CPU Shims: Tell me all about them

DriveEuro · Jan 1, 2003, 11:07 PM

So, what's the deal with CPU shims? Would I benefit from one on my XP2100 Palamino? Tell me all the bad and all the good.

~~craig588~~ · Jan 1, 2003, 11:17 PM

All it does is protect your cpu core from getting cracked if you attach something to tightly.

ToshiroOC · Jan 1, 2003, 11:33 PM

really, it just makes HSF application safer for your CPU by keeping the weight distributed over the packaging of the CPU as well as the die...

DriveEuro · Jan 1, 2003, 11:44 PM

Oh, I thought that it somehow helped to cool the cpu... I only thought that because I've seen copper shims, therefore I thought that it cooled as well.

ToshiroOC · Jan 1, 2003, 11:49 PM

Well, copper shims are made of copper mainly because they can talk about how copper is a good substance for heat conduction and hope people are fooled - in reality they really have very little to do - they provide more contact with the packaging of the CPU, which really doesn't get as hot as the die...

DriveEuro · Jan 2, 2003, 12:17 AM

But when you think about it doesn't the shim just take heat from the heatsink and turn it back to the CPU base and surroundings?

ToshiroOC · Jan 2, 2003, 06:51 AM

If you want to look at it that way, yes, but its not something that I would worry about - if anything, that is a good thing, because that means that the CPU packaging will be warmer and closer to the temperature of the die, meaning less heat difference and less chance of heat stress breaking something - however, my money would be on the shim doing nothing at all thermally except for helping you put the HSF on straight and properly...

DriveEuro · Jan 2, 2003, 06:54 AM

EH, fuck that then.

JavaFox · Jan 2, 2003, 07:10 AM

Shims are a good idea if one or two of the rubber feet on your Duron/Athlon have come off.

Matth · Jan 2, 2003, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by JavaFox
Shims are a good idea if one or two of the rubber feet on your Duron/Athlon have come off.

Worth a try, but it'll still be unbalanced - not sure that the shim actually bears any load, as that would reduce the contact pressure - or prevent proper contact altogether.

The shim has ONE purpose only - to limit the amount of tilt while mounting the heatsink, to try to prevent excessive force to a corner or edge of the die.

And the WRONG shim, or an incorrectly placed one, can do more damage than no shim at all.

Jan 1, 2003, 11:07 PM	#1
DriveEuro HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Gurnee Illinois Posts: 4,677 Rep Power: 0	CPU Shims: Tell me all about them So, what's the deal with CPU shims? Would I benefit from one on my XP2100 Palamino? Tell me all the bad and all the good. __________________ [color=orange]ASUS P4P800 Deluxe [color=black]-[/color] 2.4C --> 3300mhz [color=black]-[/color] Mushkin PC3200 at 220 5-2-2-2 (cpu limited) [color=black]-[/color] BBAti 9800Pro at 430/375 [/color] [color=black]3[/color][color=gray]D[/color]M[color=black]a[/color][color=gray]r[/color]k[color=yellow]01[/color] [color=black]3[/color][color=gray]D[/color]M[color=black]a[/color][color=gray]r[/color]k[color=yellow]03[/color] 16001200 12801024

Jan 1, 2003, 11:33 PM	#3
ToshiroOC Unbiased. Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 4,812 Rep Power: 0	really, it just makes HSF application safer for your CPU by keeping the weight distributed over the packaging of the CPU as well as the die... __________________ [img][/img] [color=White]Peace be with you, Joe.[/color] Driverheaven Staff Member (Supermoderator)

Jan 1, 2003, 11:44 PM	Thread Starter #4
DriveEuro HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Gurnee Illinois Posts: 4,677 Rep Power: 0	Oh, I thought that it somehow helped to cool the cpu... I only thought that because I've seen copper shims, therefore I thought that it cooled as well. __________________ [color=orange]ASUS P4P800 Deluxe [color=black]-[/color] 2.4C --> 3300mhz [color=black]-[/color] Mushkin PC3200 at 220 5-2-2-2 (cpu limited) [color=black]-[/color] BBAti 9800Pro at 430/375 [/color] [color=black]3[/color][color=gray]D[/color]M[color=black]a[/color][color=gray]r[/color]k[color=yellow]01[/color] [color=black]3[/color][color=gray]D[/color]M[color=black]a[/color][color=gray]r[/color]k[color=yellow]03[/color] 16001200 12801024

Jan 1, 2003, 11:49 PM	#5
ToshiroOC Unbiased. Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 4,812 Rep Power: 0	Well, copper shims are made of copper mainly because they can talk about how copper is a good substance for heat conduction and hope people are fooled - in reality they really have very little to do - they provide more contact with the packaging of the CPU, which really doesn't get as hot as the die... __________________ [img][/img] [color=White]Peace be with you, Joe.[/color] Driverheaven Staff Member (Supermoderator)

Jan 2, 2003, 12:17 AM	Thread Starter #6
DriveEuro HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Gurnee Illinois Posts: 4,677 Rep Power: 0	But when you think about it doesn't the shim just take heat from the heatsink and turn it back to the CPU base and surroundings? __________________ [color=orange]ASUS P4P800 Deluxe [color=black]-[/color] 2.4C --> 3300mhz [color=black]-[/color] Mushkin PC3200 at 220 5-2-2-2 (cpu limited) [color=black]-[/color] BBAti 9800Pro at 430/375 [/color] [color=black]3[/color][color=gray]D[/color]M[color=black]a[/color][color=gray]r[/color]k[color=yellow]01[/color] [color=black]3[/color][color=gray]D[/color]M[color=black]a[/color][color=gray]r[/color]k[color=yellow]03[/color] 16001200 12801024

Jan 1, 2003, 11:17 PM	#2
~~craig588~~ Banned Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: In clothing Posts: 3,510 Rep Power: 0	All it does is protect your cpu core from getting cracked if you attach something to tightly.

Jan 2, 2003, 06:51 AM	#7
ToshiroOC Unbiased. Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 4,812 Rep Power: 0	If you want to look at it that way, yes, but its not something that I would worry about - if anything, that is a good thing, because that means that the CPU packaging will be warmer and closer to the temperature of the die, meaning less heat difference and less chance of heat stress breaking something - however, my money would be on the shim doing nothing at all thermally except for helping you put the HSF on straight and properly... __________________ [img][/img] [color=White]Peace be with you, Joe.[/color] Driverheaven Staff Member (Supermoderator)

Jan 2, 2003, 06:54 AM	Thread Starter #8
DriveEuro HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Gurnee Illinois Posts: 4,677 Rep Power: 0	EH, fuck that then. __________________ [color=orange]ASUS P4P800 Deluxe [color=black]-[/color] 2.4C --> 3300mhz [color=black]-[/color] Mushkin PC3200 at 220 5-2-2-2 (cpu limited) [color=black]-[/color] BBAti 9800Pro at 430/375 [/color] [color=black]3[/color][color=gray]D[/color]M[color=black]a[/color][color=gray]r[/color]k[color=yellow]01[/color] [color=black]3[/color][color=gray]D[/color]M[color=black]a[/color][color=gray]r[/color]k[color=yellow]03[/color] 16001200 12801024

Jan 2, 2003, 07:10 AM	#9
JavaFox E Pluribus Unum Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 3,203 Rep Power: 0	Shims are a good idea if one or two of the rubber feet on your Duron/Athlon have come off.