Uber Geeking: Aluminum Solid Vs Copper Clip On

[NoEcho]

Was just checking out some heatsinks on newegg.

I don't need any heatsinks, but still floats my boat to look at them.

I noticed some pretty nice, new ones from Asus. Copper base. Heat pipes. Shiny blue plastic fan. Also noticed that the copper fins appear to clip into the copper base. Copper is notoriously hard to do tight work on (like grinding out fins) and think it solders poorly too (conveys the heat too well) so you typically end up with fins that are making only partial contact with their copper base.

I wonder if anyone has ever done a good comparison of similiarly designed, simliarly weighted heatsinks - one each - of clip on copper fins and contiguously molded aluminum.

 

[N H O]

Also noticed that the copper fins appear to clip into the copper base. Copper is notoriously hard to do tight work on (like grinding out fins) and think it solders poorly too (conveys the heat too well) so you typically end up with fins that are making only partial contact with their copper base.

you are correct and this is why this heatsink (the asus star ice) is a poor performer

 

[James24]

Copper is good to pull the heat away but aluminum does a better job of releasing the heat.

 

[James24]

you are correct and this is why this heatsink (the asus star ice) is a poor performer

Yes it is. It's loud and doesnt performe any better than the stock HSF.

 

[Bbq]

Copper is good to pull the heat away but aluminum does a better job of releasing the heat.

no it's not. common misconception. copper releases and pulls the heat away better than aluminum.

 

[wee96]

Copper draws heat better, aluminum is cheaper, thats basically it.

 

[Bbq]

Copper is better in every way, but it's harder to machine. Aluminum cam be made so it's got a crapload of surface area, and cools almost as well, and is cheaper too.

 

[NoEcho]

Copper is better in every way, but it's harder to machine. Aluminum cam be made so it's got a crapload of surface area, and cools almost as well, and is cheaper too.

Roger. So the question becomes where the breakpoint is. Thus my original post. I'm wondering if anyone has ever done a good comparison of the two substances: aluminum molded vs. standard copper clip-on arrangement.