I’ve been busy as of late trying to optimize my current system for Grid computing. This means 24/7 operation at 100% CPU and GPU load. My system was previously overclocked and setup without any real purpose other than better productivity and daily usage. I had not really pushed it that hard and had a somewhat mild overclock.
With the recent change towards optimizing my setup for Grid Computing I decided to push my overclock a little harder. On top of that, I also plan on leaving my computer running 24/7. These two things mean I needed to re-evaluate my cooling setup to ensure that I would be able to keep my temps in check.
My current computer setup is a AMD x4 940BE processor with a XIGMATEK HDT-S1283 cooler. The case is an Antec 900 with the stock Antec fans swapped out and replaced with higher flowing Silverstone fans. My previously CPU overclock around 3.4Ghz. I never really tinkered too much with it much before. I have another rig that has a 4.0Ghz Intel C2D that was my primary overclocking toy.
I decided to push my AMD setup closer to 3.8 Ghz since I knew that would help a little with my points per day production for Grid Computing. This required a bit of a voltage bump and subsequently a little more heat. After loading up Prime95 and doing some stressing I found that my temps were running around 50-51c. Not bad, but something I thought I could improve upon. I decided the easiest way would be to lap the heat spreader on the CPU (which I’ve done in the past) and found it to be worth a couple of degrees.
Since I was going to be lapping the CPU heatspreader I figured I would take the opportunity to measure the surface finish as well before and after. The main purpose of lapping the CPU heatspreader is to make sure the surface is perfectly flat so that there is maximum contact with the CPU heatsink base. More contact equals better heat transfer. The surface finish is a secondary thing, and while I don’t believe it has anywhere near as much impact as the flatness, I do think there is some value in the finish. Using a profilometer I was able to measure the RA finish of the CPU heatspreader before and after lapping.
Starting with 600 grit sandpaper and working in steps (800 grit, 1200 grit, 1600 grit) and the finishing it off with a light touch of 2000 grit yielded some pretty good results. During the lapping process I found that the stock CPU heatspreader was not all that flat. While the stock CPU heatspreader looks flat to the naked eye, it’s pretty obvious after you start lapping that it is not.
Stock CPU-
CPU Stock
After lapping for a couple of minutes here is what you end up with.
CPU Heatspreader Initial Sanding
Here are my surface finish measurements before and after lapping. (RA finish in inches)
Stock– 12 RA
Fully Lapped– 3.1 RA
Again, I’m not sure how much the RA finish comes into play but as you can see the improvements are pretty good from lapping.
Finished CPU after lapping-
Finished CPU Heatspreader
Now for the numbers that matter most; the temps. Here are the results of my 6 hour stress tests using Prime95 and maxing all 4 cores out at 100%.
Stock CPU– 51.3c (Peak Temp)
Lapped CPU– 47.2c (Peak Temp)
Difference– 4.1c
All in all the lapping process returned some excellent results. I managed to drop my temps another 4c. The temps I had before were not that bad but they were a little high for my liking. Being able to reduce my temps further makes me feel better about operating my computer 24/7. Plus I was able to up my overclock another 400Mhz on top of that .
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Lapping the heatspreader is a classic move for maxing out thermal contact, and seeing the surface finish numbers actually drop after the work really confirms it works. That extra degree drop in Prime95 stress tests is exactly what you’d want before pushing that 3.8GHz overclock to the limit. convert tiff to jpg
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That lapping trick definitely shaved off a couple of degrees, which matters when you’re running 24/7 at 3.8GHz. court game online
Lapping that heatspreader definitely dropped my temps, but I’m curious if you ended up with a mirror finish since that’s the only part the article cut off. calendar calculator
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That 50C jump on a dual-core 940BE is brutal for 24/7 grid runs, but lapping that heatspreader really does seal the deal for contact quality. Nice breakdown of the surface finish metrics you got before and after the lap. free youtube channel description generator
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Lapping that heatspreader really did drop those temps by a couple degrees, so it’s totally worth the effort if you’re stressing 24/7. Also, 50-51C on a 3.8GHz AMD X4 with a HDT cooler is pretty tight—check out heic to pdf online free if you want more on the lapping process.
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Nice trick for those 24/7 grid rigs, lapping the heatspreader really does improve contact area for better heat transfer. I’d love to see that surface measurement data you mentioned to track period.
Lapping that heatspreader on a 940BE for extra Grid points is the right move, though be careful with the voltage bump. ielts essay check free
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Wait, are you actually lapping the heatspreader or just polishing the top? That’ll kill thermal performance if you sand the surface down too much.
Cooling from 51 to 48C with lapping is a solid win, though be careful not to ruin that flatness you measured. I’ve seen people go too far and end up with a wavy surface that actually hurts performance.
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