3.4 – Cooling Components Flashcards
Throttling
is done to reduce power consumption & the CPU generates less heat
a. Modern CPUs will reduce their clock speed if they become too hot
b. Intel calls its throttling technology [SpeedStep]
c. AMD calls it [Cool ‘n’ Quiet]
d. Found a lot on notebooks – throttles down to save power, keeps from getting hot [NO giant fan]
Overclocking
will increase the CPU frequency by increasing the multiplier to get better performance
a. Supplying a better cooling solution is a must when overcooking [liquid cooing recommended]
b. Only recommended for gamers
Overclock = sends more power voltage to CPU & makes it work harder
Clock Multipliers
are used to change the ratio of the base clock & the external clock often modified to overclock a CPU
a. CPU clock x clock multiplier = CPU frequency
b. 150 MHz x 10 = 1,500 MHz OR 1.5 GHz
Passive Cooling
PC techniques do NOT use any moving parts
Passive Cooling:
Thermal Compounds
o Paste / grease that’s applied to the top of the chip to assist in moving the heat away from a chip [between CPU & heatsink]
o Fills in microscopic imperfections in the CPU aluminum lid
o Conducts heat away from the CPU & into the heatsink
o Must be replaced if it becomes dry & brittle
o If computer rebooting / overheating / shutting down
–Use Thermal Compounds
Passive Cooling:
Thermal Pads
o Not as good [Thermal Compound is better]
o Are soft rubber pads that are an alternative to thermal compounds
o last longer than thermal compounds but NOT as good at transferring heat
o commonly used on memory chips
o NOT commonly used with CPUs
Active Cooling:
CPU Fan / CPU Cooler
o Includes a heatsink with a fan mounted on it
o System overheating=replace the stock cooler [efficient one]
o Compatibility = is based on the CPU socket type
Active Cooling:
Case Fan
o Intake fans = pull IN cool air [front / side]
o Exhaust fans = push OUT hot air [back]
Bigger Fan = less noise
Smaller Fan = more noise
Advanced CPU Cooling
Liquid Cooling
o Uses either water or coolant to transfer heat as QUICKLY as possible
o Can be dangerous because risk of leak
o Liquid cooling kits = more efficient, requires reg maint.
o All-in-one coolers do NOT require regular maintenance but maybe not as efficient
o Only recommended if overclocking / gaming
