Intel admits Ivy Bridge runs hot when overclocked

There has been much talk about how hot Ivy Bridge chips gets when overclocked, and just as much speculation about why. Initially, most reviewers were assuming the extra heat at higher frequencies was down to an increased power density, while others said there were problems with the process. A few days ago, we reported that part of the problem may be the use of TIM between the die and the heatspreader. The Inquirer have reported that Intel have admitted the chips are hotter than Sandy Bridge when overclocked.

The admission comes as little surprise, they couldn't deny what most reviews have found. It has been confirmed that there is a higher power density, which leads to some of the heat generation. Also, the report says that "Intel has confirmed that it is using "a different package thermal technology" on its Ivy Bridge processors". It seems the extra heat when overclocked is how the chip is designed to be, and the chips all meet operating conditions under specified conditions (i.e. at stock clock speeds).

When all is said and done, Ivy Bridge offers reduced power consumption when run at stock speeds, and a combination of factors is causing the chips to generate high temperatures when overclocked. Maybe some of the issues will be corrected by the next stepping.