RAM heatspreaders largely ineffective?

[davidstone28]

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=29598

Think I saw a similar article on Toms or Anandtech recently.

[Nox]

erm, you saw it on hexus

http://www.hexus.net/content/item.php?item=4620

Though, in the big scheme of things, a couple of extra quid for 4Mhz is probably about as cost effective you can get with overclocked high end PC's.

Nox

[davidstone28]

Ah Hexus, that was it!

[unreal]

Yeah this is a famous myth really, they just look flashy but theres no harm adding a bit of jazz to the system

[davethechamp]

Thay can also be helpfull when handling the memory instead of trying to just touch the edges of the pcb.

[dangel]

Yeah i agree Dave - i'd prefer them for that alone. I wouldn't pay more for flashy spreaders tho..

[Woodchuck2000]

Adding a heat-spreader doesn't significantly increase the surface area from which heat is dissipated (unless it has fins/serration et c.) and adds two more thermal interfaces between chip/adhesive and adhesive/spreader. Factor in imperfect contacts and stagnation points (where there's no contact between heat source and heat spreader and no air-flow either) and it becomes a wonder that people use them at all.

The most effective way to improve cooling (where necessary) would be to attach individual heatsinks to each chip on the PCB with a good-quality thermal epoxy.