Intel Core i7 4960X EE CPU / Asus X79-Deluxe Motherboard Review

We measured the Core i7 4960X CPU's temperatures using HWMonitor version 1.23. The readings from CPUID's monitoring software varied to those from the Asus motherboard's own utility by up to 10°C. This is something to bear in mind.

We measured the CPU's temperature after five minutes of idling and five minutes of Prime95 load (small FFTs setting). The Corsair H100i CPU cooler's fans were operating from Asus' ‘standard' PWM profile. The maximum fan speed was around 2300 RPM under load.

Our graphs show actual temperatures of the CPU, not delta temperatures. Ambient temperature was maintained at 22°C.

IVB-E seems to operate at pleasing temperatures, even when overclocked using relatively high voltages. By comparison, we put the same 1.40V through our retail 3930K chip (which, due to different LLC settings, was actually 1.408V when loaded, as opposed to the 4960X's 1.424V) and registered a load temperature of 84°C when overclocked to 4.80GHz, and the H100i fans' speeds were higher.

At stock, SB-E received 48mV less voltage than our 4960X sample, but also registered a load temperature that was 1°C higher. CPU cooler fan speeds for either chips were almost identical. Use our temperature readings as a reference only, though, because they were recorded using the Asus motherboard's default PWM profile.

Based on our sample, Ivy Bridge-E seems more forgiving in regards to temperatures than SB-E is. This is good news for users looking to push their CPU voltage higher to achieve greater overclocks, as it doesn't mean that high-end watercooling setups are a necessity. Coupled with the IVB-E processor's lowered power consumption, it also means that watercooling users are given fewer headaches when adding their GPU(s) or motherboard into the loop.

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