What cooling for the processor to choose: tips

Every year new models of computer equipment and components are appearing. However, in the pursuit of capacity and high productivity, high-tech leaders face regular problems. The processor, video card and other parts in the process of work produce energy, which is converted into heat and contributes to the overheating of the system unit. This, in turn, entails frequent malfunctions in the system's operation and breakdown. The way out is by installing a cooling system.

Types of CPU cooling systems

A high-quality computer cooling system will allow not only to avoid the failure of seemingly completely new details, but also provide speed, no delays and trouble-free operation.

At present, the processor cooling systems are represented by three types: liquid, passive and air. The advantages and disadvantages of each solution are discussed below.

Running a little forward, we can say that the most common type of cooling today is air, ie, installation of coolers, while the most efficient is the liquid cooler. Air cooling for the processor wins in large part thanks to a loyal pricing policy. That is why the issue of choosing a suitable fan in the article will be given special attention.

Liquid cooling system

The liquid cooling system (water cooling) is the most productive way to avoid overheating of the processor and the breakdowns associated with this process. The design of the system in many respects resembles the device of a refrigerator and consists of:

• A heat exchanger that absorbs heat energy generated by the processor;
• The pump, which acts as a reservoir for liquid;
• Additional capacity for the heat exchanger expanding during operation;
• Coolant - an element that fills the entire system with a special liquid or distilled water;
• Heat sinks for elements that produce heat;
• Hoses, through which water flows and several adapters.

The advantages of the water cooling method of the processor include high efficiency and low noise power. The disadvantages, in spite of the system's productivity, are also sufficient:

1. Users note the high cost of liquid cooling, as the installation of such a system requires a powerful power supply.
2. The design in the end turns out to be quite cumbersome because of the volumetric reservoir and water block, providing qualitative cooling.
3. There is a possibility of condensate formation, which negatively affects the operation of some components and can provoke a short in the system unit.

If we consider only the liquid method, the best cooling of the computer processor is the use of liquid nitrogen. The method, of course, is not at all budgetary and extremely difficult to install and maintain, but the result really deserves it.

Passive cooling

Passive cooling of the processor Is the most inefficient way to derive thermal energy. The advantage of this method, however, is considered to be a low noise power: the system consists of a radiator, which, in fact, does not "reproduce sounds."

Passive cooling method has been used for a long time, it was quite good for computers with low performance. To date, passive cooling of the processor is not widely used, but it is used for other components - motherboards, RAM, cheap video cards.

Air cooling: system description

A bright representative of the most common air type of heat dissipation is the CPU cooler, which consists of a radiator and a fan. The popularity of air cooling is associated primarily with a loyal price policy and a wide choice of fans in terms of parameters.

The quality of air cooling directly depends on the size of the radiator, as well as the diameter and bending of the blades. When the fan is increased, the number of necessary revolutions is reduced to efficiently remove heat from the processor, which improves the performance of the cooler with lesser "efforts".

The speed of rotation of the blades is regulated by modern motherboards, connectors and software. The number of connectors that can control the operation of the cooler depends on the model of the particular board.

The fan speed can be adjusted via the BIOS Setup. There is also a whole list of programs that monitor the temperature rise in the system unit and, in accordance with the received data, regulate the operating mode of the cooling system. The creation of such software is often handled by motherboard manufacturers. These include Asus PC Probe, MSI CoreCenter, Abit μGuru, Gigabyte EasyTune, Foxconn SuperStep. In addition, many modern video cards are able to regulate the fan speed.

On the merits and demerits of air cooling

The air-cooling type of the processor has more advantages than disadvantages, which is why it is very popular compared to other systems. The merits of this type of processor cooling include:

• A large number of types of coolers, and therefore, the opportunity to choose the ideal option for the needs of each user;
• Small energy costs during the operation of equipment;
• Simple installation and maintenance of air cooling.

The drawback of air cooling is the increased noise level, which only increases during the operation of the accessories due to dust entering the fan.

Air cooling system parameters

When choosing a cooler to effectively cool the processor, special attention should be given to technical aspects, because not always the producer's price policy corresponds to the quality of the product. So, the processor cooling system Has the following main technical parameters:

1. Compatibility with the socket (depending on the motherboard: based on AMD or Intel).
2. Design characteristics of the system (width and height of the structure).
3. Type of radiator (types are represented by standard, combined or C-type).
4. Dimensional characteristics of fan blades.
5. The ability to reproduce noise (in other words, the noise level reproduced by the system).
6. Air quality and power.
7. Weight characteristics (recent experiments with the weight of the cooler are relevant, which affects the quality of the system operation in a negative way).
8. Heat resistance or thermal dispersion, which is relevant only for top models. The indicator is in the range from 40 to 220 W. The higher the value, the more productive the cooling system.
9. The point of contact of the cooler with the processor (the density of the connection is estimated).
10. The method of contacting the tubes with the radiator (soldering, compressing or applying direct contact technology).

Most of these parameters ultimately affect the cost of the cooler. But after all, the brand also imposes its imprint, so first of all it is worth paying attention to the characteristics of the component parts. Otherwise, you can buy a famous model, which will be absolutely useless in the subsequent operation.

Socket: Compatibility Theory

The main point in choosing a fan is architecture, i.e. Compatibility of the cooling system with the socket of the processor. Under an incomprehensible English term, in the direct translation meaning "connector", "socket", lies the software interface that provides data exchange between different processes.

So, each processor has a certain space and types of mounting on the motherboard. This means, for example, that cooling the Intel processor is not suitable for AMD. At the same time, the line of Intel models is represented both by flagship and budget solutions. Cooling the i7 processor is more productive (LGA 1366 socket) than for previous versions of Intel Core, which LGA 1156 is suitable for. For other Intel-based processors (Pentium, Celeron, Xeon, etc.), a LGA 775 socket is needed.

