FX-8350: possible abnormally high temps, please advise

I bought a FX-8350 about a week ago. I love the performance, but I'm concerned about the temperatures I'm seeing. I haven't OC'd the unit and it's running under a stock fan and Speedfan is reporting full load (Prime95) temps at about 70C when this processor is rated for max. 60C.

I suspect I'm seeing erroneous temp readings as I'm not experiencing any stability issues, but the motherboard temp readings and ASRock's own utility both mesh with Speedfan's readings. Then again, I haven't been brave enough to run the test for more than 5 mins.

Odd thing is, Core Temp shows 12C idle, and HWMonitor shows "Package" temp idle at 12C and another "CPUTIN" temp in line with Speedfan. 12C idle seem way too low with stock cooling, Antec 300 case. Ambient temp is ~21C (70F).

Here are a couple screenshots of the readings under load. HWMonitor isn't under full load as I didn't want to push it to 70C again.

Speedfan: http://postimage.org/image/a303m8uup/
HWMonitor: http://postimage.org/image/s3f4rv2kv/

I'm not sure which reading to trust. It's either getting way too hot and idling normally, or it's way too cold and maxing normally. Any ideas?

EDIT: I've tried a number of things to troubleshoot this, including trying an aftermarket cooler, different TIM, and toggling various power-related BIOS settings to no avail.

Speedfan is garbage, and I'm tempted to put coretemp in the same boat. I would trust hwmon before those two. What is it saying the core temps are?

Yeah, idle temp reporting for cores are not reliable because the sensor is calibrated for accuracy on the upper end of the scale. What are your core temps under load, say at the 20 minute mark of a Prime95 blend run? Your CPU socket temps at 70c are at about the limit we like to see and that is not unusual for load temps with the stock cooler.

What make and model case do you have and tell us about the fans in it as to placement, size, intake-exhaust orientation. Poor case ventilation can cause high temps.

Thanks for the replies. If you check out the linked screenshot the HWMonitor readings are about 70C for the "CPUTIN" sensor and 50C for the FX-8350 "Package" temperature under load. I would be inclined to go by the "Package" temperature, but my BIOS temp readings actually correspond to the much higher CPUTIN temps. I'm not sure which to believe, as the package temperature idles at a very unusually low 12C. Again, my ambient temp is about 21C.

My case is the Antec 300, PSU at bottom of the case, two 120mm fans blowing out, one on top, one on rear next to the CPU, and one fan blowing air in from the front of the case. All my other temperatures are really quite good.

I actually emailed AMD and they seem to think it's fine as I'm not experiencing lockups, but admitted that the processor is only rated for 60C. Honestly, I haven't had the balls to run Prime95 beyond 5 minutes, so I'm going to in a little while and get back to this thread with the results.

Ok, so I ran Prime95 for about 20 minutes. I got the same peak temperatures as I did after 5 minutes and no stability issues. CPUTIN temp was max. 70C, Package temp was 53C.

I'm not sure if I should return this thing. I wouldn't feel comfortable overclocking it, which is something I wanted to do in the future. But, I could just be getting erroneous readings...

Any ideas/guidance?

EDIT: Also, I noticed that the "Package" temperature varies pretty wildly. If I open my browser, for instance, the temp will shoot from 12C to 22C and then fluctuate a lot. The "CPUTIN" temperature will rise only very slowly, and not by much. It's a lot more stable. CPU temps usually fluctuate rapidly, right?

Will try and break out your questions separately...

...Ok, so I ran Prime95 for about 20 minutes. I got the same peak temperatures as I did after 5 minutes and no stability issues. CPUTIN temp was max. 70C, Package temp was 53C. < CPUTIN @ 70c is the very highest I would ever wish to see it register.

I'm not sure if I should return this thing. I wouldn't feel comfortable overclocking it, which is something I wanted to do in the future. But, I could just be getting erroneous readings... < Your readings are not any more erroneous than the rest of us have seen. As 'trents' said the readings at the HIGH end of the Temp scale are far more accurate by design. I could care less what idle temps are in reality, since it is when working/loaded that i have temp concerns. Understand that too high idle temps will surely be reflected in the Max temp, but it really is the Max temp loaded that is where the cpu would be hurt.

Any ideas/guidance? < You need cooling more inline with the real world that will keep the heat output of the cpu in check. And especially so if you intend to overclock and not use the 'green' functions and extra-speed functions as designed by AMD for general computer use.

EDIT: Also, I noticed that the "Package" temperature varies pretty wildly. If I open my browser, for instance, the temp will shoot from 12C to 22C and then fluctuate a lot. The "CPUTIN" temperature will rise only very slowly, and not by much. It's a lot more stable. CPU temps usually fluctuate rapidly, right?
< The newer versions of HWMonitor have finally gotten with the program and are showing only a "package" temp for what they used to call CPU Core Temp and had a temp for each core of the cup. Which was a freeken joke since there was only one outputted temp to read anyway and why the CPU Core Temps always showed the same for each core or almost always that I saw CPU Core Temps.

Since the "package" temp is a reading from inside the more hot area of the cpu it will respond MORE quickly to the load of opening a browser than that more isolated from the heat temp reading called CPUTIN.

Thanks for the replies everyone. RGone, it sounds like you think the "Package" temp is the temp I should be looking at, which goes anywhere from 10C-53C, but that the idle temp of 10C is most likely incorrect, and that the ceiling temperature is going to be more accurate. Does that sound right?

If so, my CPU temp is getting no higher than 53C with stock fan, so I have nothing to worry about.

That about covers if for the temps. I like package no more than 60c and the CPU temp no more than 70c. You sort of pay attention to both. So yes you could say you are good at the current speed and voltage to the cpu.

creativename said:

Thanks for the replies everyone. RGone, it sounds like you think the "Package" temp is the temp I should be looking at, which goes anywhere from 10C-53C, but that the idle temp of 10C is most likely incorrect, and that the ceiling temperature is going to be more accurate. Does that sound right?

If so, my CPU temp is getting no higher than 53C with stock fan, so I have nothing to worry about.

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