Heatsinks are the unsung heroes of cooling down your PC, as they prevent overheating by transferring heat away from important components. The CPU and GPU can generate a lot of heat, especially when running heavier loads. If those components grow too hot, they can slow down and malfunction, which can negatively impact performance. The heatsink, which is typically made of aluminum or copper, consists of a flat base that’s placed directly on top of these heat generating components. Above this base are fins or pins that provide a large surface area for heat dissipation.
An NVMe SSD can also benefit from an additional heatsink. This is because high-performance flash drives in particular can heat up quickly.
Icy Box
Heatsinks are designed to absorb and release heat. The cold, flat surface of the heatsink is in direct contact with the hot component, which then allows heat to transfer from the hot surface to the cooler heatsink. The absorbed heat is then sent to the fins, where it is released into the air via convection. Fans are usually attached to the heatsink, which helps speed up the cooling process.
There are different types of heatsinks, each suited to different cooling needs. Passive heatsinks, for example, do not require fans because they rely on natural air circulation. This type of heatsink is more common in energy-efficient devices like ultrabooks. Active heatsinks, on the other hand, use fans to help dissipate the heat. This type is the most common. You’ve also got hybrid heatsinks, which use a combination of passive and active cooling. The fans on these types of systems will only activate when heat rises to a certain level.
Without a heatsink, the processor would likely overheat and cause your PC to shut down. In the worst case scenario, the heat could even cause permanent damage to the internal components. That’s why it is crucial that the heatsink is properly installed and functioning as it should. Other issues such as poor installation, dust-clogged fan, or old thermal paste can lead to overheating problems and system crashes.
Heat sinks – like this one from Okat – use basic physics: thanks to conductive materials such as aluminum and copper, they absorb waste heat and release it into the air.
Okat
Installing a heatsink is typically a straightforward process. You’ll need the right model for your CPU, some thermal paste, and a screwdriver. Apply a small amount of thermal paste to the previously cleaned surface of the processor and place the heat sink on the processor.
Next, secure the heatsink with the appropriate screws or clips. Once in place, attach the fan cable to the CPU FAN connection on the motherboard. In addition to the CPU and GPU, other components can also benefit from a heatsink.
NVMe SSDs in M.2 format can run better with additional cooling. You should also pay attention to the exhaust fans and air circulation in the computer housing, which, in combination with the heatsink, ensure optimum heat dissipation.
This article originally appeared on our sister publication PC-WELT and was translated and localized from German.
