Items tagged with cooling
Like practically every PC component, speed gains in solid state drive (SSD) storage come at the expense of heat output. And just like your CPU and GPU, that also means cooling plays a critical role in both peak and sustained performance. So far we've been able to get by with passive cooling solutions (heat shields)...
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There are multiple ways you can go about chasing lower CPU temps. Adding more fans and periodically cleaning the dust filters can go a long way. So can reapplying the thermal paste, or swapping out your CPU cooling solution for something that packs more punch, perhaps a liquid cooling setup. All good options, or you...
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Under normal circumstances, thermal compound or paste should last at least a year once applied to your CPU (or GPU if installing something like, say, an Accelero Xtreme IV cooler), and potentially much longer (as in several years), depending on the type. However, that might not be the case if you picked up a tube of...
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You've probably never sat and wondered what your PC's cooling fans look like on the inside, and specifically underneath that spinning central section where the blades protrude from. However, if you're like me, then you also appreciate the underlying mechanics of even seemingly simple products. Like a cooling fan...
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When pictures surfaced last week showing one of Intel's stock coolers for its upcoming 65W Alder Lake desktop processors, the reaction to the overall design wasn't exactly enthusiastic. To be fair, we need to wait and see how it actually performs before passing judgement. In the meantime, some pictures of another...
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No, that's not a miniature jet engine you see in the image above, even though it partially resembles one. Instead, it's a rather large cooling contraption for M.2 form factor solid state drives (SSDs), and quite possibly the *ahem* coolest SSD heastink on the planet (see what we did there?). Just don't try sticking...
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All of Intel's desktop Alder Lake CPUs so far have been unlocked K-series SKUs that are typically meant for power users and enthusiasts who may plan to overclock. As such, those don't ship with stock cooling solutions, the theory being buyers will want to use their own, higher-end coolers anyway. However, rumor has it...
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Ever since their introduction in the PC market during the mid-1990s, heat pipes have been a central fixture in the cooling of hot computer processors. Whether in the form of actual 'pipes' or as a planar heat spreader—more commonly known as a 'vapor chamber'—you probably have at least one in the device you're reading...
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According to MSI, it will be more important than ever to select the right cooler for Intel's new Alder Lake CPUs, and to make sure it is being mounted correctly. The reason? In short, the hotspots on different Alder Lake CPUs could be located in slightly different areas due to the hybrid makeup of the chip, and...
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Several CPU cooler makers are offering LGA 1700 bracket upgrades for existing all-in-one liquid cooling solutions, so users who jump into Alder Lake will have one less expense to worry about (or a nominal one, as Corsair is selling its 'Retrofit Kits' for a small fee). But will they work as good as coolers designed...
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Companies that make cooling products for PCs have been stepping up to the plate with free mounting kit upgrades for Intel's upcoming Alder Lake CPUs, which employ a new LGA 1700 socket design. MSI is the latest to join the fray, and in doing so, it may have tipped the release date for Alder Lake, which is something...
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Aw, would you like at that, how adorable! I'm talking about the teeny-tiny case fan the Raspberry Pi Foundation has released for its Raspberry Pi 4 mini PC module. It is more of an cooling kit, actually, as it also comes with an aluminum (I presume it is aluminum, anyway) heatsink to attach onto the Raspberry Pi 4's...
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The cooks at EVGA (who are best know for their graphics cards) have come up with a new recipe for the company's Frostbite thermal grease and is ready to serve it up to the public. As with the original formula, EVGA claims its Frostbite 2 thermal grease is "built for high performance" and will keep "temperatures on...
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Quantum computing is incredibly complex, and if not properly harnessed, a scientist could find himself trapped in time, jumping from body to body. That's what I learned from Quantum Leap, a late 1980s and early 1990s TV show, anywa. Maybe that part about being trapped in time is fiction, but quantum computing is...
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It seems a little late in the game to be reviewing Arctic Cooling's Accelero Xtreme IV GPU cooler, so what gives? Well, I recently upgraded my ASUS ROG Strix GeForce GTX 1070 graphics card to an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Founders Edition model, and while that is a solid GPU upgrade for sure, it is a downgrade...
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Professional system builders are usually obsessed with silence and cooling. Custom cooling solutions are some of the biggest differentiators in pre-built systems. And one of the chief selling points of aftermarket cooling gear for enthusiasts is noise output, usually listed in decibels. There are even companies, like "be quiet!" for example,...
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In case you haven't been following the news surrounding Intel's Skylake launch, be advised that the chip maker is not bundling a cooling solution with its recently announced Core i7-6700K and Core i5-6600K processors, both of which are unlocked parts. However, Intel will sell a retail heatsink and fan combination...
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One of my favorite companies to watch out for at every CES is Corsair, as the company doesn't only offer a wide-range of products, most of what's seen is usually really solid in design and instills me with that "I WANT IT!" feeling. This year, the company has announced a new SSD, flash drives, a power supply, a budget...
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Where PC cooling is concerned, you can't get much more standard than copper - it's simply everywhere. Even if you're using an OEM box, chances are it at least has a copper base, and while it might not have many or any fins, your notebook will have a large copper heatpipe. So if copper is that effective, why not create...
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Stealth specializes in the industrial computer and peripherals market, and its newest product, the LPC-480FS, fits right in with that mold. It's a rugged mini PC that doesn't have any cooling fans, so other than any electrical noise that might possibly emanate from the system, it's silent rig designed for a variety of...
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CyberPowerPC has gone all out with its announcements at CES, unveiling not only a new notebook and small form-factor PC, but one of the beefiest and most robust water-cooling kits we've seen in a while. Let's take it from the top. It seems that lately, "console-sized" is all the rage, and that's exactly how...
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Datacenters are known for a lot of things. Their immense size, ultra-complex configurations, noise and sometimes, how futuristic some of them are. Noise is one of the biggest factors that tops most lists, however, and that noise is caused primarily by one thing: cooling. Even on our desktops and notebooks, efficient cooling is important....
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