▷ Processor temperature: what is tj max, tcase and tunion?

Checking the temperature of the processor of our PC is something that all users should do often. We do not say that it is necessary to have it continuously monitored, but we do periodically check values ​​such as CPU Package, Tunion, and check that these values ​​are always lower than Tj Max. What does this all mean? Well, right now we will see.

Index of contents

Currently, we have a lot of applications to measure the temperature of the processor completely free of charge. In fact, we even have gadgets for our desktop with programs like Rainmeter or similar. Today we will try to see as completely as possible everything about the temperature of the processor.

Why Control CPU Temperature

Our processor is one of the elements, if not the most, that the higher the temperature can get through its operation. Through it pass all the instructions of the programs, operating system and devices. To this we must add its high working frequency, which sometimes touch 5 GHz and cause the temperature to shoot up with the passage of energy through its nuclei.

This is why a good cooling system is as important as buying any other piece of equipment. What's more, today a computer will not work unless we put a heatsink on it, since Thermal Throttling will activate to protect the integrity of our CPU, turning off the PC even if necessary. Then we will see what this system is about.

In the market we have many CPU models and also two main manufacturers, AMD and Intel. In general, we must say that AMD has always had hotter processors than Intel, because as a general rule, they have always been more frequent than Intel. In the Ryzen era, it is true that this matter has improved a lot and we have similar temperatures in both manufacturers, but still above AMD. For this reason, AMD has always included better and more effective heatsinks in its CPUs, compared to the excessively basic ones of Intel.

Processor temperature related terms

Let's now look at some terms that are related to the temperature of our CPU. These can be found in many programs or even in the specifications of the manufacturers and data sheet of the CPU.

TjMax or Tjunction

Also called T Junction or maximum junction temperature. This term refers to the maximum temperature that a processor is capable of withstanding in its matrix, that is, in its processing cores.

We know that an external aspect processor is a PCB with an encapsulation in the shape of a square or silver rectangle. We call this IHS or Integrated Thermal Diffuser (DTS), and its function is to capture all the temperature of the processor cores and transfer it to the heatsink that this element has installed. As you can suppose, the phenomenon of thermal conduction means that temperatures always tend to go from the hottest to the coldest area, and that is why we will not have the same value precisely in the cores as in the IHS.

Tj Max is the maximum temperature that the cores of a processor are capable of supporting. Be careful, the nuclei, not your IHS. For this, inside each CPU we have sensors that measure the temperature of each of its cores. In this way the board will automatically manage the current flow to the CPU based on this Tj Max temperature.

Each manufacturer offers the maximum temperatures supported by its processors in the core. Normally an unlocked processor (which allows overclocking) must have a higher Tj Max than a locked one so we will notice a better build quality in its internal matrix.

Tunion

We move on to the next definition. Tunion is the temperature that is recorded at all times in the processor core. This temperature is what we must know whenever we are working on our equipment and we want to monitor our CPU.

This temperature is measured at the junctions of the transistors, where the highest temperatures of a processor are normally recorded in order to know with complete fidelity how close or far we are from Tj Max.

Each core will have a temperature sensor that will tell us what temperature it has. Depending on the workload of each core, we will have a different Tunion, sometimes being very far between cores that are glued together.

TCase

Tcase on the other hand is the temperature that is measured in the IHS of the processor, that is to say in its encapsulation, which will always be different from the one marked within a core. So that's the fundamental difference between Tcase and Tjunction, they are not the same nor do they represent the same. Tcase is measured on the outside of the package and at the geometric center of the CPU IHS in laboratory tests.

Intel itself defines Tcase as "the maximum temperature allowed in the IHS of a CPU". In fact, unless we don't have a sensor placed between the heatsink and the IHS, we won't be able to know for sure at what temperature the processor's encapsulation is. But rest assured that this will always be less than the core temperature.

Tcase for example can be the temperature displayed in a liquid cooling sensor that has a sensor attached to its copper base. In any case, the one we should always know is the core temperature.

Thermal Throttling

It is a system by which a slower electronic component is made to avoid damage to the structure due to temperature. The VRM of the motherboard will limit energy consumption and, consequently, the working frequency, thus never exceeding the Tj Max temperature.

If you want to know more about Thermal Throttling

CPU Package

This measurement is usually present in many temperature monitoring programs. This value represents the average temperature in a 256 ms space of the hottest CPU core. If for example we have the temperature of one core at 31 degrees and another at 27, the CPU Package will mark those 31 degrees as the package temperature.

In other programs, CPU Package could be directly the average between the temperatures recorded in each core. We consider that the most correct would be the measurement in the first case, in order to know with good hand what maximum temperatures a processor has registered in the measured working time.

Processor temperature range

What does all this nomenclature translate into? Well, it will help us to identify the maximum temperature of our CPU, and also be able to identify the temperatures in real time that the sensors of the programs we use mark.

Generally speaking, any monitoring or monitoring program has at least the ability to read the temperature sensors of the cores of a processor and provide a CPU Package to better guide us in the recorded temperatures. It is for example the one that we use to see the temperature results of a PC in the analyzes.

It is always better to know the Tunion or temperature of the cores, and in this case, the considerations depending on the temperatures will be:

• Less than 40 degrees: This temperature will be phenomenal for our processor. It is a normal temperature for a processor at rest and with a good cooling system, such as liquid cooling. Between 40 and 60 degrees: it is a more than satisfactory temperature in half load and normal use of a PC. If full is in these registers, it means you have a great heatsink. Between 60 and 70 degrees: it is also a good temperature when we are playing and using programs that load the CPU a lot. If this is not your case, you should see if your heatsink is well installed, with thermal paste or if it is not very small. Between 70 and 80 degrees: we have already entered our own CPU temperatures with overclocking and working at full capacity. We should review the performance of our heatsink, dust and thermal paste and consider making a change or introducing more fans in the chassis. Between 80 and 90 degrees - This is a temperature at which thermal throttling possibly comes into play on locked CPUs. It is high and we must consider changing the heatsink or greatly improve the ventilation of our chassis. Over 90: Only processors that allow overclocking are capable of withstanding such temperatures. And even so they are detrimental to the structure of it and the motherboard. We must avoid at all costs exceeding 90 degrees on any PC.

Types of heatsinks for our CPU

To control the processor temperature of our equipment we need a refrigeration system, and in the market we can basically find two types of systems.

Heatsink with fans

It consists of a block of aluminum, copper, or both together. It is placed on top of the CPU to capture all the heat and distribute it through its aluminum fins. Then a fan-forced airflow will pass through them to remove all of this heat.

Liquid refrigeration

This system consists of a copper block provided with a pump that is installed on the CPU. A liquid will circulate through it in a closed circuit that transports this heat to a radiator where fans will have been placed to cool the liquid that will again go to the block.

Programs to measure CPU temperature

We only have to know how to measure the temperature of our CPU in the PC, specifically in Windows 10, which is the system that we all use the most. For this we already have an article citing the main applications that this function does. One that we use for our tests is HwInfo64 which works very well and is free.

Visit the article on how to know the PC temperature in Windows 10

Conclusion and recommended links

We already know more about the different nomenclatures that manufacturers and programs use to refer to the processor temperature. It is something that we must always have controlled, even if it is from time to time, since the chassis fills with dust, the thermal paste evaporates and stops working well. This is reason for temperatures to increase and reduce the life of our CPU.

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• Best processors on the market

And if you want to know more about our hardware guides, here are some related to the topic. What did you think of our article on processor temperature? Did you know what Tj Max or Tcase meant? We are waiting your comments!