Pcie 4.0 SSD. Heatsink or not?

[asheenlevrai]

Hi

I recently purchased an x570-based motherboard as well as a Firecuda 520 pcie 4.0 SSD that doesn't come with a heatsink.

The motherboard has two m.2 slots. The one linked to the CPU doesn't have a heatsink. The one linked to the chipset has a heatsink but I guess the performance of the SSD would be suboptimal if I use this ONE (since the shared pcie lines), right?

I looked into if it was necessary to add a heatsink to my new SSD. It seems like the controller would benefit from cooler temps (to avoid throttling) while the NAND prefers higher temperature. Many also say that in real life scenario it is very unlikely that the SSD would throttle but I don't know if I am convinced.

now if I decide to buy a heatsink I have different options. Either a full length heatsink that would spread the heat among the controller and the NAND chips. Or a smaller heatsink that would only cover the controller.

something like what Linus used in this video

Around 4:40. Although he put them on the NAND as well apparently.

 

Any advice?

Thanks

-a-

[Jumballi]

You’re not impacting performance with the heatsink, just lifespan.

 

That said a pcie lane is a pcie lane, whether it’s cpu or chipset so don’t hurt yourself over it and just use the included heatsink.

 

A server gets so much air into the components that it’s probably fine in that scenario. You probably noticed linus turn on the fans in either this video or the new storage video, they are that loud because they can spin up to 15k rpm, that’s 10 times faster than the fastest 140mm fans in your pc, and roughly dozens of times more airflow.

[SupaKomputa]

Just add an after market electronic heatsinks, they are cheap $5 a set.

Most nvme don't have heatsinks anyway, so i assume it would work normally by not having them.

[Enderman]

Just get a full heatsink, it will work fine.

[asheenlevrai]

On 12/28/2019 at 12:26 PM, Jumballi said:

You’re not impacting performance with the heatsink, just lifespan.

 

That said a pcie lane is a pcie lane, whether it’s cpu or chipset so don’t hurt yourself over it and just use the included heatsink.

 

A server gets so much air into the components that it’s probably fine in that scenario. You probably noticed linus turn on the fans in either this video or the new storage video, they are that loud because they can spin up to 15k rpm, that’s 10 times faster than the fastest 140mm fans in your pc, and roughly dozens of times more airflow.

There are only 4 pcie lanes between the chipset and the CPU. The SSD on the second m.2 slot (which is a x4 pcie SSD) would share these 4 lanes with everything else connected to the chipset. Hence the limited perfs if I were to use this slot, right?

[asheenlevrai]

22 hours ago, SupaKomputa said:

Just add an after market electronic heatsinks, they are cheap $5 a set.

Most nvme don't have heatsinks anyway, so i assume it would work normally by not having them.

Actually, most pcie 4.0 SSD do have Heatsinks.

I was thinking about something like what you posted. But should I put them only on the controller or also on the NAND? Since they wouldn't touch each other, there wouldn't be any heat spread....

[SupaKomputa]

2 hours ago, asheenlevrai said:

Actually, most pcie 4.0 SSD do have Heatsinks.

I was thinking about something like what you posted. But should I put them only on the controller or also on the NAND? Since they wouldn't touch each other, there wouldn't be any heat spread....

Well, most popular ssd don't have heatsinks. those things above the chip is just label.

 

 

with that type of heatsink you won't need to spread it. the fins is already good enough to dissipate the heat.

I think you should put them both in the nand and controller.

 

[Delicious Cake]

Those are all pictures of PCIe 3.0 drives.

 

Der8auer did a much more in-depth video about the matter of whether to heatsink or not to heatsink your nvme drive.

 

tl;dr - The memory controller on these can get really hot when writing in particular. Use a heatsink on the controller, the NAND chips are fine either way.

[asheenlevrai]

On 12/29/2019 at 1:53 PM, SupaKomputa said:

Well, most popular ssd don't have heatsinks. those things above the chip is just label.

 

 

with that type of heatsink you won't need to spread it. the fins is already good enough to dissipate the heat.

I think you should put them both in the nand and controller.

 

AFAIK these are all pcie 3.0 SSDs. Most don't have heatsinks. However, most pcie 4.0 SSDs do. Maybe since they are faster they heat more? Dunno really...

[asheenlevrai]

On 12/29/2019 at 2:31 PM, Delicious Cake said:

Those are all pictures of PCIe 3.0 drives.

 

Der8auer did a much more in-depth video about the matter of whether to heatsink or not to heatsink your nvme drive.

 

tl;dr - The memory controller on these can get really hot when writing in particular. Use a heatsink on the controller, the NAND chips are fine either way.

Thank you so much