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How to remove memory spreaders (and why you want to).

T

TechonNapkins

Weaksauce
Joined
Oct 20, 2010
Messages
94
I credit Toms bringing light to this issue:

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/8gb-ddr3-ram,2542-8.html

This paragraph in particular:

We’ve noticed in several past reviews that heat spreaders appear to hinder heat transfer slightly at 1.65V, likely because the low heat produced at this voltage doesn’t efficiently penetrate the thermal interface material, which typically consists of double-sided foil tape. Lacking heat spreaders, Crucial's DDR3-1333 CAS 9 modules once again outpace the competition. This is something that power users must consider when seeking the highest possible memory capacity and frequency in the same part.

I just removed my Vengeance heatspreaders because they were so bloody tall, but found that the mounting on them was HORRIBLE. Most of the chips did not make contact with the TIM/tape-connecting-to-the-TIM-connected-to-the-spreader. Those chips would be better off exposed to the air. And indeed, just a light breeze in the case passing over them, these modules ran cool to the touch.

So, screw DIMM heatspreaders. Unless you have a really good mounting and TIM arrangement, PLUS overvolting them significantly, not only do they NOT help, but they even HINDER.

Post your instructions on how to remove your particular spreaders below.
 
Corsair Vengeance:

(1) Peel off the sticker along the top that's connecting the two sides together
(2) Use a little flat head to pry the nubs out of the slots on both edges
(3) Slowly and gently pry both spreaders off the chips. Some of the stretchy tape will stay on the spreader, and some on the chips.
(4) Clean the gunk off the chips (I used needle nosed tweezers and rolled the gunk into balls and then plucked the balls off)
 
But wouldn't removing the heat spreader void the warranty? Hmm... I don't think ram temperatures are that big of a deal especially if its run within spec not to mention the voltages are getting lower every generation. Plus the heat spreaders look kinda cool and naked sticks really look old school.
 
There a re quite a few brands out there that put no effort whatsoever into makig sure that the heatspreaders actually do their job of helping the RAM chips stay cool.

Any time I get a set of RAM that has spreaders on them I look very closely to see if there is good contact on every single one of the chips. If not, the worthless pieces of trash come off.
 
AeonF1 said:
But wouldn't removing the heat spreader void the warranty? Hmm... I don't think ram temperatures are that big of a deal especially if its run within spec not to mention the voltages are getting lower every generation. Plus the heat spreaders look kinda cool and naked sticks really look old school.
Click to expand...

Sir, I call into question your [H]ardness!
 
I feel that heatspreaders are just for marketing and to hide the mem chips used.
 
I just had a new set of G.SKILL PI Series 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL7T-6GBPI kill my MB. Not sure what is wrong with the sticks.


I have 2 sets of these kits. One kit I bought last summer which had a green pcb and could over clock like crazy. The new ones made in Feb 2011 have a black pcb and didn't last long enough to figure out how to oc them. The new black PCB ones died as soon as I tried to run with tighter timings that the green PCB sticks could handle without any problems. The faster timings actually screwed up my MB as well. Now my MB doesn't work.

I didn't remove the heat sinks from either sets but I did notice that the green pcb sticks look like they have thicker thermal tape on the sides while the newer black pcb sticks don't look like they have any thermal tape at all.


With DDR3 prices coming down so much I think the production process may have increased and possibly higher quality issues.

I think being able to remove the heat sinks should not void the warranty as long as no damage is done when doing so.
 
I think it's fair to state that with proper case cooling the only types of RAM which require heatsinks are RDRAM and FB-DIMMs :)
 
Technikal said:
We have a set of Corsair Vengeance here that might be up for heat-sink removal. The so called cheap thin heat spreaders on them are so tall they get in the way of using many after market air coolers. Even the corsair A70 :rolleyes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19wUwIOnj-U

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_wZY8MCtf8&feature=related

There are other guides all over the web.
Click to expand...


He has the modules on the wrong side in that second video. Looks like it anyway, the modules should be on the side that isn't screwed on for better heat transfer.
 
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