Thinkpads Forum

As the subj says, what's a good temperature range that I should keep the CPU and GPU in? Let's see your TP Fan Control configs

Thanks!

all under 80 deg C.

Occasionally you can have the CPU go to 85 deg C top, but not the GPU. That is for nVidia cards though, Intel ones could go to 85-ish safely.

I can def feel the computer slow down when it gets into the 60C+ range. I am not asking about the ceiling temperature at which the CPU will fail. I'd like to know the optimum performance range. I.e. the highest temp without affecting performance and the lowest temp for not overworking the fan too much.

Thanks!

Your system shouldn't slow down at 60c, that's normal operating temp, the fan won't even go on at that temp. A normal range at idle should be about 65c (cpu) and 60c (gpu) +/- 5c

Throttling won't occur until you get close to 90c.

TPFC won't report GPU temp on intel graphics. The gpu is integrated into the chipset, so has not dedicated temp sensor.

ps. I'll also add that the heating/cooling cycles are hard on the nVidia chips more so then extreme temps, so avoid unnecessary shutdown/standby. Best to keep it at a steady normal temp because the materials expand at different rates, so heating/cooling can lead to fractures within the chip. You can have millions of fractures without a problem, but it only takes one in a critical area and your board is toast.

TuuS wrote:A normal range at idle should be about 65c (cpu) and 60c (gpu) +/- 5c

that is kinda high temps for idle, I dont let my laptops reach those levels at idle.

---

CPUs cant fail from high temps. Those have internal protections and so will shut down your laptop if things get out of control. I'm yet to see a now-a-days CPU fail from overheating. Back in the day (some 20-ish years ago) overheating CPU would simply stop responding and the system would freeze, but would still be fine after some cool down time and restart.

The bios or TPfancontrol don't turn on the fan until it reaches mid 60s as measured by the board sensor. The internal chip sensor may be different. If I run my fan on manual, it will idle at 40-50c, but in smart or bios mode, the fan won't even come on until it reaches 60-65.

the smart TPFanControl mode has predefined temperature steps by the author of the program, and he states that he wants more quiet laptop thus would not turn on the fan unless it's really needed, therefore you see higher temps.

Edit the levels for the smart mode for your likings. I have custom levels for my nVidia T61 and different custom levels for my Intel T61. You can change those in the TPfancontrol.ini file, it's all described there.

P.S. I also had to adjust the GPU reading sensor to show what all other programs show for GPU temps, as they read the temp from within the GPU while TPFancontrol reads it from a sensor that sits next to the GPU socket, thus is a little off - in my case with some 3 degrees.

Same thing goes for the CPU temp reading, but it's the closest to the real CPU temp if you run Penryn CPU on older T61 board that pops up the "temperature sensing error", just like mine. I believe I've explained that in another thread recently.

What would be the appropriate TPFC setting for a T61 (not the P suffix)?

I had it 10C below the as delivered settings, as below:
Level=50 0
Level=55 1
Level=60 3
Level=70 7

But then thought the fan would be running too much, so I split the difference and currently have it at:
Level=55 0
Level=60 1
Level=65 3
Level=70 7
Although I would rather have to replace a fan than a cooked CPU.

For reference the settings as provided by the author of TPFC is:
Level=60 0
Level=65 1
Level=75 3
Level=80 7
Level=90 64

Running TPFC on manual I seem to have only 2 speeds
1 = 2900-3000
3 = 3000 (not sure of this one, it might simply be a variation of #1 as the rpm is about the same)
7 = 3500

Thanks

my nVidia T61:

Level=30 0
Level=40 1
Level=50 1
Level=55 3

Level=65 64

--------------------------------

my Intel T61:

Level=50 0
Level=55 1
Level=60 3
Level=65 6
Level=70 64

--------------------------------

for me only 0,1,3,6, and 64 actually change fan speeds. Note I'm on XP Pro.

0 - off
1 - 2500 rpm
3 - 3000 rpm
6 - 3300 rpm
64 - 4600 rpm

CPU: X9000
room temperature: 15

For accessing Internet, office working.
CPU: 40
GPU: 38
Fan speed: Medium or low

For NFS 14
CPU: 60
GPU: 52
Fan speed: Highest

Dust in fan are cleaned every year.