Aurora R11, runs dangerously HOT! 100C/212F?

Air cooling is the issue with that build. Dell uses a low profile cooler in a less than ideal case, restricting air flow.

On top of that they hinge the PSU on a contraption that puts the PSU right on top of the CPU, causing an even larger restriction of air flow on and around the CPU.

Low profile cooler + poor airflow = high CPU temperatures.

This board has multiple postings about high CPU temperatures with air cooling.

This case and setup needs liquid cooling to be able to perform to it's proper spec. Without it you get what you have.

I 101% agree Dell should not sell systems that cannot cool the CPU down to proper levels. This system obviously cannot cool itself down properly.

You CAN aircool an i9 10900F, but not with the ridiculously small cooler Dell includes with it. I put a Noctua NH-U9S on my 10900F (in a G5 case) and it keeps it under 25 at idle and 65 in games. Zero throttling and very quiet.

Not sure if you have space for this in your machine though because of the way the PSU folds over the CPU in the Aurora. But maybe a Noctua NH-L12S would fit? You have to measure before you buy.

Ouch! Then liquid cooling it is.

If you are going water cooled make sure you order the VRM heatsink otherwise you may trade one problem for another. 

Thanks everyone for responding. Since this is my first ever Dell computer purchase, and I've yet to receive any response from Dell for a question I sent yesterday, I'd like to ask a few Dell warranty / service related questions here hoping anyone who has experience can help.

I seriously want to keep this computer because I waited so long for this RTX 3090 R11. I cancelled an MSI RTX 3080 computer for this and if I have to return this R11, I won't be able to buy that MSI computer again because it's out of stock atm. This is something I want to avoid. 

So here are the problems I have with this R11:

1. It trips my AFCI breaker in my home office (can't even boot). I tested everything and I'm sure it's the PSU this R11 comes with that generates enough noise to trip the AFCI. I cannot move this computer anywhere else in my house. I documented the tests I did in another thread on the forum.
2. The overheating issue described above.

So in order to keep this computer, I need to resolve these 2 issues. And I don't want to void the warranty doing so. Here are my questions:

1. Can I ask Dell to send out a technician to swap out the PSU and add a liquid cooler? Is there anyway I can pay for the liquid cooler and have a tech come out to install it for me? The PSU and the air cooler are not adequate so I believe the labor should be covered by the warranty.
2. I read on the forum so I know changing the case fans or components won't void the warranty. However I seriously want to change the case. This is a bit extreme but the case itself is to blame for the overheating issue. But I'm 99.99% sure if I change the case myself I'll definitely void the warranty. Does Dell sell a different case for the R11? I'll pay for the parts and labor if Dell can do it for me, so I stay within warranty terms.

I read on another thread here so I know Dell can swap out a faulty PSU. But I also want to change whatever is necessary so that my R11 has adequate cooling. Right now I cannot use the computer at all for the purpose I bought it for.

Hi @samvanity and nice beast

1. Someone else had the AFCI breaker problem, maybe you need to replace the breaker

2. I would get onto Dell aftersales, order the CPU cooling and VRM heatsink. I believe Air-cooling is pointless too in the nano-case.

3. If you still have airflow issues, add an upper front fan in the HDD bay on a Y cable with the front fan

My 3080 is aftermarket and not a blower and was causing CPU temp problems. I did resolve my 100° CPU to 80° with this intake fan, not enough for me, out of warranty I eventually rebuilt around my GPU in a new case --> 50°.

Pushing zip ties throughUpper front intake fan fits nicelyTrimmed zip ties

Dell doesn't sell a different size case for the R11, just the 2 color options.

They will replace parts that Dell determines to be defective under warranty.  I doubt they will do a free upgrade under warranty from air to liquid cooling. You can buy the AIO from them and self install though.  

How about something like this? https://www.newegg.ca/cooler-master-masterair-map-t6pn-218pc-r1/p/13C-000X-003C8 (40 mm) or this https://www.amazon.ca/Cryorig-Flow-Heatsink-47mm-Mini/dp/B0177GTV9U (50mm)

The second one is supposed to handle 95W CPUs according to what I read on some forums.

Might be a cheaper solution than buying the (probably overpriced) Dell AIO.

@Anonymous  got it! And here I was thinking my G5 case takes the crown for worst airflow.  I had no idea the Aurora had bigger airflow challenges, especially since Dell positions it as a machine for serious gaming. How is one supposed to do serious gaming when a basic requirement such as cooling and airflow is not met? I was this close to getting an Aurora instead of the G5. The price difference for the same config is what stopped me. Looks like I dodged a bullet.

@samvanity  regarding the VRM (Voltage Regulator Module) heatsink. I recommend getting that, especially if you're in the US where you can order it from Dell for like $5 with free shipping (here in Canada I ended up paying almost $40 CAD total from Amazon US). The VRM components are on the motherboard close to the CPU and they won't be cooled by the CPU water cooler, you'll have to rely on the airflow in the case. As the CPU draws more power, the VRM heats up. It can take way more heat than the CPU, but it's still a good idea to help keep it cool. One sign that the VRM is overheating is when you run CPU-intensive tasks and the CPU seems to be at a decent temperature but the PC abruptly shuts down. That's the VRM reaching 105 degrees (or 110, not sure) degrees and shutting down to avoid damage. Very unlikely in normal gaming, more likely if you run really long CPU stress tests or rendering (I'm talking many hours here).

If you use HWinfo to monitor your temps, take a look at the "VR VCC Temperature" sensor. Mine right now is at 44, while the CPU is at 23, so it runs hotter than the CPU normally.

Some high-end motherboards even add a tiny fan on the VRM heatsink to keep it well cooled.

@markburv looks like an interesting project for sure! I used to build computers myself back in college. It's been 10 years and I'm out of touch with a lot of these things. Eventually I will need a new case I'm sure, but I just got the computer ... I just saw how the PSU in R11 works and I'm like (insert profanity here)...

@samvanity I will let @Anonymous confirm, but yes the 4th fan I think is for the upper front fan which is the biggest improvement for CPU cooling imo. I would suggest doing it asap and see if your CPU suffers less before spending on an AIO watercooler.

As for the h80 I think it has a thicker radiator, you cannot go past 80mm with fans in a pull/push config as this means the radiator must be < 30mm thick. 

The VRM doesn't have the heatsinks on them with air cooler, the cpu fan blows air over them. So if you don't get the heatsink when water cooling they will get very hot. 

@bertro514 Some high-end motherboards even add a tiny fan on the VRM heatsink to keep it well cooled.

I added a 60mm fan, after trying other places, I placed it on the VRM inspired by @r72019, connected to CPU fan (3pin) fixed speed.

Start her up and check fans