[Solved] What is the normal temperature of a CPU

[jojoke13]

Hi everyone !
I hope you are doing well !

I have my framework laptop (i5) since last month, and trying to configure it the best I could.

I have 2 OSes on it :

• Manjaro with 5.15 kernel that I use most of the time
• Windows 10 that I barely use

I installed tlp and set only restrictions on battery mode and not touching anything with ac.

When I am on battery mode, I have pretty good performances (just not playing 60 fps videos because …not the topic), a honorable battery life (7 hours with every expansion card connected) and a steady 40°C on the CPU.
When I’m on AC, however, my CPU goes to 60°-70°C with a matter of seconds and fans blowing quite loudly.

My question is - is it an acceptable and normal temperature ?

Thanks in advance,
Kind Regards,
Joseph

[Proximus]

Yes, normal. Remember that charging your battery releases heat.

And tlp (by default if not changed) puts your cpu on powersave on battery and performance on AC. So that could also explain your higher temps on AC then battery.

[A_A]

@jojoke13

When I’m on AC, however, my CPU goes to 60°-70°C with a matter of seconds and fans blowing quite loudly.

If it’s idling at 60-70c, no.

[Jason_Dagless]

The Intel mobile chips are basically tiny little F1 engines. Not much torque but rev to like 10000rpm. That’s hot stuff.

[frensoua]

@Jason_Dagless

The Intel mobile chips are basically tiny little F1 engines. Not much torque but rev to like 10000rpm. That’s hot stuff.

Can you translate into computer language please ?

[StarrEngineer]

@frensoua

Can you translate into computer language please ?

Intel goes for the crucible model of CPU.

import sys
import time

if __name__ == "__main__":
    while True:
        if sys.cpu_load > 20 and sys.clock_freq > 4.0:
            sys.temperature = 90
        else:
            sys.temperature = max(40, sys.temperature - 0.5)
        time.sleep(1)

[OxyMagnesium]

@StarrEngineer

        if sys.cpu_load > 20 and sys.clock_freq > 4.0:
            sys.temperature = 90
        else:
            sys.temperature = max(40, sys.temperature - 0.5)

Ha I wish these things could sustain 100% load at 3.9 GHz at just 90 C

In all seriousness though, high temps under medium loads appears to be normal with these chips because the default boost aggressiveness when plugged in is super high. It’s safe as long as this is actually under some sort of load and not idling as someone mentioned.

If you do want to avoid this behavior though, you could try enabling some power saving features to tame the beast. I’m not too familiar with Linux on desktop, but there probably should be some way to adjust the Speedshift parameters manually or at least enable the power saving mode even when plugged in. I’d try looking into that.

[A_A]

@OxyMagnesium

, but there probably should be some way to adjust

Under /sys/devices/system/cpu/

You can change TDP limits, scaling governance, energy performance balance…

e.g.
CPU frequency scaling - ArchWiki (archlinux.org)

[Proximus]

@A_A That works.

But OP has TLP installed, so he can just configure it at /etc/tlp.conf.

[jojoke13]

Thanks a lot for all you answers.
Especially @OxyMagnesium - that’s what I was hoping for - it’s the boost that makes the CPU so hot right away.
As I tried more and more different loads, I saw what you have all described - under no load at all, I stay at 40°C, and right as I start to open a web browser - the temp goes, and stays at 60-70°C.

I think I will do a “home configuration” and a “travel configuration” of TLP, and do what @Proximus said, but instead of changing my ac config, I will manually set the bat mode as a “CPU healthy mode” to stay at 40°C