12gen N-series Nas motherboard (topton, cwwk, ... )
- Thread starter Steffe
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The gap is way to large to be "space for TIM" (in the form of paste). It is ~1mm.
This gap should be WAY smaller, if you check laptops, or n100 mini PCs, this gap is very close.
A 1mm gap is call for a thermal pad! To use paste you'd have to goop a ton of it on there which is not how what it is designed to be applied.
Sure, but the board ships with paste and not a pad...
This is why I am looking for others views on this.
Has other buyers receive their boards with paste applied? Or a pad?
Those with paste, have there been any thermal issues?
aah understand. you better have asked:
"Anyone noticed, the copper plate that rests on the CPU Die does not actually make contact with it? the gap is 1mm and too much for thermal paste...."
The various n100 mini pcs suffer from this gap on some units. Though I don't recall it being posted about with the NAS boards. The most common fix on the mini pcs is a copper shim between the dies and the main plate. Some people have shortened the standoffs on the mini pcs (by filing, etc) as an alternative to shims.
Got it. On my n100 nas board (CW-NAS-ADLN-K), they just gooped A LOT of thermal paste to deal with the gap. Not sure if this would cause any thermal issues, I mean no one using this board here has reported it.
I am going to try using a 0.5mm or 1mm thermal pad and check the temps.
While you've got the copper spreader off it would be great to share some pictures of the mounting, underside, pad, etc. I've just checked and the only images anywhere are of the naked dies or with the spreader in place. It'll be useful to know how it's mounted, for modding or improvements. (Thanks).
I have the purple n100 (CW-NAS-ADLN-K) the gap is filled on mine with what looks like, die - paste - two thin thermal pads?- paste - copper block
Can you show some pictures? I would assume it is just filled with loads of thermal paste.
Best I can do I'm afraid but you should be able to make out the two thin smaller squares of copper I assume underneath the main copper block and there is paste on either side of that little stack. I can't comment on CPU temps as I've just received the board & need to sort out whether my RAM is compatible or not before I go any further
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Ahh!
What you call "two thin smaller squares" is actually just a raised section of the copper heat spreader (I will show pictures later). This raised section is just not raised enough, leaving said gap which is why they have put a load of thermal paste there.
Just a large goop of thermal paste.
I did try putting a small ball of thermal paste on the die (like you would a desktop cpu) and then put the head speader on and it nearly touched, not enough to spread the paste out.
So you need a lot of thermal paste to make contact between the two. But I have now put a 0.5mm thermal pad between the both and they now make contact and squish the thermal pad slightly. Great!
I will run some thermal tests as soon as I can.
Right now I am contemplating whether to use the included jonsbo HP400S cooler or not as it is VERY close the the capacitors when mounted in a specific orientation. The other 3 orientations actually make contact with components on the board...