Recommendation

[hyperbob]

What's the difference between AMD recommended heatsinks/fans and non AMD recommended HSFs?

[Thelemac]

Originally posted by hyperbob
What's the difference between AMD recommended heatsinks/fans and non AMD recommended HSFs?

The ones that aren't recommended means that some spec doens't fit in AMD's specs. For the top performers it's the weight.

[Phil]

To meet amd standards you need to have a stiff clip, ala Global win that, and you need to use a thermal chewing gum pad that performs crapyly (with the exception of the thermo engine which I'm not sure meets their specs anyway)

[hyperbob]

But all the ones AMD recommend are crapy and cheap!

[Phil]

I never said they were good just telling you what is needed for amd certification. The Glac doesn't get amd aproval because of it's weight, it's gentle clip and the fact that it uses AS2 instead of a crappy chewing gum pad type thing, and yet it has to be one of the best coolers available

[hyperbob]

Any advantages if theres a stiff clip?

[Rob Cork]

AMD have a specified mounting pressure that the hsf ought to exert - obviously if the clip is too stiff it will crush the chip. However if it is not strong enough there will be poor thermal transfer between the core and heatsink, as there may be air pockets in the thermal paste. Also remember that the heatsink is supposed to squeeze most of the thermal paste out of the contact area, just leaving some to fill the pits in the mating surfaces. If the clip is too weak there may not be any metal-to-metal contact, again resulting in poor thermal transfer.