Processor heatsink: what are they? tips and recommendations%%

Having a good performance processor sink is something many users overlook. We even see gaming computers that still have their ridiculous serial heatsinks installed. That is why we have set out to teach you the keys to the need for an efficient cooling system that will prolong the life of your PC.

Index of contents

In addition, we have also taken the opportunity to list some of the models that we recommend the most at a fairly attractive price for almost all pockets. And we think that investing in good refrigeration is saving money on unexpected breaks.

First things: Why does the processor heat up so much?

In our computer there are many electronic systems that operate at high frequencies. Greater frequency means more operations per second, more cycles per unit of time, and consequently more energy oscillations.

The Joule effect explains that, simply because the electrons are moving in a conductor, an increase in temperature will occur due to the kinetic energy and the collisions between them. The more energy intensity, measured in amps (A), the greater the flow of electrons, and, consequently, the more heat will be released.

We all know that a processor works at very low voltage, around 1.1 or 1.2 V in direct current. We also know that the TDP (power) that one of these consumes is between 45W and 95W. With these values ​​we will have enough elements to be able to calculate the current flow through a CPU approximately. Let's take an example with a 1.13V CPU and 65W of power:

Imagine then how such a large intensity of energy circulates through such a small chip, only a couple of centimeters, and this is only in the theoretical case, since if we overclock the CPU, we will be increasing the frequency and consequently the intensity and the power.

Well, all this makes a CPU warm up just as it does, in fact, the temperatures we see are nothing compared to what we could see if we remove the CPU heatsink. In the ideal case where it would continue to run without burning, a CPU could hit 1, 000 degrees or more.

Processor heatsink function

This is where the cooling systems for processors come into play. The function of these is to capture the heat that depends on the CPU and transfer them to the ambient air.

IHS or encapsulated

When we see an uncovered CPU, we are not really seeing the chip where the transistors are, but it is just an encapsulation built in copper and aluminum that protects the entire internal area. We call this package IHS (integrated heat spreader). The function of the IHS is to capture the heat generated by the CPU core and distribute it over a wider area and then transfer it to the heatsink.

Thermal paste

The next element we find on the way to the sink is the thermal paste. Its function is very simple, but at the same time critical, it helps to connect the IHS surfaces with the heatsink surface. If we just placed this heatsink on top of the CPU, the heat transfer would not be effective, because both surfaces are not completely glued together due to microscopic imperfections in them. This is called a contact resistance.

Well, thermal paste is a viscous component reminiscent of toothpaste, which has no electrical conductivity. It is applied on the surface between both elements to increase heat transfer.

Processor heatsink

All of the above would be meaningless if this element did not exist. The heatsink is nothing more than a complex block made of high thermal conductivity metal, for example copper or aluminum. Thermal conductivity measures the ability of a material to transport heat through its internal structure and is measured in W / m · K or Watts / meter · Kelvin.

The units of this magnitude are measured in power (W) or (Joules / second) between the product of the distance (m) and the temperature in Kelvin (K) or what is the same W / m · K. A heatsink that is built in aluminum has a conductivity of about 237 W / m · K, while a copper block increases to 385 W / m · K.

Well, the structure of a heatsink basically consists of a solid block of copper that makes contact with the CPU, and a tower made up of hundreds of thin fins that substantially increase the heat exchange surface. In addition, hot tubes or copper heatpipes run through this finned block to capture heat from the CPU and better distribute it throughout the block. Finally, a fan system circulates an air current between these fins to capture the heat and distribute it throughout the environment. This is how the refrigeration process is completed.

The more fins, the more surface, and, consequently, the more air can capture the heat. Why is aluminum always used for the main block? Well, for the simple fact that it is a much lighter metal. A full copper heatsink could weigh more than 2 kg, something inadmissible that could check the resistance of the motherboard.

Types of processor heatsinks

Judging by the photos that we have put in previous sections, you can see that they are quite large heatsinks. Manufacturers always have to find a balance between size, weight, and swap surface, and this is the biggest reason why there are so many models available on the market.

There are mainly three types of heatsinks on the market (in my opinion):

Stock sink

It is not a type as such, but due to its particular configuration we can consider it different. They are the smallest, which come from the hand of Intel normally and appear as a hollow aluminum central core that makes contact with the CPU. From this, fins come out vertically in the form of propellers. On top of these, a tiny fan is installed to help dissipate the heat of these. It can also be considered as a low profile heatsink, although it is even smaller than these.

Something we should say in favor of AMD, is that its stock heatsinks are very good and with good materials, and it is also true that Intel has CPUs that heat up more. But in a less powerful CPU, one of them is practically usually enough, while in the case of Intel it is advisable to buy one independently, because it has a heatsink + thermal paste set worse than AMD.

