, one in back, Also has AMD recommended PSU configuration. I've been very happy w/ this case: keeps system temps at room temp.

[SEALTEAMTHREE]

Jimstep: Question-

How was your HSF drawing hot air out of your horizontally mounted PSU? Is it really long and not too tall, or are you confusing horizontal and vertical? Horizontal is like this ---, while vertical is like this lll. If the PSU is right over the HSF, your PSU is vertical and to the side, if it isn't, its horizontal and on top.

[Jimstep]

It's more like horizontal, rolled on its side ( a 90 degree turn), with the fan still pointing to the rear of the case.

I guess it is a matter of definition. To me, I was thinking that vertical meant the p/s fan would be pointing up or down. Now that I think about it, that doesn't make sense.

[Maximum_Confusion]

My AMD 1.2 Oc'd to 1.35 idles at about 43c, after running quake III for about 45 minutes it is at 47c. I have an 80mm fan blowing directly onto the hs/f thru a side blow hole.... ambient room temp is at 80Deg F.

[rockjockjared]

I have an Athlon XP 1700+, it runs around 52*C (125*F) at idle...I've pretty much found that these chips just run hot! I have an Antec SoHo Server case with all 4 case fans installed. The internal temp is pretty low...just the processor that gets toasty. But from all the reading I've done on the subject this seems normal. I BELIEVE that the failure temp on the XPs is somewhere around 70*C (158*F), so you have a ways to go...but don't quote me, I'm not for sure on that one...

[kindle]

36c no load 46 c full load with sisoft burn in wizzard however how are you checking temps asus probe and the like cna be off a little i just checked mine with a digital thermometer and it is 33c so from what i gathered while o clocking my computer several time the sensor built in has a slight cushion built in i guess?? by the way at 1643mh im runnning at 50 c full load good luck also i just changed power supplys mine now has teo fans on it what a diff
case temp drop 15 c

[ivan of ASEC]

I sugjest anny cheep full tower case, or take that hor. mounted ps out of the case. I have 2 overclocked 1 ghz. t-birds @ 1.365 ghz.
OC1 in the full tower has 4 intakes in the bottom, and 4 exhausts in the top. The mb is in the bottom half, and the ps is in the top half. So it does'nt add heat to the cpu. It cost about $70.00 total including shipping, and run at 105 f. fully loaded.
OC2 uses the same case you have. I pulled the ps and put it on top. Plus gave it 2 intakes, and 2 exhaust. It runs 115 f. fully loaded.
Both have standerd cpu fans. No shims. Remimber keep your intakes and exhaust equil cfm. you cant put in more than you take out!
See them at [url]

[miggetyMike]

I have an athlon xp 1600+.....it run idle at 46 celsius....what would you recommend for a shutdown temperature......?