Why doesn't Intel use more "shroud" on their stock cooling fans?

[VirtualLarry]

I can't even begin to count the number of times that a cable has brushed across the path of the (exposed, for the most part) stock Intel cooling fan. Usually necessitating opening up the case again, and "bending" the cables out of the way.

Why doesn't Intel make the stock fan, with a few more "spines" protruding / curving down from the center hub, and basically providing a sort of "cable shield" for the fan blades?

It's especially tough, in a crowded mini-ITX case, where the Intel stock fan barely fits in the first place, and cables have no easy place to go.

 

[XavierMace]

That's what zip ties are for.

 

[VirtualLarry]

That's what zip ties are for.

Maybe in a full-sized desktop case, but what about a mini-ITX rig, where the 24-pin ATX cable has to run across the stock fan shroud. It's an art (of flexing the cables "just right") to keep it from rubbing.

 

[mikeymikec]

I turn the stock cooler around so that the cable has the least-conflicting (with the fan) path to the CPU fan socket, also untether the cable from the plastic heatsink as much as possible until the cable has a pretty straight path, then I twist it around once or twice and do a very gentle loop knot in it (the kind that I can stick my little finger through the loop).

It's probably the only physically neat part of one of my computer builds

 

[VirtualLarry]

I turn the stock cooler around so that the cable has the least-conflicting (with the fan) path to the CPU fan socket, also untether the cable from the plastic heatsink as much as possible until the cable has a pretty straight path, then I twist it around once or twice and do a very gentle loop knot in it (the kind that I can stick my little finger through the loop).

It's probably the only physically neat part of one of my computer builds

I do something similar, but I wasn't really talking about the fan cable, I'm talking about other cables in the PC that run across the top of the fan.

 

[nerp]

If I was building a lot of systems, I'd be searching far and wide for a case that lets you run cabling behind the motherboard tray.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

If it weren't for the requirement of Micro-ITX and a small case, there's a ducting solution for the stock Intel fan likely to improve its performance a bit.

You'd build a duct box for the rear-exhaust 120mm fan, which sucks air off the motherboard and from around the "exhaust fins" of the stock cooler, so that the intake for the stock cooler doesn't mix with the exhaust. If using foam-art-board to construct this box, it would really be "two boxes" -- a tall one to fit the 120mm fan, and a smaller one annexed at the bottom of the other one with a plate and round hole that would fit over the intake for the stock Intel cooler.

I appreciate these efforts to build machines with a smaller footprint. This is the reason my next system will use a Corsair C70 Vengeance case, as opposed to these roomy HAF midtowers. I'm just not all that eager for ITX and really small cases.

 

[plopke]

Silentpcreview noticed when they did some test with the new AMD wraith cooler that the sound level were higher with a shroud than without (alltough that is a bracket fan+shroud). Out of personal experience , I have seen dust build up on the edges of these shrouds on mobile/desktop parts which sometimes get thick enough to create extra heat from friction.

Could just be a trade of multiple factors like costs also , would be interesting to ask the Intel engineers

But yeah the smaller your build the more tedious you need to be with cable management to not get it to touch the Intel stock fan.

 

[XavierMace]

Maybe in a full-sized desktop case, but what about a mini-ITX rig, where the 24-pin ATX cable has to run across the stock fan shroud. It's an art (of flexing the cables "just right") to keep it from rubbing.

Zip ties worked fine for me on my mini-ITX builds.

 

[Sheep221]

Intel stock heatsink is really the smallest CPU cooler to date. Although I must admit that 775 stock heatsinks were much better, taller, more silent and more efficient and the heatsink with copper core also shipped with 65W CPUs, now you get something twice smaller and as of skylake, 95W CPUs don't come with one and the 65W only get aluminum version. Intel is really cutting on product quality more and more each year while charging more, in this sense I am not happy with the situation.

In case of their design, well you must be creative abit in stacking the cables around the fan, they are fine otherwise.

 

[Voxata]

Small gains in IPC, no gains in stock HSF wire management. Seriously though, you'd think they'd change it up after all these years.

 

[Yuriman]

Intel's stock cooler has great acoustics at idle and under moderate load. I can't say that a lack of shrouding contributes to the fan's good acoustics, but it may well be an intentional design choice.

 

[HeXen]

I've used all sorts of various CPU coolers over the years and for non overclocked CPU's, the stock one I used for my Ivybridge worked quite well and was reasonably quiet. I never had an issue with the exposed fan though but agree, it could use a shroud.
For whatever reason, this thread brought up a memory of many years back, Alienware made a miniature air conditioner for their cpu heatsink..gonna have to look that up now.

Intel's stock cooler has great acoustics at idle and under moderate load. I can't say that a lack of shrouding contributes to the fan's good acoustics, but it may well be an intentional design choice.

Or intentional financial choice

*edit: bah, can't find any info whatsoever on that A/C cooler they used. I bet with that compressor kicking in, it had to be a loud sob, they used to use some unique cooling solutions back in the day.