Tower heatsinks

It has a look reminiscent of a block of flats, with a separate base of the fins and a multitude of heatpipes that transfer the heat to one or more finned blocks. There are many models with dimensions up to 160 mm high and 120 wide. They are recommended for ATX chassis and computers with powerful processors due to their large dimensions and cooling capacity. A common characteristic in them is that the ventilated one is placed vertical, at an angle of 90 with respect to the plane of the motherboard.

Low profile heatsinks

These heatsinks also have a large finned surface, but the great difference is that it is located horizontally, or, better said, with the heatpipes running horizontally. It has a width similar to the previous ones, of about 100 or 120 mm, but they are much more compact and ideal for small micro ATX or even ITX towers. The cooling capacity is lower, and the fan will be placed horizontally and parallel to the motherboard.

Processor socket support

Well, we already have all the ingredients to know how a heatsink works and what sizes exist (more or less). But we haven't said anything about compatibility yet, is a heatsink compatible with all Intel and AMD sockets ? Well this depends on the manufacturer and the quality of the heatsink.

In the past, it was much more difficult to find a heatsink that would suit all CPUs, due to the peculiar system that AMD used in theirs. In the current era, practically all heatsinks are compatible with both manufacturers, since the installation is based on placing over four holes in the motherboard a metal bracket that will be in charge of taking the heatsink to the CPU.

Precisely in this metal support is the key, because it must be coupled to both Intel and AMD boards using a system of movable dies that makes it compatible. Virtually all heatsinks will be compatible with AMD's AM2, AM3, and AM4 sockets and Intel's LGA 1151s.

But there is also the case of larger CPUs, such as the LGA 2066 socket and especially the colossal TR4 of AMD. In this area, not all are compatible, and we must pay attention to the specifications, since they will have to incorporate independent plates for the installation of the support.

RAM and chassis support

Another aspect to consider is that the heatsink does not prevent us from installing RAM memory modules on our motherboard. As you know, the space on a board is quite limited, and some heatsinks occupy part of the DIMM slot area due to its enormous size, for example, the Scythe Fuma. This heatsink is so wide that a RAM with dissipation encapsulation does not fit in the first slot.

What we mean is that, when buying a large heatsink, we must look at the admissible height for encapsulated RAM memories, since we could get an unpleasant surprise.

The same goes for chassis or PC towers. An average ATX chassis usually has a width of 210 mm, if we remove what the motherboard occupies, and the egg for cables, in the end we will be left with about 160 or 170 mm of space. Always look in the specifications for the width that it supports for CPU heatsink, because again, you could make a failed purchase.

What is liquid cooling?

Liquid cooling is a heat dissipation system that is gaining more prominence today, especially in gaming computers. It is not the objective of the article, but we will explain above what it consists and the pros and cons of this with respect to a heatsink.

Liquid cooling for a PC has the same philosophy as cooling for a car, although in a simplified form. It is a system made up of three elements, which form a closed circuit:

• Liquid element: it can be distilled water or something similar, and it is in charge of going through the circuit, to collect the heat from the CPU and transport it to a radiator through a system of rubber tubes. Pumping and dissipation head: This head is in direct contact with the CPU. A pump is installed in it that will move the liquid through the closed circuit. Radiator or exchanger: it is a block that contains a gallery of meandering tubes and fins to transfer heat from the liquid to the environment with the help of fans installed on its surface.

Currently there are two types, the AIO (All In One) that are purchased as seen in the photo, with everything already included and assembled only to have to install it. And the customized ones, in which the user can mount an integral system in CPU, GPU, VRM, etc. They are more powerful, and therefore have an expansion vessel as in vehicles.

Advantages and disadvantages of heatsinks vs. liquid cooling

Heatsink	Liquid refrigeration
Advantage: · Fairly affordable · No fluid leakage problems · Many models and types	Advantage: · High dissipation capacity for overclocking · AIO quite easy to install · Better aesthetics and more plate space
Disadvantages: · Lower cooling capacity than liquid · Not recommended for strong overclocking · They take up a lot of space	Disadvantages: · Large radiators, take into account chassis capacity · Higher cost than a heatsink · Fear of liquid leakage

The 5 most recommended heatsink models

Finally we leave the 5 heatsink models most recommended by Professional Review

Arctic Freezer 33 Plus

ARCTIC Freezer 33 Plus - Semi Passive CPU Cooler, CPU Fan for Intel and AMD, up to 160W TDP, Cooling Power, Cooler with 120mm PWM Fan, Quiet and Efficient

• Additional Fan for Better Cooling: Two F12 PWM fans on opposite sides of the radiator facilitate air flow. The first pushes it through the heat sink, the second pulls it out. Camp price-performance: Based on the i32 plus, but with enhancements that improve performance and reduce noise. Award-winning gadget, perfect for PC enthusiasts looking for an affordable solution.Maximum performance: The contact surface of the heatpipes does not cover the entire protective cap. It is where the DIE processor is and covers even the full 18-core versions. Semi Passive: A controller developed by German engineers allows the CPU to passively cope during Windows operation. 120mm fan only starts at 40% PWM. Optimum compatibility, easy installation and transport: Quick mounting system, easy to install, reliable and compatible with all Intel and AMD sockets, including 2066. It is safe to transport.

