ahhh yes...heatspreaders

[fireontheway]

do they really work or is it just plain bling bling? just wanna hear some opinions ....

 

[mdcrab]

I am interested in finding out if there are any definitive tests on this.

I suspect the spreaders are more for appearance than for performance, but I am just speculating.

An article I found here The lady in red
indicates that if you are using more than one stick that the cooling may actually be reduced if you use heat spreaders because the air gap between sticks is less and may reduce the cooling compared to a bare stick.

mdcrab

 

[lifeguard1999]

Are you talking about heatspreaders on CPUs? They are good since they keep the CPU core from cracking when a HSF is attached. If you are talking about memory, then I agree that the spreaders are more for appearance than for performance.

 

[fireontheway]

thanks for the replies guys, and yes its the memory heatspreaders im talking about..Also i noticed that i posted in the wrong section..lol
I apologize about that

 

[Corporate Thug]

heatspreaders = useless

 

[AndyHui]

Heatspreaders are necessary on RDRAM because of the way RDRAM works, but is useless for (DDR) SDRAM.

 

[mechBgon]

AndyHui! You're alive! :Q

I've wondered if heatspreaders on DDR serve a hidden purpose of shielding the DIMM from EMI. Any thoughts?

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: mechBgon
AndyHui! You're alive! :Q

I've wondered if heatspreaders on DDR serve a hidden purpose of shielding the DIMM from EMI. Any thoughts?

An Andy & Mech sighting , Happy New Year guys.

I just got a 3200 512K chip, it came with a shiny pretty blue spreader already on it so I installed it just the way it was. Only one chip so can't comment on the less airflow theory.