CPU Cooling

02 CPU Cooling

What you will need Let’s talk about CPU Cooling

Cooling your CPU is essential so that it doesn’t overheat. There are different ways that you can install CPU cooling such as liquid and air-cooling systems. A liquid cooling system is going to be much more expensive than an air-cooled system. In most cases, you will have a fan that is installed over your CPU.

Motherboard CPU fan

The second part of your computer building journey will be to install the CPU cooler. This is required to keep your CPU from overheating. We will also talk about other materials that you might need like thermal paste, and safe handling and application tips.

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How do I choose the right one?

Some CPUs come with coolers as a packaged deal. If your CPU did not include a cooler, then you must purchase it separately. The CPU cooler is crucial so that your CPU gets good airflow and does not overheat, which could cause parts of your computer to short circuit or melt. If you need to shop for a cooler, here are some things to think about when choosing one:

• Find out the amount of heat your CPU puts out.

• Know the socket types and layouts of your motherboard.

• Make sure the cooler fits on the motherboard and inside your case to eliminate clutter.

If you’re still unsure, consult your user manuals and visit various websites to check for compatibility.

How does it work?

Air-cooled systems such as fans use heatsinks that are copper, aluminum, or sometimes both that move heat from the cooler’s base. The heat travels from the cooler’s base through heat pipes to the heatsink, then a fan blows air through the heatsink. This happens so that the heat will move into the air and out of your system, effectively keeping your CPU at safe temperatures for operation.

Liquid-cooled systems apply the same idea, but they use tubes filled with thermally conductive liquid that is pumped to a radiator instead of using heat pipes. When it comes to thermal conduction, copper works the best, and aluminum works about half as well. Now we are going to take a more detailed look at the part itself. We will also start talking about thermal paste, and some preparatory steps before we install it.

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Thermal Paste

Thermal paste is a grayish-looking substance that comes in a tube and is applied to the top of the CPU before installing your cooling system. Thermal paste allows for heat to transfer efficiently from the integrated heat spreader of the processor to the base plate of the CPU cooler. Thermal paste is required to prevent your CPU from overheating, and without thermal paste, your CPU would overheat in a matter of seconds.

Understanding Temperatures

The temperature of your CPU can greatly depend on which CPU you are using. When looking at temperatures we generally want to see between 40°C and 65°c which is 104°F to 149°F. While this sounds hot already this is actually within the safe range during a normal workload.

However, if you do anything demanding, such as high-end gaming, then it can cause the temperature to rise between 75°C and 80°C. Although it’s a bit higher than the normal range, this temperature is still safe for a well-built computer. Try to make a habit of checking the temperatures periodically so the CPU does not overheat.

16 // How to Build a Computer Let’s look at the CPU fan in more detail before we start installing it. This is a great way to identify certain parts and understand how each part works.

Screws

Most of the time the CPU fan will come with screws attached to it. These screws need to be tightened in a cross pattern.

Heatsink

These metal fin-like structures draw heat away from the CPU by sitting directly on top of it.

Rotor

This is the part the fan blades are attached to, and the rotor spins at an average speed of 5,000 RPMs.

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Let’s install the CPU cooling system!

Now we are going to install the CPU cooler. Sometimes coolers need mounting brackets, and sometimes motherboards have the brackets installed to them. First, you will want to check if your cooler needs a bracket or not, and if it doesn’t, then you will need to remove it from the motherboard. You might also have to replace it if your cooler uses a different bracket. Make sure you have the CPU cooler on the motherboard before installing it in your case.

The next step is to check if your cooler needs thermal paste, or already has it applied. If your cooler does not have thermal paste already applied, then you will have to apply it. To apply the thermal paste, squeeze out a very small dot onto the middle of the CPU. Once the thermal paste is put onto the CPU, you will place the CPU cooler on top of the CPU, and the pressure will cause the thermal paste to spread evenly.

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IMPORTANT!

• Make sure that the first squeeze of thermal paste is on a piece of paper so that you do not get a big accidental glob on the CPU.

• If your cooler came with thermal paste applied to it, but you want to use a different type, use a lint-free cloth with 90% isopropyl alcohol and wipe it off.

• When you attach the cooler to the motherboard make sure you tighten the screws using a cross pattern.

• If you accidentally make a mistake while applying the thermal paste, just wipe it off the CPU and base of the cooler and start the application process again.

If your cooler needed thermal paste and a bracket installed, and you have completed those steps, it is now time to put the cooler on the motherboard. Now that the cooler has been set in place, you can attach it to the motherboard by screwing it down. Most coolers come with the screws attached, but if they are not then they will be included in the cooler box. You will want to tighten the screws in a cross-pattern method to make sure that the pressure is evenly distributed across the CPU. For example, if you tighten the top left screw the next one to tighten will be the bottom right diagonally from the first one, then tighten the top right and move to the bottom left.

Congratulations! You have successfully installed the CPU cooler. Our next part to install is going to be the RAM. We will talk about how much RAM you need, how to handle and install RAM safely and correctly, and break down its function.

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