Computer Cooling When you buy a retail CPU you also get a heatsink (OEM Computer Cooling, see image left) for cooling the CPU. If you are not planning on using your computer for any heavy use like video editing or gaming then to invest in Cooling is not necessary. The CPU will definitely run cooler and probably also quieter with Cooling other than the original heatsink, but the original heatsink will do a decent job to keep the temperature at reasonable levels.The materials used are usually Aluminum and Copper, both have excellent heat transfer capabilities. The trick is to get all the heat from the CPU out to the Cooling Device, transfer it into the air and finally out of the case. The case fans plays an important role here. When you are building a computer, never start the computer without having the Cooling Device attached and working, else the CPU can burn up within seconds. Computer Cooling comes in two flavors, Active and Passive. Passive cooling, i.e. cooling without any moving parts like a fan, is not suitable for a desktop CPU, because the heat dissipation is not enough to cool down the CPU at full load. Active cooling is cooling with moving parts, e.g. a fan. Liquid cooling then is also active cooling. Passive cooling is extensively used in UMPCs and PDAs, where the CPU has very low wattage rating. In some cases it is necessary to cool not only the CPU but the chipset, Hard Drive and Video Card as well. There are special heatsinks for the these components. Normally the a heatsink for the chipset is provided with the Motherboard. A heatsink on the Hard Drive makes sense if it is running heavy for long hours. The Video Card usually comes with a suitable heatsink, but if you want to overclock the Video Card then you need also to think about cooling it. How to choose a Cooling DeviceAlmost all Computer Cooling devices above US$30 are of good quality. They will all handle modest overclocking. For extreme overclocking you have to look into novelty methods like liquid cooling. The only thing you must double check is the CPU socket. Some devices are universal, i.e. fits both AMD and Intel. Others are made for either. The best advice I can give is too hunt down a good quality device that is very quite, because noise is never welcome in any situation.BrandsSome brands, as you can see, are involved in other areas of computer components besides Cooling. Asus is a prime example of a major player that produce components for different parts of the computer. Cooling Devices are not any advanced technology. Basically the brands mentioned below are all good. Keep in mind that the choice of model can make a big difference, especially in regard to noise.
Return form Computer Cooling to Home
|
The biggest enemy of Cooling is dust. If it gets stuck in your Cooling device the effectiveness will gradually be reduced. If your home is generally clean, check the interior of your case and of course the Cooling for any trapped dust every 6 months or so. Remember to check the 