run a proccesor delidded Running a CPU de-lidded?

[Thedudely1]

Hey, guys. I'm buying an i5 4690k from my friend because he just got a new 6700k. To make a long story short, I'll probably be using this CPU for the next three or four years, so I want to be able to get the best overclock possible. In order to make temperature as little of a barrier as possible, I'm interested in de-lidding the CPU. However, after taking the IHS off, I'd like to leave it off and run the CPU in my mobo without an IHS to give the heatsink more direct access to the CPU itself without the IHS acting as a barrier. My thinking is probably completely wrong, I mean the IHS is the integrated heat spreader, but I just feel like if this extra layer of metal and thermal paste wasn't in the way, I could get better clocks. Anyway, could I do this? Is it possible or a good idea to run a CPU de-lidded? Thanks.

 

TL;DR: Can I run my i5 4690k de-lidded in my motherboard? I mean using the CPU without the IHS on it. Is this possible or safe?

[suchamoneypit]

What you are describing is called Direct-Die cooling, and its safe provided you don't use excessive mounting pressure (this would damage the die). You would still want thermal paste on it though.

[DocSwag]

It is definitely possible and some people do do it. However, it isn't the best idea since the IHS does spread the pressure that the cooler applies onto the CPU around a bit so running the CPU delidded could cause additional strain on the CPU which isn't always a good thing. Personally I would just change the TIM between the die and IHS. At worst it would only run a couple degrees hotter than a total delid... And I've heard some people saying that they tested it and found their CPU actually ran cooler with the IHS on rather than running it delidded.

 

In the end it's up to you put personally I'd just replace the TIM.

[W-L]

5 minutes ago, Thedudely1 said:

-SNIP-

You can run a delidded CPU but you will need custom mounting as you need to take off the retention bracket for the CPU. Ideally if you can getting an MSI delid guard would be your best bet. 

[suchamoneypit]

4 minutes ago, W-L said:

You can run a delidded CPU but you will need custom mounting as you need to take off the retention bracket for the CPU. Ideally if you can getting an MSI delid guard would be your best bet. 

 

Can you not buys those alone? I can't find them for sale anywhere.

[W-L]

4 minutes ago, suchamoneypit said:

Can you not buys those alone? I can't find them for sale anywhere.

They only come with a certain MSI board IIRC so your best option would be to look online like eBay for others who are reselling them or not using them for their boards. 

[suchamoneypit]

5 minutes ago, W-L said:

They only come with a certain MSI board IIRC so your best option would be to look online like eBay for others who are reselling them or not using them for their boards. 

Still can't find them. Disappointing. I guess there is a business opportunity there for other manufacturer.

[Thedudely1]

16 minutes ago, suchamoneypit said:

What you are describing is called Direct-Die cooling, and its safe provided you don't use excessive mounting pressure (this would damage the die). You would still want thermal paste on it though.

 

Yes, I would definitely use thermal paste. Wouldn't I want to use some different stuff though? Isn't there something called like liquid metal that is optimal for this use?

[suchamoneypit]

1 minute ago, Thedudely1 said:

Yes, I would definitely use thermal paste. Wouldn't I want to use some different stuff though? Isn't there something called like liquid metal that is optimal for this use?

Most people would use LM but you need to be careful, is highly conductive and if you get it where it shouldn't you are going to break your motherboard.

[Thedudely1]

15 minutes ago, suchamoneypit said:

Most people would use LM but you need to be careful, is highly conductive and if you get it where it shouldn't you are going to break your motherboard.

I see. Thanks for your help.

[Jumper118]

you can get ek blocks that are made with special naked mounts.  

[Thedudely1]

8 hours ago, DocSwag said:

It is definitely possible and some people do do it. However, it isn't the best idea since the IHS does spread the pressure that the cooler applies onto the CPU around a bit so running the CPU delidded could cause additional strain on the CPU which isn't always a good thing. Personally I would just change the TIM between the die and IHS. At worst it would only run a couple degrees hotter than a total delid... And I've heard some people saying that they tested it and found their CPU actually ran cooler with the IHS on rather than running it delidded.

 

In the end it's up to you put personally I'd just replace the TIM.

 

I see. That's true, I don't want to put too much pressure on the CPU. Could I still run a CPU de-lidded using the standard mounting bracket? The standard mounting method would still be able to hold the CPU in place, right? Also, is there any ways that I could reduce strain on the CPU? As stupid as it may sound, could I not put something to cushion the pressure from the mounting bracket? I don't know if this would be dangerous, but could I just put some foam or something else on the mounting bracket to reduce pressure on the CPU? Would the CPU cooler be able to make contact with the CPU? Are there any direct problems with using a CPU de-lidded using a standard motherboard besides potential risks like damaging the CPU? I asked a lot of questions here, but that's because I can't seem to find many answers. Thanks for all the help, guys!

[Thedudely1]

8 hours ago, suchamoneypit said:

Most people would use LM but you need to be careful, is highly conductive and if you get it where it shouldn't you are going to break your motherboard.

Would you say liquid metal is the best choice for thermal conductivity?

[W-L]

1 hour ago, Thedudely1 said:

Would you say liquid metal is the best choice for thermal conductivity?

Liquid Metal is close to as best as you can get but as mentioned earlier it is conductive so you need to be careful, not to mention it tends to glue itself to heatsinks and destroy aluminum.

[DocSwag]

2 hours ago, Thedudely1 said:

I see. That's true, I don't want to put too much pressure on the CPU. Could I still run a CPU de-lidded using the standard mounting bracket? The standard mounting method would still be able to hold the CPU in place, right? Also, is there any ways that I could reduce strain on the CPU? As stupid as it may sound, could I not put something to cushion the pressure from the mounting bracket? I don't know if this would be dangerous, but could I just put some foam or something else on the mounting bracket to reduce pressure on the CPU? Would the CPU cooler be able to make contact with the CPU? Are there any direct problems with using a CPU de-lidded using a standard motherboard besides potential risks like damaging the CPU? I asked a lot of questions here, but that's because I can't seem to find many answers. Thanks for all the help, guys!

If you mean the bracket thing that secures the CPU into the motherboard, I actually don't know if it would work. Never actually thought of that. As for the foam... I could be wrong, but my basic physics tells me that putting foam won't do anything except maybe apply even more pressure, as the pressure being applied to the CPU by the mounting bracket is still going into the CPU-instead, all you are doing is putting something between the CPU and mounting bracket thus pushing the CPU down even more than it would have been pushed down. I can't think of any risk besides bending the CPU, though if you use a conductive liquid metal TIM then there is the risk of shorting something on the CPU itself.

[Chef_PR]

Any one in my area that would like to give me a hand delid my cpu. Am from Merrimack NH.