~15C temp difference between temp reported by NVIDIA system monitor and HWMonitor

I consistently see a difference of ~15C, in the temperatures reported for my CPU by the NVIDIA system monitor and HWMonitor.
Please check the attached screen - these are the idle temps.

Is 50C a better estimate for the CPU idle temp or is it expected to be in the upper 60's? I have a 6860fx with the stock CPU - all factory settings.

However, HWMonitor, GPU-Z and NVIDIA Sys Mon all display the same temp for the GPU.

Am I missing something obvious..?

Thanks!

 

Honestly you shouldn't really worry about CPU temps unless you 100% it hours on end. No biggy man

 

Low 50's is ok, but it shouldnt idle any higher than that really, unless youve got an extreme series, which you dont. Are you sure the fan is working properly? If it is your thermal compund may be losing its effectivness. As for the difference, I never checked that myself. I dont use the Nvidia montior, I am more prone to believe the HWMonitor myself.

 

HWMonitor is pretty much the standard everyone uses for comparison. Your temps are about ten degrees high across the board. Not a problem really, but you might want to try cleaning the vents with compressed air. Are you using your computer at normal room temp? Are you propping up the notebook to get good air circulation underneath?

IIRC, changing the thermal compound for the CPU is fairly easy, but getting access to the GPU requires taking your computer apart, so I would only do the GPU if my highs were in the 80's.

 

Thanks Starcub... Well my laptop is a year old now..I havent cleaned the vents yet and yes Im using it in a room at abt 70-75F..pretty standard room temp I wld assume, and no I dont have it propped up.
As for the GPU in the high 80s..Iahve seen it go to ~80C whne playing some of the latest games, I blv the max I ahve seen is 79C
You say that the temps across the board are abt 10C higher..hmm..well I need to think of smthng, IM soon going to upgrade to X7900 and for sure its going to run hotter.

 

Thanks!

The fan does work..I do hear it once in a while..as for the thermal compound..IM not sure..either ways Im getting an extreme series proc..so I'll reapply the thermal compound.

 

Well, depending on how dusty the ambient environment is, you can get significant build-up on your fan vents in just a year. I've seen blocked air vents lower temps by 10degC before, so it sounds like some compressed air would be in order. You'll also find that propping the laptop up (I use bottlecaps from old salad dressing containers) will shave 5-10degC off your temps.