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    Fluctuating Idle GPU temp normal?

    Discussion in 'Gaming (Software and Graphics Cards)' started by chocolambot, Apr 20, 2008.

  1. chocolambot

    chocolambot Notebook Consultant

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    I know I have asked this in various threads but i haven't got a comforting/conclusive answer.

    My GPU temperature fluctuates from 58 to 72 (when the fan kicks in and drops it back to 58) each cycle takes a few minutes. The laptop is propped up, to allow for airflow. I am using an 8600M GT DDR3 in an M1530 (NOT AN ASUS, I know they are always running hot).

    The possibilities from this I can think of are

    1) Program running in the background using the GPU (I have tried using vista basic settings, virus scanning and spyware scanning, but there doesn't seem to be an issue)

    2) Damaged Card (I haven't over clocked, i DID use a driver 169.25 from LV2G, but I was watching it's temp later on and it never got the card hotter than 83 so that really shouldn't damage this card)

    3) Remenants of a bad driver are left behined, making the card work up extra heat (i have used Driver Cleaner and re-installed the dell official driver)

    4) This is normal (I haven't had a similar report from anyone with an M1530)

    PLEASE HELP!
     
    chocolambot, Apr 20, 2008
    #1
  2. pukemon

    pukemon are you unplugged?

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    it could be normal. i don't know. i idle at 74 on a sager 2092. i wish mine idled lower.
     
    pukemon, Apr 20, 2008
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  3. WILLY S

    WILLY S I was saying boo-urns

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    It's normal. Your card is always drawing power as it produces whatever you see on your monitor at a set refresh rate. If your browsing alot of web pages or viewing pictures/videos your temps will be higher than if you were viewing just text. My fans kick off when either the cpu or gpu reach 60-62C and idle at 50 with fans on or with my notebook cooler.
     
    WILLY S, Apr 20, 2008
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  4. zipx2k5

    zipx2k5 Notebook Consultant

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    Don't worry about this, it's completely normal. The reason it heats up while "idling" is because the fan isn't running all the time (it doesn't need to me) and the GPU is still using power to render whatever webpage/image/program you're looking at. The fan just comes on at a certain threshold to stop the card from heating up indefinitely. You can notice the same happen for CPU temps as well.

    Your GPU also has roughly the same temp range as mine at idle (58-69C) if you wanted another M1530 to compare it to.
     
    zipx2k5, Apr 20, 2008
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  5. chocolambot

    chocolambot Notebook Consultant

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    So your fan kicks in at 69? Is there a reason mine does at 72? or is this a negligable difference?

    I would have thought all fans have the same temp trigger, My cpu can get up to 59-60, is this normal too?
     
    chocolambot, Apr 21, 2008
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