Difference between CPU and CPU Heatsink temps.? (not an overheating question)

[macdudesir]

Let me start by saying, this is NOT an overheating question...Im just bored and curious is all, lol . I was wondering if this difference between the CPU and CPU heatsink temp is too large...My CPU is 47C and the heatsink is 33C...under full load, the CPU will (peak) be at 95C and the heatsink about 55C...is that normal?...just wondering

 

[Schtumple]

CPU temp is a reading from the CPU directly, where as the heatsink is the heatsink, so the majority of the heat has dissipated already from the fans.

That's pretty much it, temps will be different, when your CPU is at the highest temp, your fans are at the fastest speed, so chances are the temps will be at the highest difference, definitely nothing to worry about.

 

[macdudesir]

CPU temp is a reading from the CPU directly, where as the heatsink is the heatsink, so the majority of the heat has dissipated already from the fans.

That's pretty much it, temps will be different, when your CPU is at the highest temp, your fans are at the fastest speed, so chances are the temps will be at the highest difference, definitely nothing to worry about.

Ok, thanks. I wasn't really worried about it as my computer isn't shutting off or anything...I just thought i saw somewhere that a big difference between the two could be bad application of thermal paste.

 

[okamiokami]

Let me start by saying, this is NOT an overheating question...Im just bored and curious is all, lol . I was wondering if this difference between the CPU and CPU heatsink temp is too large...My CPU is 47C and the heatsink is 33C...under full load, the CPU will (peak) be at 95C and the heatsink about 55C...is that normal?...just wondering

A little difference is expected, but 40 degrees is a bit too much. It might mean that the thermal coupling is not perfect. You should expect a temperature difference of 20-25 degrees TOPS, usually during CPU-intensive tasks, such as video encoding (and sometimes Flash gaming).