HWInfo shows 6600k core temps below ambient and CPU Package idling at 50C

[aelix]

Hi all

I recently started OC'ing my 6600k and ran some benchmarks while monitoring with HWInfo to make sure voltages and temps were OK. I found that HWInfo reports my CPU Package idling at 50C minimum but only peaking at 70C, while the motherboard CPU temp measurement is 36-38C idle and peaks at 60C or thereabouts. I know CPU Package is an average of the highest temp measurement from the CPU, but it seems strange that it's never going below 50C given that other users report temps roughly in line with motherboard CPU temp readings.

Separately, when I look at individual core temps I see that they are coming in at 13-18C under idle when my room temp is 20C and case temp is around 28C. This also seems off.

Should I worry about my high CPU Package temps or just ignore them as everything else looks OK? Oh, when I reset everything to stock in the BIOS the temps are the same, and other software such as HWMonitor also report the large discrepancy I see in HWInfo.

 

[Martin]

This might indicate there's some problem with the CPU Digital Thermal Sensor (DTS), which doesn't provide accurate values, especially in the lower range.
Intel's DTS sensors had lower accuracy in the lower range (<50 C) in the past as described here: https://www.hwinfo.com/forum/threads/cpu-core-temperature-measuring-facts-fictions.148/
but that should be resolved in later models. Perhaps yours has some problem here.
The other CPU temperature is most probably the external (socket) temperature, which explains the difference.

 

[aelix]

This might indicate there's some problem with the CPU Digital Thermal Sensor (DTS), which doesn't provide accurate values, especially in the lower range.
Intel's DTS sensors had lower accuracy in the lower range (<50 C) in the past as described here: https://www.hwinfo.com/forum/threads/cpu-core-temperature-measuring-facts-fictions.148/
but that should be resolved in later models. Perhaps yours has some problem here.
The other CPU temperature is most probably the external (socket) temperature, which explains the difference.

Thanks Martin for your prompt and helpful response. I gather than since my CPU Package temps never go higher than 75C even under long stress testing load I don't really need to worry about the high (and probably erroneous) idle temps? Particularly given that the motherboard CPU socket temp (which appears to be the one that shows up in BIOS too) sits in the range 36-60C from idle to heavy load.

 

[Martin]

Yes, I think there's no need to worry.