What if they made a GOLD SLK-900

[Tab]

Anyone know what kind of tempertures you would get? Considering that gold is very thermally conductive...

 

[PrinceXizor]

I suppose it would decrease temps some. It would depend on how the transfer rate of heat OUT of the gold into the air increases. However, from a practical standpoint, Who wants to pay 10X their computer costs for a heat sink (now THAT would be the definition of a rabid overclocker). That's why most wire is copper and not gold, even though gold has superior thermoelectric properties. Also, copper is a lot sturdier than gold.

P-X

 

[Tab]

I know but just the thought of it is interesting

 

[PrinceXizor]

It IS a really interesting idea since gold has the ability to be formed into sheets with extremely thin thicknesses...You could theoretically get a TREMENDOUS ammount of surface area for heat dissipation, however, it would be extremely fragile.

P-X

 

[syberscott]

Originally posted by: PrinceXizor
I suppose it would decrease temps some. It would depend on how the transfer rate of heat OUT of the gold into the air increases. However, from a practical standpoint, Who wants to pay 10X their computer costs for a heat sink (now THAT would be the definition of a rabid overclocker). That's why most wire is copper and not gold, even though gold has superior thermoelectric properties. Also, copper is a lot sturdier than gold.

P-X

Most wire is copper because copper is a better electrical conducter than everything but silver. Gold is usually only used for electrical connectors because it does not corrode very much.

 

[Mark R]

That's why most wire is copper and not gold, even though gold has superior thermoelectric properties. Also, copper is a lot sturdier than gold.

Most wires are copper because copper is cheaper and has superior electrical properties to gold.

Gold is actually much worse than copper in terms of thermal conductivity (the only relevant parameter for heatsink thermal performance). In fact, it's only slightly better than aluminium. Silver has the highest thermal conductivity of any metal.

As for the cost, well, gold is about 2.5x as dense as copper - I'll leave the rest of the calculations up to the reader. You can also work out how you'd attach a gold heatsink to a CPU without warping whatever it is attached to.

 

[0roo0roo]

Originally posted by: PrinceXizor
I suppose it would decrease temps some. It would depend on how the transfer rate of heat OUT of the gold into the air increases. However, from a practical standpoint, Who wants to pay 10X their computer costs for a heat sink (now THAT would be the definition of a rabid overclocker). That's why most wire is copper and not gold, even though gold has superior thermoelectric properties. Also, copper is a lot sturdier than gold.

P-X

only 10x the computer costs? that sounds pretty reasonable on a ferrari kind of scale. so ig uess theres still a market

and eh, it doesn't tarnish like copper!

but really, for the same volume of of heatsink as a slk900, how much would the gold cost? can't really just compare gram to gram because they weigh different right?

 

[Shalmanese]

A couple of years back, a couple of jewelers happened to have some left over silver so they cast their own heatsink out of it and benchmarked it against commercially availible ones. IIRC, they concluded that design hd more to do with it than materials at that level.

 

[Cogman]

if I remember right, Gold has the best electrical transfer, BUT, Silver and (i belive) copper could transfer heat better, Remember good electrical transfering capability does not mean that it has good thermal tranfering capability. The best thermal conductor known to man does not conduct electricity at all. Thats right, this forum should be named "What if the SLK 900 where made out of diamond". Diamonds currently transfer heat better then anything else and, are cant conduct electricity.

 

[Mday]

silver would be better. gold is soft. the fins will bend and touch each other under pressure. and the mounting with the wires\clamp wont work cuz gold is so soft. this is for pure gold btw. even some alloys are soft.

 

[silverpig]

Originally posted by: Mday
silver would be better. gold is soft. the fins will bend and touch each other under pressure. and the mounting with the wires\clamp wont work cuz gold is so soft. this is for pure gold btw. even some alloys are soft.

Silver is also extremely soft. Almost lead soft...

 

[silverpig]

Originally posted by: Cogman
if I remember right, Gold has the best electrical transfer, BUT, Silver and (i belive) copper could transfer heat better, Remember good electrical transfering capability does not mean that it has good thermal tranfering capability. The best thermal conductor known to man does not conduct electricity at all. Thats right, this forum should be named "What if the SLK 900 where made out of diamond". Diamonds currently transfer heat better then anything else and, are cant conduct electricity.

Thermal transfers

Aluminum 247
Copper 398
Gold 315
Silver 428
Diamond 2500

I'm too lazy to find the electrical table... google it.

 

[0roo0roo]

Originally posted by: Cogman
if I remember right, Gold has the best electrical transfer, BUT, Silver and (i belive) copper could transfer heat better, Remember good electrical transfering capability does not mean that it has good thermal tranfering capability. The best thermal conductor known to man does not conduct electricity at all. Thats right, this forum should be named "What if the SLK 900 where made out of diamond". Diamonds currently transfer heat better then anything else and, are cant conduct electricity.

thats awesome considering synthetic diamond manufacture is getting better finally

 

[Tab]

Looks like I was wrong about gold, lets say we have a Silver SLk900 or diamond one if thats possible...

 

[GoffyDude]

You guys need to stop fantasizing about gold's properties. The ONLY reason people use gold wiring or gold interconnects on audio equipment and the like is because they DON'T CORRODE! Gold is quite inferior when it comes to electrical conduction AND thermal transfer. Silver obviously is best, but it is very expensive compared to copper, and it oxidizes like mad.

My two cents

 

[Shalmanese]

Actually, I believe that carbon nanotubes now hold the medal for most thermally conductive.

 

[Sabreguy]

While the thought of a bling-bling computer amuses me to no end (I'd have spotlights pointing at the HS, and hang a small disco ball in the case. joking) Yeah the weight would just make it impracticle at best.

 

[Tab]

Originally posted by: Sabreguy
While the thought of a bling-bling computer amuses me to no end (I'd have spotlights pointing at the HS, and hang a small disco ball in the case. joking) Yeah the weight would just make it impracticle at best.

A disco ball in comptuer case thanks for the idea

 

[grant2]

some people already want to spend crazy amounts of $$ putting "golden sample" video cards & neon lights in their computer, gold seems like a pretty tame upgrade!

 

[INemtsev]

What about a lead heatsink...he he

 

[jswjimmy]

it wouldent be worth the price

 

[Mikesta]

it will pwn everything in the market perhaps ?

 

[rowcroft]

Do you think gold in very thin sheets would get softer as it got hotter as well? Thermal characteristics of the material have to be considered as well- I don't think diamonds melt, but wouldn't a synthetic diamond not have the same thermal properties?

 

[tweeve]

Forget gold, copper or silver. Im going Diamond heat sink.

Think a bank would loan me $500,000 for one?

 

[Mookow]

Originally posted by: tweeve
Forget gold, copper or silver. Im going Diamond heat sink.

Think a bank would loan me $500,000 for one?

There is the question of how you would make a PURE diamond heatsink... ie, trying to machine it from one piece