Intel's Crappy New Heatsink?

[paulcs]

I recently purchased an Intel PIII 933, which comes with a much larger heatsink with a much larger fan. Admittedly, my testing procedures weren't exactly scientific, but it was an informal test for my own interest, and it should have errored on the low side.

I installed the CPU first with the thermal chewing gum Intel expects us to use and then a silver-based thermal compound. I'd loop a 3D demo, restart, and at post, I'd hear the high pitch beep that Asus uses to signify a temperature problem. I repeated the process, but at post, entered the BIOS, and took a look at the temperature. (Keep in mind, the chip cools down quickly when it is not stressed.) It was inevitably ~75 C.

The silver based thermal compound helped bring the idle temperature down, but when the CPU was stressed, it was back to the danger zone.

Concerned, I replaced Intel's heatsink with a Globalwin FOP 38. It cut readings in half, literally! (It also sounds like a jet taking off.)

Again, this is not the old black heatsink we've all come to love and ignore. It's their new, high profile, silver heatsink. The fan was working, by the way, at just under 4000 rpm.

I just wanted to pick the brains of the General Hardware think tank. Do you think it was a wonky clip? Or did Intel spend their share of Rambus royalties on a heatsink that works worse than the old black stand-by?

Paul
paulcs@flashcom.net

[Greebe]

Paul, ya got a pic of this critter?

[Himself]

Aluminum is better for transfering heat to air, but copper is better for transfering heat otherwise. So a solution with copper base and aluminum body would be best, as long as you don't mind corrosion due to the heat sink grease interacting with the copper. Gold would be even better, it doesn't react and transfers heat better than copper. That's next I'm sure, gold plated heatsink bases.

It could be that there was a polish on the heatsink isolating it thermally just like I had a problem with my Chrome Orb and the stupid sticker, sounds like the heatsink just was being insulated from the cpu. Perhaps it just needed to be lapped. Or it could be an evil plot on the part of Intel to curtail overclocking. I don't think pressure is a big issue, the clip is there to hold the heatsink firmly in place not squeeze the core of the cpu.

[Greebe]

Himself, the advantage aluminum has over copper at thermal dissipation is negated by copper's improved thermal conductance.

Gold is not a better thermal conductor than copper.

Silver: 4.08
Copper: 3.94
Gold: 2.96
Aluminum: 2.18

Silicone and copper do not react with each other.

[Himself]

I read an article on the web about some heatsink grease compounds reacting with the newer copper bases of heatsinks, silicone, probably not, not sure what they were referring to. I'll defer to you on the rest of it, what I remember from over 10 years ago isn't likely to be worth much.

[ALBPM]

Intel's retail heatsinks have always been marginal performers. This one really sounds inefficient for some reason.

Could you post a picture so we can see this new critter???

As far as corrosion goes, Greebe and I, have been using silver and copper spacers for a few years without any problem with various thermal pastes. I have been using Arctic Silver exclusively on a copper Hedeghog and silver cold plates and haven't seen any corrosion after several months. It actually protects the surfaces it covers on copper and silver from oxidizing.

I recently got my hands on a Intel retail heatsink for a P3-800EB and was suprised to see that it was larger than the one that came on my P3-800E. It is just a larger version of the same Black FCPGA heatsink that Intel has used for the FCPGA chips.

Paul

[paulcs]

I'm having problems with my new camera. I could send it to either Paul or Mike if either of you are interested.

Paul
paulcs@flashcom.net

[ALBPM]

Please do.... I can forward it to Mike and post it for you.

Paul

[ALBPM]

Here ya go guys....







Photos courtesy of Paulcs

Paul

[ALBPM]

The heatsink from the 933 looks just like the one I got from Frank except it's not anodized black (saved a few cents)....LOL

Does it have a Sanyo Denki, DC12V, 0.1A fan on it??

Paul

[paulcs]

Yup!

Paul
paulcs@flashcom.net

[paulcs]

Does the unit Frank sent you suck as well?

Paul
paulcs@flashcom.net

[ALBPM]

I haven't tested it yet but it just reaks of "Suckage"....LOL

I emailed Intel Support to get the CFM rating of the fan so I can test it accurately.

Paul

[paulcs]

OK. I just did a quick test with the Globalwin heatsink. Presumably, the i815EP chipset supports the Coppermine's internal temperature monitoring capabilities. Asus' PC Probe readings appear to be consistent with the readings I was getting from the motherboard's BIOS.

At idle, CPU temperature remains a constant 30 C. Ambient room temperature is around 20-21 C.

I ran the Evolva Benchmark for about three minutes, exited, and took a reading. Temperature increased to and leveled off at 37 C.

I'm guessing here, but I bet the motherboard's alarm goes off at 80 C.

I didn't mention this before, but I knew I was in big trouble (as opposed to merely suspecting I was in big trouble) with the Intel heatsink when the machine locked after I clicked on an icon.

Paul
paulcs@flashcom.net

[Alfie]

Here's a review of some heatsinks.
The Intel stock is included.
Backs up "questionable" performance http://www.fullon3d.com/reports/hsfcomp/index.shtml