Noctua cooler pipes

[Trailryder42]

Hey all. This is a Noctua NH-U12S.

Is it normal to have these gaps between the pipes and baseplate? I think I've seen other brands that had these filled with solder.

Seems to me like heat transfer would be better if the pipes made contact with the whole surface area of the baseplate and not just the center.

Would it do me any good to fill these in with solder myself?

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Hey all. This is a Noctua NH-U12S.

Is it normal to have these gaps between the pipes and baseplate? I think I've seen other brands that had these filled with solder.

Seems to me like heat transfer would be better if the pipes made contact with the whole surface area of the baseplate and not just the center.

Would it do me any good to fill these in with solder myself?

I wouldn't bother with putting solder in the cracks. I've had a few Noctuas and still rocking a D14. Never paid it much mind -- to use a colloquialism.

You might obtain some IC Diamond and fill those holes with it. I'm of the opinion that it won't count for diddly, though, so it would be a waste of money, even for the $8 in chump change.

This is my own opinion, and I realize that warranties are at issue. But I'd lap the heatsink base flat and remove every trace of nickel plate on it. And I wouldn't stop with that: I'd do the IHS the same way. I'm guessing it wouldn't affect the resale value of the cooler: somebody may thank you. It would more likely affect the CPU resale value, unless a prospective buyer is also inclined to thank you.

Oh. Yeah. I'm tired of battling the various TIM advocates who point at all directions of the compass. Read up on the drawbacks of using Coollaboratory Liquid Ultra, or use the diamond paste for a second-best reduction in thermal resistance. Couple C degrees with that. Maybe a degree or two from the lapping and nickel-plate elimination.