CPU or Core temps more important?

[oldlore]

This may be a silly question, but I just finished building my first intel c2d build. I've got:

E6750
Arctic cooling pro 7
Gigabyte DS3L

My temps at idle (using everest) are:
core1: 28
core2: 32
cpu : 23

Just wondering why there's such a large difference between core and cpu temps...i know cores are usually hotter, but by 9-10C? I ran orthos for an hour earlier and they went to 45/46/38.

I'm planning to OC this when I get better RAM (had to RMA a set of g.skill ddr2-800 cuz of memtest errors and vista crashing). Should I be using the core or cpu temps to guide what is "ok" and "too hot"?

 

[Nick_Leo]

my cores are lower than the cpu. but i also want to know what to read.

 

[mezz]

From what I've read, the core sensor is where the most heat is, the cpu temp is in between the cores.

Here's a really well done and detailed guide with more information:
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/221745-29-core-quad-temperature-guide

 

[rhagz]

my cores are lower than the cpu. but i also want to know what to read.

If your cores are lower than the CPU you need to read up on offsets, or you can just download Speedfan's latest beta or Everest Ultimate.

Core temps should be higher than CPU temps under all circumstances.

 

[BillParrish]

This may be a silly question, but I just finished building my first intel c2d build. I've got:

E6750
Arctic cooling pro 7
Gigabyte DS3L

My temps at idle (using everest) are:
core1: 28
core2: 32
cpu : 23

Just wondering why there's such a large difference between core and cpu temps...i know cores are usually hotter, but by 9-10C? I ran orthos for an hour earlier and they went to 45/46/38.

I'm planning to OC this when I get better RAM (had to RMA a set of g.skill ddr2-800 cuz of memtest errors and vista crashing). Should I be using the core or cpu temps to guide what is "ok" and "too hot"?

The cpu temp is obtained by a thermister located in the bottom of the "well" or hole in the cpu socket under the cpu. The core temps are obtained from the DTS (Digital Temp Sensor) which is actually a network of temp sensors internal to the cpu and are actually part of the circuitry on the cpu die. Core temp is all that matters. CPU temp is wildly inaccurate. Ignore it. A search of "core temp" will yeild about 10 bizzion posts on this question.

Be aware the article linked above has a very unfortunate misuse of the term "CPU temp".

The Case Thermal Diode measures Tcase (Temperature Case), which is commonly known as CPU temp,

This is incorrect. Tcase is Tcase, a temp measurement made by custom installing a thermal probe in the top of the IHS between the IHS and the heatsink.

CPU temp as you are describing it is the reading of a thermistor under the cpu in the bottom of the socket and reported in the bios and picked up by most temp monitoring sofware. Unless you have cut a slot in the top of your cpu's intergrated heat spreader and installed a thermocouple you cannot have a Tcase measurement either in the bios or by any software as the sensor does not exist on your machine.

Your core temps are good and ignore the cpu temp as it is worthless.

 

[Nick_Leo]

If your cores are lower than the CPU you need to read up on offsets, or you can just download Speedfan's latest beta or Everest Ultimate.

Core temps should be higher than CPU temps under all circumstances.

 

[BillParrish]

Nick what does it say in the bios for cpu temp (if listed). One problem with using 3rd party software as it detects temp sensors on the SMI buss and tries to guess what they are trying to read/what they are for. Sometimes they get it wrong.

A comparison of that "cpu temp" with what the Ntune or whatever utility Nvidia includes to read system parameters in windows would be interesting, mainly to determine where that sensor is exactly what it is reading. I am sure this has been determined before but I do not pay attention/remember details of 680i boards as I have an intel chipset board.

There is also an issue with some software misreporting the core temps of some of the newer CPUs and Quads. I have not kept up with what has been fixed and what has not. However if that is a current version of Everest it is probally correct but coretemp is a small easy download and it would be interesting to find out what it gave as coretemps.