Buy on Amazon

This heatsink is surely the one that gives the best performance with respect to its minuscule price. A heatsink with 8 copper heatpipes and double 120mm fan capacity. Also, it is compatible with all Intel sockets and AMD AM4.

Cooler Master Hyper 212X

Cooler Master Hyper 212X - PC Fan (1.2 W, 12 cm, 1700 RPM), black

• With a diameter of 12 cm With air flow between 25 - 54.65 CFM Maximum rotation speed of 1700 RPM High speed noise level of 27.2 dBC With 4 heat sink tubes

31.50 EUR Buy on Amazon

Greater compatibility with AMD socket than the previous one and ideal for PC gaming configurations with blocked processors. It has 4 copper heatpipes on each side and a large radiator with double fan capacity.

Noctua NH-U14S

Noctua NH-U14S, Single Tower CPU Heatsink (140mm)

• Its award-winning, narrow 140mm single tower design combines excellent cooling with surprisingly quiet operation and superb RAM compatibility.It does not protrude above the RAM slots on LGA2066 and LGA2011 motherboards, ensuring full compatibility with Tall Modules Optimized 140mm NF-A15 fan with PWM mount and noise reduction adapter allowing automatic speed control and very quiet operation SecuFirm2 multi-socket mounting system, very simple to install and compatible with Intel LGA1150, LGA1151, LGA1155, LGA1156, LGA1366, LGA775 and AMD AM2 (+), AM3 (+) FM1, FM2 (+), AM4 The renowned Noctua quality for Intel Core i9, i7, i5, i3 (eg 9900K, 9700K, 9980XE) and AMD Ryzen (eg 3850X, 3700X, 2700X)

69.90 EUR Buy on Amazon

For those who want more cooling power and overclocking stamina, this Noctua with 12 heatpipes, 150mm 140mm fan will be the best we have on the market. In addition, it supports high profile RAM memory. It is very worthwhile for a gaming PC.

Phanteks TC12LS

Phanteks PH-TC12LS - PC Fan (Cooler, Processor, Socket 775, Socket AM2, Socket AM3, Socket AM3, Socket AM3 +, Socket B (LGA 1366), Socket FM1, Socket, 104 x 119 x 48mm, Aluminum, Copper, Black, White color)

• Compatible with Intel LGA2066, LGA2011 (-3), LGA1366, LGA115x, LGA775 Compatible with AMD: AM3 (+) AM2 (+), FM2 (+), FM1 Low profile design: 74mm height (47mm without fan) The fan PH-F120MP has a maximum airflow of 53.3 CFM Noise level of 25 dBA

69.49 EUR Buy on Amazon

For users who need something compact, but with great thermal efficiency, this heatsink is ideal. It has 6 copper heatpipes and supports 120mm fans with only 48mm height.

Noctua NH-L12S

Noctua NH-L12S - Low Profile 70mm CPU Heatsink with Silent 120mm Fan and PWM, Brown

• High-quality, low-profile, compact CPU cooler (70mm overall height) Improved successor to the award-winning NH-L12, suitable for ITX and HTPC systems Optimized 120mm NF-A12x15 fan, with PWM support and noise reduction adapter allowing for speed control and very quiet operation Includes award-winning NT-H1 thermal compound and SecuFirm2 multi-socket mounting system, very simple to install and compatible with Intel LGA115x, LGA2011, LGA2066 and AMD AM2 (+), AM3 (+), AM4, FM1, FM2 (+)

49, 90 EUR Buy on Amazon

To finish, we have another compact high-performance and also support large RAM and all the main sockets from AMD and Intel. It has 4 heatpipes and a 120mm fan.

Conclusion on the processor heatsink

With these five models, we are practically covering all the work areas of today's computers. From gaming equipment to more models with unlocked processors and users who want to get rid of the stock heatsink, to PCs with powerful CPUs even capable of overclocking.

It is true that, if we want to do a strong overclocking, the best will be liquid cooling, but let's not kid ourselves, few users usually do these practices, so a good heatsink like the Noctua will be one of the best options.

We have also remembered users who like compact PCs, and manufacturers have interesting options for them that perform very well and at a very attractive price.

Now we leave you with some interesting tutorials and of course with our hardware guides related to the topic.

We hope this article has been useful to you. For anything write us in the comment box or in the hardware forum.