AMD is different in that the standard fan is not suitable for the components of this manufacturer. Cooling the AMD processor is best purchased separately.

In the sockets for AMD and Intel there are also visual differences, which will help to sort out the issue even for an ignorant PC user. The mounting type for AMD is a mounting frame, for which clamps with hinges are attached. Mounting Intel is a board into which four so-called legs are inserted. In cases where the fan weight exceeds the standard figures, screw fasteners are used.

Constructive characteristics

Not only compatibility with the socket is an important parameter. Also, attention should be paid to the width and height of the cooler, because it has to find a place in the case of the system unit so that other parts do not interfere with the operation of the fan. The video card and RAM modules with improper installation of the cooler will prevent the normal movement of air currents, which in this case instead of cooling will contribute to an even greater overheating of the entire structure.

Type of radiator: standard, C-type or combined?

At present, the radiators for the fan are supplied in three types:

1. Standard or tower type.
2. C-type radiator.
3. Combined view.

The standard type provides that tubes parallel to the base pass through the plates. Such fans are the most popular. They are somewhat curved upwards and are a more efficient solution for cooling the processor. The disadvantage of the standard type is that the air flow is coming to the back or top side of the case along the motherboard. Thus, air passes through only one circle of circulation, and the processor can overheat strongly.

From this disadvantage, C-type coolers are eliminated. The C-shaped design of these radiators facilitates the flow of air around the processor socket. But it was not without drawbacks: C-type cooling is less effective than the tower.

The flagship solution is the combined view of the radiator. This variant combines all the advantages of predecessors, and at the same time is almost completely free of c-type or standard type defects.

Dimensional characteristics of blades

The width, length and curvature of the blades affect the volume of air that will be used during the operation of the cooling system. Accordingly, the larger the blade size, the greater the volume of air flows, which will improve the cooling of the laptop or computer processor. However, do not go "in all serious": the cooling for the processor must match other characteristics of the personal computer.

Noise level, reproduced by the cooler

The parameter that cooling system manufacturers try to improve by almost any means is the noise level reproduced by the cooler. According to most users, cooling for the processor should ideally be not only efficient, but also quiet. But this is only in theory. In practice, it is not possible to completely get rid of noise during the operation of the air system.

Smaller coolers emit less noise, which is quite satisfactory to users of not particularly powerful computers. Large fans create a sufficient sound level to consider this a problem.

Currently, most coolers have the ability to respond to the amount of heat released and, accordingly, to work in a more active mode if necessary. The program for cooling the processor perfectly copes with the task of controlling the need for active cooling. So, the noise is no longer permanent, but occurs only when the processor is working hard. The program for cooling the processor is an excellent solution for small models and undemanding computers.

In matters of noise level adjustment, it is worth paying attention to the type of bearing. Budget, but because the most popular option is a sliding bearing, but a miser pays twice: after already reaching half of the expected service life, it will make obsessive noise. The hydrodynamic bearings and rolling bearings are a better solution. They will last much longer and will not cease to cope with the tasks set "halfway".

Point of contact of the cooler with the processor: material

A cooling system is necessary to remove excess heat energy from the system unit to the environment, but the point of contact of the parts must be as dense as possible. Here the important criteria for choosing a qualitative cooling system will be the material from which the cooler is made and the degree of smoothness of its surface. The most high-quality materials (according to users and technical experts) have proven to be aluminum or copper. The surface of the material at the point of contact should be as smooth as possible - without dents, scratches and unevenness.

The method of contacting the tubes with the radiator

If there are visible traces on the joint of the tubes with the radiator in the cooling system, then, most likely, soldering was used for fixation. The device manufactured by this method will be reliable and durable, although soldering has recently been used less and less. Users who managed to purchase a cooler with soldering in the place of contact of the tubes with the radiator note the long service life of the cooling system and the absence of breakages.

The more popular method of contacting the tubes with the radiator is the less qualitative crimping. Fans that are manufactured using direct contact technology are also widely used. In this case, the radiator base is replaced by heat pipes. To determine the quality of the product, attention should be paid to the distance between the heat pipes: the smaller it is, the better the cooler will work, as the heat exchange becomes more uniform.

Thermopaste: how often should I change?

The thermal paste is a pasty consistency, can be of different shades (white, gray, black, blue, blue). By itself, it does not provide a cooling effect, but it helps to conduct heat from the chip to the radiator of the cooling system more quickly. Under normal conditions, an air cushion is formed between them , which has a low thermal conductivity.

Thermal paste should be applied to the place where the cooler directly touches the processor. From time to time, the substance should be replaced, because drying leads to an increase in the degree of processor overload. Optimal "service life" of most modern types of thermal grease, according to users, is one year. For old and reliable brands, the frequency of replacement is increased to four years.

Or maybe a standard solution is enough?

Indeed, is it worth it to purchase a cooler separately and generally think of a cooling system? The vast majority of processors go on sale immediately with a fan. Why then go into details and buy it separately?

Factory coolers, as a rule, are distinguished by low productivity and high ability to reproduce noise. This is noted by both users and specialists. At the same time, a high-quality cooling system is the guarantor of a long and uninterrupted operation of the processor, the security and safety of the computer's insides. The right choice will be the best cooling for the processor, which is not always the standard solution.

Computer technology is developing very, very quickly. Every now and again, new versions of components appear, they start using innovative technologies and solutions. Modern manufacturers stipulate that the processor cooling system should also be improved.

Qualitative designs of fans now produce only a few companies. Many brands try to excel compatibility with connectors of various types, low noise of their models, design. The top manufacturers of air cooling systems are THERMALTAKE, COOLER MASTER and XILENCE. Models of these brands are characterized by high-quality materials and a long service life.