CPU Fan Speed

Aug 26, 2020
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I finally ordered a new CPU, GPU, and motherboard and let me tell you it was my first time it was kind of stressing lol luckily i didn't break anything it looks i did okay even did the bios etc. There was just one more thing that was bothering me my old CPU didn't have a switch for high and low. Does it matter which i have it on will it affect perfomance in anyway if i switch it to high?

Old to New i also hope the build is okay like that? I didn't expect that size of all 3 new parts. GTX 1050 Ti To RTX 2060 Ryzen 5 1600 To Ryzen 7 3700x
ASRock B450M-HDV R4.0 To ASUS TUF Gaming B550M-Plus.

 

Zoid

Community Contributor
I finally ordered a new CPU, GPU, and motherboard and let me tell you it was my first time it was kind of stressing lol luckily i didn't break anything it looks i did okay even did the bios etc. There was just one more thing that was bothering me my old CPU didn't have a switch for high and low. Does it matter which i have it on will it affect perfomance in anyway if i switch it to high?

Old to New i also hope the build is okay like that? I didn't expect that size of all 3 new parts. GTX 1050 Ti To RTX 2060 Ryzen 5 1600 To Ryzen 7 3700x
ASRock B450M-HDV R4.0 To ASUS TUF Gaming B550M-Plus.

Congrats on the new upgrade!

The high / low switch on your Wraith CPU cooler controls the cooler, not the CPU. I believe the only thing the high / low switch controls is the maximum RPM that the fan can spin to, so the only difference when you turn it to high is that it will "unlock" higher max fan speeds. I forget where I put my Wraith documentation off hand so I don't recall the exact RPM difference.

I would recommend monitoring your temps while your CPU is under load to see how high they get. On that cooler, I would expect them to reach the 60s or 70s while gaming and the 80s under full 100% synthetic load. If you turn the switch to "high" you should get better cooling under load, but it will be louder as well.

I would generally recommend running it on "high." That will reduce the likelihood of thermal throttling and will prolong the lifespan of your CPU. If the noise of the cooler becomes an issue, rather than sacrificing cooling, I'd recommend getting an aftermarket CPU cooler.
 
Aug 26, 2020
22
20
1,515
Visit site
Congrats on the new upgrade!

The high / low switch on your Wraith CPU cooler controls the cooler, not the CPU. I believe the only thing the high / low switch controls is the maximum RPM that the fan can spin to, so the only difference when you turn it to high is that it will "unlock" higher max fan speeds. I forget where I put my Wraith documentation off hand so I don't recall the exact RPM difference.

I would recommend monitoring your temps while your CPU is under load to see how high they get. On that cooler, I would expect them to reach the 60s or 70s while gaming and the 80s under full 100% synthetic load. If you turn the switch to "high" you should get better cooling under load, but it will be louder as well.

I would generally recommend running it on "high." That will reduce the likelihood of thermal throttling and will prolong the lifespan of your CPU. If the noise of the cooler becomes an issue, rather than sacrificing cooling, I'd recommend getting an aftermarket CPU cooler.

Thank you i will switch it now also it came with pre applied thermal paste on the cooler does that usually last long or should i buy and apply my own?
 

Zoid

Community Contributor
Thank you i will switch it now also it came with pre applied thermal paste on the cooler does that usually last long or should i buy and apply my own?
The pre-applied thermal paste is fine. You could probably get a few degrees cooler by applying your own specialty thermal paste, but 90% of people (myself included) use the pre-applied solution.

In an ideal world you might want to replace your thermal paste every few years, especially if you notice your temps climbing, but in reality most folks never change it unless the cooler gets removed. Just keep an eye on your cooling, and if the temps are too high for your liking then either reevaluate your thermal paste or (more likely) upgrade your cooler.
 

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