AMD FX8320 showing 2 different temps

[franglais]

hello,
first post here, HWinfo is good enough to merit me joining the forum and posting.
however being in the bug section, im am posting as i have a problem. i see a consistant discrepancy between two different sensors, and i'm unsure as to which to trust.
in the blue corner, we have the CPU #0 AMD FX8320 showing 30 celcius when idle
in the red corner we have the Nuvoton NCT68776F showing 45 celcius at idle
idle being browsing with firefox and a handful of tabs

sometimes the difference between the two readings can be up to 25C, but mostly if hangs around 15c difference.
from searching around the net, i understand that there are discrepancies and that reading temperatures on computers is not an exact science, i would however like to know, which reading is most likely the most acurate. I dont play many games but i do write and record music, and a heavy load can make the temperatures soar! the other night i had a reading of over 75c from the nuvoton, the amd showed 60c, high enough to make me stop what i was doing and go back to browsing.
i will be buying a water block and rad, something along the lines of a coolermaster sedion 120 or antec kuhler h2O 620, as the stock cooler is very very noisy, i feel like im inside an aeroplane sometimes. but until then......
thanks in advance
allan

 

[Martin]

As first please tell me which mainboard model do you have. I want to make sure HWiNFO is properly adjusted for your model.
As for the value under the "CPU #0 AMD FX-8320" sensor, this comes directly from the CPU internal sensor. However later AMD CPU models (including yours) have an extremely inaccurate sensor, which doesn't give valid results at lower temperatures. I don't know exactly how inaccurate it is and what temperature is a threshold for returning more reliable values, but it should give more precise data when closer to the critical temperature point. AMD has admitted this problem, but they haven't provided any solution for it. So my opinion is not to trust that value much, especially at lower temperatures.

 

[franglais]

As first please tell me which mainboard model do you have. I want to make sure HWiNFO is properly adjusted for your model.

DOH! schoolboy error!! sorry
i have an Asus M5A87.
thanks

 

[Martin]

Have you tried to check the temperatures using a tool from ASUS ? It should show same values as in HWiNFO.

 

[franglais]

ive have just installed PCProbe2 (tested the results and hastily uninstalled!!) and it agrees with the Nuvoton reading, disappointing in a way, i had hoped that the AMD reading would be the accurate one, first of all seeing as it's always lower!
as AMD state their max temperature should not exceed 62c, (edit: actually, according to the AMD spec sheet for piledriver, AMD don't say anything about max temps, i read 62c elsewhere it seems) for this chip, to have it running at 50 odd Celsius when idle, suggests a major design flaw in the stock cooler or maybe i have it seated really badly! :-/
many thanks for your time in writing the software and your hasty responses to my question, all much appreciated.
regards.

 

[Martin]

You're welcome.