You cannot you harm your system by keeping it cool and you have much to gain - speed.
For single CPU 4,1, the stock CPU's TDP (e.g. W3520) is 130W, same as the X5690 or W3690. Will the X5690 run hotter than the W3520?
h9826790,
Excellent example and question, the answer to which is:
"Probably yes and probably no because it depends."
Here're the pertinent specs:
1) Some Pertinent Intel Xeon W3520 specifications [
http://www.cpu-world.com/CPUs/Xeon/Intel-Xeon W3520 - AT80601000741AB (BX80601W3520).html ]
Frequency = 2667 MHz
Turbo frequency = 2933 MHz (1 core) = [turbo stage 2]
2800 MHz (4 cores) = [turbo stage 1]
Bus speed = 4.8 GT/s QPI (2400 MHz)
V core = 0.8V - 1.375V
Minimum/
Maximum operating temperature 5°C -
67.9°C
Minimum/Maximum power dissipation 15 Watt (TDP in C6 state) / 224.42 Watt
Thermal Design Power = 130 Watt
2) Some Pertinent Intel Xeon X5690 specifications [
http://www.cpu-world.com/CPUs/Xeon/Intel-Xeon X5690 - AT80614005913AB (BX80614X5690).html ]
Frequency = 3467 MHz
Turbo frequency = 3733 MHz (1 or 2 cores) = [turbo stage 2]
3600 MHz (3 or more cores) = [turbo stage 1]
Bus speed = 6.4 GT/s QPI (3200 MHz)
V core =0.75V - 1.35V
Maximum operating temperature = 78.5°C
Thermal Design Power = 130 Watt
The Depends Answers:
"Probably No" at idle when both are at idle or light/similar low load or when the W3520 is at heavy load vs. the X5690 at no or light load. Thus, what you're doing on the system at any point in time and the application(s) you're using are also important factors.
"Probably Yes" when they both are at max load or there're both at max load or the 3520 is at no or slight load and the X5690 is at mid or max load.
Here's why: “Rather than specifying CPU's real power dissipation, TDP serves as
the nominal value for designing CPU cooling systems.[1] [Emphasis added.] The TDP is typically not the largest amount of heat the CPU could ever generate (peak power), such as by running a power virus, but rather the maximum amount of heat that it would generate when running "real applications." This ensures the computer will be able to handle essentially all applications without exceeding its thermal envelope,
or requiring a cooling system for the maximum theoretical power (which would cost more but in favor of extra headroom for processing power).[2] [Emphasis added.] Some sources state that
the peak power for a microprocessor is usually 1.5 times the TDP rating.[3] [Emphasis added.] ” [
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal_design_power ]
There's also another reason to keep the CPUs, even if they're stock, as cool as possible. Almost all modern Intel processors have a cool feature (Yes, pun intended) called Turbo Boost. Here's how it works: Intel Turbo Boost is a technology implemented by Intel in certain versions of their Nehalem-, Sandy-Bridge-, Ivy-Bridge, and Haswell-based CPUs, including Core i5 and Core i7, that enables the processor to run above its base operating frequency via dynamic control of the CPU's clock rate.[1] It is activated when the operating system requests the highest performance state of the processor. Processor performance states are defined by the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) specification, an open standard supported by all major operating systems; no additional software or drivers are required to support the technology.[1] The design concept behind Turbo Boost is commonly referred to as "dynamic overclocking".[2]
The increased clock rate is limited by the processor's power, current and thermal limits [Empasis added], as well as the number of cores currently in use and the maximum frequency of the active cores.[1] When the workload on the processor calls for faster performance, and the processor is below its limits, the processor's clock will increase the operating frequency in regular increments as required to meet demand. Frequency increases occur in increments of 133*MHz for Nehalem microarchitecture processors and 100*MHz for Sandy/Ivy Bridge microarchitecture processors.
When any of the electrical or thermal limits are reached, the operating frequency automatically decreases in decrements of 133*MHz/100*MHz until the processor is again operating within its design limits.[1] [Emphasis added.] [
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turbo_Boost ]
Thus, when you use a utility like SMC fan control (or on a self-build a more powerful air cooler, or simi- or wholly water cooled system) even on stock CPUs, you may be able to increase you systems performance because the temperature of a core is one of the three factors used to determine whether, when and by how much it turbo boosts. Otherwise, the CPU will down clock itself or throttle if cooling is insufficient to stay within its TDP. Also, what this means is that if you have a fast processor with more cores like the X5690 and use an app that pushes it to the max, then it'll likely begin to throttle when it reaches its maximum operating temperature of 78.5°C and if you use an app that pushes the W3520 to its max, then it'll likely begin to throttle when it reaches its maximum operating temperature of 67.9°C. Even the faster QPI/buss speed of the X5690 will tend to increase the heat generated by the motherboard and the other components on the motherboard, whose speed is affected by QPI. So, for all of these reasons that's why I put it, in a summary and non-too technical sense, that an X5690 run hotter than the W3520. But also, as is fully shown above, even those with just a W3520 CPU (and haven't encountered any apparent problems) might want to use a utility such as SMC fan control or Macs Fan Control to keep it cooler when they're using taxing applications, to enable more frequent and higher turbo boosting.
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TDP is not an issue IMO. I have run two W5590s and am currently running two X5677 CPUs in my dual CPU 5,1. Both sets of CPUs had TDPs of 130 W and I have never had an issue with heat or fans. I use Macs Fan Control (better I think than SMC Fan Control) set to Auto, and have no heat or fan issues.
Lou
Lou, thanks for the heads up on Macs Fan Control. I think that I'll give it a try.
P.S. Note well (1) that of the three factors governing turbo boosting that cooling is the one that we can all usually control and (2) that controlling CPU [and GPU] temps has been one of my most important secrets (Opps, I let the Big Cat out of the bag) to having some of the world's fastest and longest lasting systems of their kind. Or to put it otherwise, why do the the very fastest benchmarks come from systems with liquid nitrogen. You cannot you harm your system by keep it cool and you have much to gain. If there were computer refrigerators/freezers sold for prices that I consider reasonable, I'd have put each one of my systems in one of them.
got some very cheap X5690's the other day and i have to go through the 2009 dual CPU upgrade again but having learnt a lot on the first time I'm going to do things a little different but plan on getting the single CPU tray for another idea.
