It is cool to see hot babes running around, but it will be a disaster if you have a hot computer running on your desk. After investing all your pocket money on your ideal gaming computer, the last thing that you want to see is all your gaming hardware burning up in flames.

Overheating is the most common problem faced by gamers. A gaming computer running graphics intensive 3D games for 5-8 hours continuously can generate heat with temperature high enough to boil water. If no proper cooling is done to dissipate the heat, chances are that your gaming computer will get damages beyond repair very soon.

First line of defence – Cool Your CPU

With the enormous amount of calcuation that it has to do every microsecond, it is no surprise that the CPU is the most likely candidate to get overheated. In fact, it is also the computer part that generated the most heat.

A CPU heatsink with fan

The way to cool your CPU is to use a heatsink. The heatsink is a big solid piece of metal that is attached to the surface of the CPU (see left diagram). It has large parallel fins lining on its surface to conduct heat away from the CPU. Heatsink is usually made of aluminium material due to its high thermal conductivity and inexpensive price.

The heatsink is usually included in the package when you buy a boxed CPU. For OEM CPU, you have to get the heatsink separately. Conventionally, all the fins on the heatsink are lined in a single direction. The problem with this design is that air can only move through the fins in a single direction, creating a problem of air flow within the computer case. A newer design which has multiple threads running on the fins surface has greatly improved the efficiency of the heatsink.

Placing the heatsink

When placing the heatsink, it is important to seat it properly on the CPU. Any misplacement or gaps between the CPU and heatsink allow the CPU to be overheated. To further improve the thermal conductivity, some gamers insert a thin copper heat spreader between the CPU and the heatsink. Though it is not a ‘must-have’ component, it does help in dissipating the heat away.

Applying the thermal grease

Another important item is the thermal grease (some call it the thermal paste). Due to its high thermal conductivity and low resistance, thermal grease is essential to proper CPU cooling. It is a must to apply thermal grease on the surface of the CPU before seating the heatsink on it. Without the thermal grease, even the best heatsink will fail to work properly. For maximum efficiency, the thermal grease must be applied in a very thin and even film. Care must also be taken not to apply too much on the CPU as it can hinder the performance of the heatsink.

Function of the CPU cooling fan?

Heatsink can only transfer heat from the CPU to its metal fins. To dissipate the heat away from its metal surface, it needs a continuous stream of moving air to carry the heat away. This is where the CPU cooling fan comes into play. Attached to the top of the heatsink, the CPU cooling fan sucks the hot air out from the heatsink and blows a constant stream of cool air to the fins. Internally controlled by the motherboard, the fan can increase its speed when the CPU temperature gets too high.

Different type of CPU has different mounting configuration for its cooling fan. Therefore, when choosing a CPU cooling fan, ensure that it is compatible with the CPU in your computer.

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