QUESTION: Do I Need A Fan For RAM?

[Chess Gator]

Hi,

If I buy this G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 16GB (4 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 2133 (PC3 17000) Desktop Memory Model F3-17000CL11Q-16GBXL should I get a fan for it?

If so, what fan are you recommending?

Thanks

CG

 

[996GT2]

Lol no, you don't even need a heatspreader (those are purely cosmetic).

 

[Gillbot]

Heat is the #1 killer of electronics so keeping ANYTHING cooler can't hurt. Is it needed? That's debatable.

 

[FishAk]

Is it needed? That's debatable.

It's debatable as in it's debatable whether water is actually wet or it just feels wet.

Those modules are rated for 2133 @ 1.5v, and they have big heat spreaders. If they get hot, it's because something else is heating up the box too much, and the heat spreaders are sucking heat into the sticks instead of away. Putting a fan on the modules won't help heat exit the box.

 

[Gillbot]

Actually, if the heat spreaders are hot they are doing their job wicking heat away from the chips but this too is debatable as we don't know the specifics on the OP's system.

 

[ErickMaga]

I have ram without heat spreaders, and they dont get hot. Not even warm to touch, the airflow of the case it self cools them down.

 

[Gillbot]

I have ram without heat spreaders, and they dont get hot. Not even warm to touch, the airflow of the case it self cools them down.

So do I, want a cookie? I'm also running DDR3-1333 CL9 @ JDEC specs and not overclocking them. Some of these "high performance" ram sticks are merely lower end modules with SPD profiles that force them to run at tighter timings, higher speeds with more voltage. Once you start running things harder than they were originally designed for, they WILL generate more heat.

 

[Billb2]

No heat spreaders and a fan, but only if you're looking for massive overclocks, otherwise, just run then like they came.

In my humble opinion heat spreaders are a joke.

 

[FishAk]

Once you start running things harder than they were originally designed for, they WILL generate more heat.

Harder than 2133 @ 1.5v?

Why?

My imagination's not as good as it used to be, but I cant think of even a corner case where a fan on those modules would be more helpful than a real solution to overheating RAM- i.e. removing excess heat from the case.

The only way for those modules to get hot is for the heat spreaders to wick heat to, instead of away from them, and that won't be helped by blowing more hot air onto them.

 

[bryanl]

Maximum dissipation for DDR3 PC17000 should be less than 10W, extrapolated from 4.9A worst-case @ 1.5V for PC12800, or less than a watt per chip (p. 12, under "all banks interleaved read current"):

http://cache.micron.com/Protected/e...168d4f1649da5a/1/85/jtf16c256_512_1gx64az.pdf

That could explain why high quality memory rarely comes with a trashy and useless rear spoiler heat spreaders.