AMD Ryzen 7000 processors have come under fire because of the design of their integrated heat spreader (IHS) and how it doesn’t help with heat dissipation – but apparently there’s a way around this that will ensure the chips run a little cooler. However it is Definitely not something the average user should try (not that they are prepared for it anyway).
Why? Well, because it involves taking a shiny new Zen 4 processor and exposing it to a grinding tool. Yes, the solution to the problem of thick IHS for this generation of Ryzen – we’ll discuss later why it’s more durable – is simply to reduce the thickness by grinding.
Obviously, this is not something the average PC owner wants to do, but more hardcore ones might consider exploring this path – and some have already done so with JayzTwoCents using the Der8auer expert overclocker sanding tool – as Andreas Schilling pointed out on Twitter (via Tom’s gear (opens in a new tab)).
With a little help from @ der8auer and its Ryzen 7000 grinding tool, @JayzTwoCents has just shown that you can lower the temperature of the Ryzen 9 7950X by up to 10 ° C by grinding the heatspreader by 0.8mm. Roman is cautious about temperatures up to 6 ° C. pic.twitter.com/TElwxis6Q0October 20, 2022
As a result of lowering the IHS of the Ryzen 9 7950X processor by 0.8 mm, the temperature dropped from 94-95C to 85-88C, which is quite a significant drop (these were the temperatures operating at 5.1 GHz in all cores for the processor).
Analysis: The Lesser Evil? Well, not really
It is essentially an alternative to another risky procedure known as “delidding” in which the CPU actually removes the IHS, which can result in even greater temperature drops. (Der8auer demonstrated a massive 20C temperature drop during the earlier development of the 7900X, albeit using a special molten metal thermal paste, which is its own custom overclocker concoction.)
Grinding IHS is a slightly less risky path – and less of a hassle, as matching the cooling solution to the supplied (very different sized) chip takes a lot of extra work – but admitting you lose your Warranty in both cases. And if you really don’t know what you are doing, you risk damaging your CPU as you can imagine when it comes to drastic actions like tearing it apart or grinding bits. Therefore, we really wouldn’t recommend it to anyone other than expert enthusiasts (who can afford the cost if something goes wrong).
The whole background is that AMD has used a thicker design for IHS with Zen 4 chips on the AM5 platform (with a new CPU socket). This is to maintain compatibility with the new Ryzen 7000 processors in terms of existing (AM4 platform) coolers – so people don’t need to buy a new cooling solution – as the new socket is flatter, meaning the chip is slightly lower (so thicker IHS compensates for this difference). But this 1mm thicker than usual is a bit counterproductive for good thermals.
Now AMD thinks the Ryzen 9 7950X can run at temperatures like 95C, but some enthusiasts are begging for a difference, hence the controversy. So, 0.8mm truncation to bring the IHS back to its pre-Ryzen 7000 size, with a processor running more like 85 ° C, tier owners are happier.
As a side note, don’t forget that IHS is there to provide protection for the CPU, and delidding presents an additional risk in terms of leaving the die exposed – while grinding still leaves the protective cover on the chip as they were.
If you’re concerned about your Zen 4 temperatures – which can vary from case to case anyway – rather than going this path, it’s a much better and more realistic idea to look at alternatives such as using Eco Mode settings (in AMD Ryzen Master ) to contain the heat. (Or undervoltage is another option, perhaps).