https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256807590678255.html
does anyone have experience with this? id love to hear opinions!
Has anyone used this heatsink?
so its able to keep the x4 from thermal throttling?
Of course. CPU thermal throttling when temperature over 95 degrees
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Yes. I got the 10.4mm. Not working at all… without some air flow the space between copper fins is to narrow to allow some air convection. So without adding a fan I got hard fault and system reboot even forcing the clock just to the base 800MHz. Be aware that to ensure a good contact between the indium sheet and the CPU I had to file the 4 brass standoff.
By just adding 2 tiny but noisy 20x20mm fan on the side the core temp are always between around 30°C with a maximum absolute of 43°C under stress test. Ambient was 20°C.
With a fanless solution requires a large enough area of fins. The heat dissipation area in the picture is too small and heat is accumulated. A fan must be added. You can try replacing a silent fan or giving the fan a lower voltage.
im now only using these and with proper fan they stay super low. i do add proper thermal paste and relocate the nvme and my temps proper low even under full load.
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The “All Copper Offer”…
I mentioned this novel item in another Radxa X4 forum post and Yes!, I was so impressed and convinced of the effect of a copper shim utilised on the X4, a shim arrangement i had seen that was very successfully experimentally used by an well known Britsh academic and engineer, that highly publicised X4 experiment seen on YouTube, gave the X4 excellent thermal results, an copper shim bearing onto the CPU, which incidentally is fitted onto this Heatsink, successfully cooled the X4 to an extremely low CPU temperature and its noted presence completely prevented any thermal throttling, indeed so impressed with those results that i got one of these Heatsinks from AliExpress, however i didnt purchase the available fanless option, the model that is discussed here.
I did not think that an particularly good idea, the model I have has an centrally positioned fan, that way the best of both worlds is presented here, with both the Fan and an Copper shim present and fitted.
I haven’t yet got round to testing the novel Heatsink out, as having not yet imaged the purchased X4.
I have some other issues with equipment repairs i need to sort out before I fire- up and run the X4, but I’ll certainly offer my opinions on this forum, this if they are welcome and that of course once the X4 i have is fully set-up and fully operational.
So, hopefully speak soon on the forum regards results…
Note the whole shim thing is now quite historical I think. We’ve not had to use shims on dozens of X4’s we’ve ordered and installed in the past year or so. There’s even a risk of damage if you insert too much material between the chip and heat sink and tighten the screws too hard. I’d prefer that the YouTuber who posted that original review would post an edited version, as it continues to mislead people.
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Well said! I was one of the ‘misled’ and ended up having to dismantle and start all over again with a lot of messy thermal paste to clean up. Working great now, albeit with a better third-party thermal pad, and stock fan replaced with a Noctua that runs silent.
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You dont state which Heatsink you are using if any with your X4s, and are you not perhaps confusing the shim experiment with the heatsink that’s discussed here?, i dont know, but these are definitely two separate items…
However, there’s no doubt from the experiment, that an copper shim fitment certainly does dramatically lower the X4s CPU temps.
Absolutely no doubt about that…
I don’t honestly believe anyone’s actually being ‘misled’ when simply digesting the results of an ‘experiment’ and regards the fitting of an copper shim, or applying the correct amount of thermal paste aswell choosing the appropriate Heatsink, also applying the correct torque regards the stand-off screws. Well? all of this may actually be said to be down to an persons technical ability.
Regardless, the X4 is an undoubted ‘use case’ device that will provide lots of fun and learning for the many hobbyists and enthusiasts the world over and if you’ve an more serious use for your devices then understandably your concerns may be far more valid, but do please bear in mind, this was an experiment aimed at hobbyists and enthusiasts, people who are prepared to tackle such issues and probably relish technical problems as an pastime, or as an learning experience, maybe even an money saving matter of economy item… aswell in that well known academics experiment, clearly offered in good faith and intention, an postive reduction of thermal load by way of an copper shim was actually very successfully achieved.
The results speak for themselves…
I’m quite sure there will be many in the world of computer hobbyists and enthusiasts to say they are perfectly satisfied with excellent thermal results and dramatically lower CPU temps like that?.
For many, the X4 is the No1 SBC in the world, it is beyond any doubt an great hobbyist and learning device and machine and it all my friend may just be down to and done in, nothing but the name of fun.
The X4 is a tremendous machine and device, i do hope you’ll agree?.
I don’t disagree that many will like to experiment but IMO this is misleading because the video you mention was conducted very early on in the release of the X4’s and the dimensions of the parts were later adjusted by Radxa. As I mentioned, the shim is not necessary to get good thermal contact with the thermal pad shipped and parts dimensioned as they have been for quite some time now, and encouraging people to put a shim in without thought is neither necessary nor helpful, and could actually produce harm IMO if too much thickness were added and the screws tightened down too hard. I have seen posts in the Discord to this effect. So while I admire your enthusiasm for good thermal performance, and some adjustments may be fun for those who like to tinker, I do not think it is fair to encourage people to make changes out of the box to the currently shipping product unless they really know what they are doing and are willing, as you are, to tinker with what is IMO already pretty good performance.
My suggestions here are based on building a large number of these. Of course, please do not let me interfere with those who really want to reach for the ultimate in performance! We might learn something. But the reason for the shim in the video you mention is, as I mentioned above, superseded by later events and I don’t think it is necessary to recommend it as a starting point.
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Then my apologies are in order, I had no idea the X4s specifications had changed, and yes!, i know the contact regards stock heatsink, thermal boss and CPU was excessive.
I also appreciate and should mention, it appears presice measurements are incorporated into the aftermarket Heatsink item mentioned here, the ‘All Copper Offer’, as I call it.
This just in case intrested parties care to note, figures regards clearance and tolerances are detailed, they’re offered by the seller, he appears to have done his homework and actually addresses that subject.
Also, though not seen in images presented here, an handy copper shim is incorporated into this excellent AiiExpress offer.
Just one point, and please I am not one to dare argue, but though the well known British academic fitted an shim to the X4 for positive CPU temps, he never offered figures for the guage thickness of the copper shim, the thickness of the thermal pad and he never revealed what should be an satisfactory CPU clearance and tolerance either?,
I agree and take your point, that’s true, and this is why I thought the ‘All Copper Offer’, an far better offer, this heatsink comes with shim and paste sachet included in the sale and apparently, as said, the mathematical homework’s been done.
Regardless, we’ve still yet to see if CPU temps results are good, if they are, I’ll be sure to let you all know.
Thanks…