The "Magic" 50°C Number

[jkos]

Time and again I see posts saying something to the effect of, "Don't run your processor over 50°C or you will shorten its lifespan."

What is the factual, hard source of this information? If you read AMD's thermal docs, you will see numbers like 75°C and 90°C; nothing as low as 50°C.

Thanks,
John

[masitti]

To maximize the lifespan of the CPU, under 50*c is recommended. However, the CPU I believe can go up to, what I thought, was 70*c.

[Lord Thundar]

It depends on how accurately your CPU temp is being read. If your mb reads from an in-socket thermistor that does not touch the CPU back at all, it's the least accurate and you should be very careful around the 50-55 C range. If your mb has an in-socket thermistor that touches the back of the CPU, than you might be able to push 60C. If your mb reads directly from the diode within the XP CPU, then you can push 65-70C.
It really all comes down to system stability though - your system will either lockup or BSOD if the chip temp is getting too high (and even at that temp, the chip is probably not approaching 90C)...

[JaY_III]

The hotter the CPU runs the shorter the life will be
The more volts the CPU runs at the shorter the life will be

AS both things incress resistance in the CPU and will speed up electron migration....
CPU's live about 10 years on average....
So you run it a little hotter and with a little more voltage...
Now your CPU may last 8 years....

But who cares, in 8 years that $300 CPU will be worth $3, if that.

Only thing I dont like about high temps are, the higher the temp, the less stable your CPU is... and the less MHz you get from it....
That is why good cooling is VERY important.

Current CPU i have is at the Magic 42C number.... after 42C its not 100% stable... but thats why we have water :)

[AMD900]

any one know if a epox 8kha+ reads the temp from diode of the chip b/c i ran a XP 1800+ @ 1619 and i ran toaster for 12 min. and mbm5 read 52C how long shoul i run toaster???

[Iron Hawk]

Originally posted by AMD900
any one know if a epox 8kha+ reads the temp from diode of the chip b/c i ran a XP 1800+ @ 1619 and i ran toaster for 12 min. and mbm5 read 52C how long shoul i run toaster???

I have the 8Kha+ with a XP 1800+ and i do not think it reads the diode.

[samonapj]

I know the 8k3a does..