Intel Core i9-10900K gets decapitated and cooled with Liquid Metal
And I do mean the heatspreader was removed, delidded. Which is a gnarly job as that thing is soldered on there. Even with Intel's new design that reduces the height of the DIE for better thermal transfer.
Germany distributor and Caseking (etailer) employee Der8auer beheaded the beast, Intels Core i9-10900K has been examined and cooled differently by applying liquid metal. He also looked at what has changed under the heatspreader since Intel's Core i7-8700K and Core i9-9900K. Comet Lake-S is still based on Intel's 14 nm process, the CPUs are not exactly marveling under load in regards to temperatures. With the heat spreader removed and the solder applied replaced with a layer of liquid metal he put the heat plate back on. After two runs with the Cinebench R20, he dropped around seven degrees in temperature. And sure, that can make a difference to a pro overclocker.
These were the results:
Pre-Delid | Post-Delid - 1st. Run | Post-Delid - 2nd. Run | Pre-Delid and 2nd. Post-Delid difference | |
Core 0 | 81 ° C | 73 ° C | 74 ° C | -7 ° C |
Core 1 | 79 ° C | 74 ° C | 75 ° C | -4 ° C |
Core 2 | 87 ° C | 78 ° C | 78 ° C | -9 ° C |
Core 3 | 83 ° C | 75 ° C | 77 ° C | -6 ° C |
Core 4 | 85 ° C | 77 ° C | 78 ° C | -7 ° C |
Core 5 | 85 ° C | 76 ° C | 77 ° C | -8 ° C |
Core 6 | 85 ° C | 75 ° C | 77 ° C | -8 ° C |
Core 7 | 80 ° C | 74 ° C | 76 ° C | -4 ° C |
Core 8 | 81 ° C | 73 ° C | 74 ° C | -7 ° C |
Core 9 | 81 ° C | 73 ° C | 75 ° C | -6 ° C |
He then compares the Core i9-10900K with its predecessors and the chip still looks like a Core i9-9900K with a slightly longer die. However, there are some differences in the details. The die height is significantly lower. While the die of the Core i9-9900K still measures 0.88 millimeters, which was 0.58 millimeters for the new processor. However, the newcomer can't get to the die height of the Core i7-8700K: at 0.44 millimeters.
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Senior Member
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I have feeling that he has access to machinery which can do it safely and precisely.
Sandpaper is all one needs.
Junior Member
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Joined: 2016-03-11
He uses a delidding tool to remove the IHS and razor blade to remove the STIM.
Senior Member
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Joined: 2014-07-21
Yeah, after all he "created" that tool and it was introduced in 2018 or 2019. Can't send you a link right now (at work), but iirc it can be bought on amazon and in some hardware shops / online retailers like Caseking in Germany.
Senior Member
Posts: 5532
Joined: 2007-05-05
He meant to remove thickness and level the IHS.
Sandpaper, a steady hand and a lot of measuring.
Could probably make a tool with a drill stand and a sander or something in that line.
Senior Member
Posts: 11808
Joined: 2012-07-20
I think that thickness of chip this time is nice. Not too thin to risking cracks. Not too thick, to slow down heat transfer.
But there was plenty of solder and apparent space in melted plastic around edges.
So, maybe with bit of luck, IHS can sit bit closer to chip itself and thermals can be better.
It is some time since I have seen direct die cooling for practical reasons of pressure/cracks/socket obstructions. But I would like to see results if IHS was thinned by 50% or 75% of its thickness.
I have feeling that he has access to machinery which can do it safely and precisely.