Motherboard running rather hot while gaming

Case: Antec 1200
Mobo: Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD3R
CPU: Intel i7 950 (stock cooler)
GPU: EVGA GeForce 570 GTX
RAM: 2x 2 GB (4 GB total) DDR3 dual-channel Corsair
OS: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit

This is my first build and it's brand new. I had no problems putting it all together in a few hours one evening and I consider myself to be pretty good with computers. Not to brag or anything like that! Just saying I've been fiddling with them since I was in diapers and I have a good amount of experience under my belt, just not with certain things yet.

Recently while playing many of the latest games maxed out without a hitch my motherboard has been running hot and like anyone who's ever built a computer it scares the life out of me. I checked HWMonitor and saw that my motherboard sometimes reached temperatures of around 52 - 78c (the number 78 obviously being what's scaring me). I was wondering if such a temperature is normal and if not what the problem could be.

Air flow in my case is phenomenal and besides having to ship back a faulty GPU and reseat my CPU my first build has been a very large success which I am enjoying tremendously. There is literally almost no dust in my case due to it being very new as previously mentioned and my RAM sticks are in the correct slots for dual-channel mode. My cable management is pretty great in my opinion with only cables from my PSU lingering in the bottom of the case. At any given opportunity I ran my cables behind my mobo. Air flow should definitely not be a problem because my CPU only goes up to about 60c and my GPU only goes up to about 80c.

Thank you very much in advance.

I take Drukqs

Posted 2011-01-14T22:39:28.357

Reputation: 191

How are you checking your temperatures? – ubiquibacon – 2011-01-14T22:45:42.003

As I see it, first step would be to determine which part of the motherboard is hot. Check heatsinks and see if any of them are very hot. It could be normal, but on the other hand maybe manufacturer forgot to put thermal paste/pad under heatsink for whatever northbridge is called these days or something like that. Maybe the motherboard needs an additional fan fomewhere for its cooling? – AndrejaKo – 2011-01-14T23:01:27.557

I'm checking my temperatures via HWMonitor, typoknig. – I take Drukqs – 2011-01-15T00:38:01.330

Answers

I have a motherboard where the "PWM" temperature sensor continually reads 10°C hotter than the CPU, hitting 85°C when gaming. Considering it's been like that for 3 years, I think you're fine.

Realistically, most mosfets are specced up to a maximum junction temperature of 125°C, so the real worry is baking the electrolytes out of the capacitors. Assuming you mobo has solid caps, you should be fine.

Fake Name

Posted 2011-01-14T22:39:28.357

Reputation: 2 134

1I understand and I agree. I was thinking the same thing but seeing as it's my first build, it's brand new, and I spent a lot of money on it, I'm kinda paranoid about these things. Thanks for your help. – I take Drukqs – 2011-01-15T16:04:34.837

It's good to be paranoid sometimes. – None – 2011-01-16T00:14:59.357

~~As it's your first build, have you checked that the fans are pointing in the right direction?~~

~~I've built several computers in my life and I always miss something simple, so no offence implied.~~

We've been discussing this in the shop here, and we can't think of anything obvious. It's a good case, good CPU, good board, etc.

Is there a possibility that you're overclocking? Otherwise, as AndrejaKo suggests, you might need another fan.

user3463

Posted 2011-01-14T22:39:28.357

Reputation:

I understand but the fans were pre-installed in HDD cages with the Antec 1200; there's no way to mess up the direction they go in as they're all there by default. Just plug 'em in. – I take Drukqs – 2011-01-14T23:06:37.040

I've updated my answer. – None – 2011-01-14T23:13:15.473

I am not overclocked at all and my GPU is not superclocked. Stock settings. Optimized defaults in bios. Anything else I can provide you with that may help? – I take Drukqs – 2011-01-15T00:11:31.490

I'm going to bow out of this discussion now. @Fake Name suggests that you may be operating within normal range. – None – 2011-01-15T01:47:12.423

Understood. I appreciate your answers very much. – I take Drukqs – 2011-01-15T16:03:43.073