I have a stupid question....

[cjeffcoatjr]

What is cpu delidding? I see it all the time, but have no idea what it means. 

[miyabwah]

taking the metal top off a CPU.

[nsyedhasan]

Removing the CPU heat spreader from the CPU.

[cjeffcoatjr]

taking the metal top off a CPU.

OK. I thought it was something along those lines, but I wasn't 100% sure. 

[AlwaysFSX]

It's delidding the cpu. When you take off the heat spreader from the actual cpu.

[Guest]

What they said.

[Butterfish]

It's basically removing the heatspreader from the CPU and replacing the thermal compound to increase thermal conductivity and therefore performance.

[Jeroen1322]

"delidding is the process of taking the IHS off of their CPU. you can do it with any CPU that has an IHS. The reason most people delid their Ivy Bridge is because Intel cheaped out and didn't solder their IHS on the die, and instead used a very cheap TIM. What most users do is either put high performance TIM on, or they keep the IHS off completely. They way you go about doing it is by using a very thin razor very carefully to break the glue that keeps the TIM on.

Here is a guide" 

 

http://www.overclock.net/t/1309867/short-and-direct-delid-guide-ivy-bridge

 

Source: http://www.overclock.net/t/1379088/what-is-cpu-delidding-and-how-can-someone-delid-their-cpu

[TheRoss0411]

Don't do it

[Stonep11]

Taking off that silver top (known as a heatspreader) so you can put whatever cooling solution you have right onto the CPU die itself.  It is done because it can benefit cooling and if done right has no downside.  It is advised against because it is not easy to do right, can brick your CPU, and yields very little improvement.

[Levent]

Taking off that silver top (known as a heatspreader) so you can put whatever cooling solution you have right onto the CPU die itself.  It is done because it can benefit cooling and if done right has no downside.  It is advised against because it is not easy to do right, can brick your CPU, and yields very little improvement.

if you count cracking core die while trying to install a heatsink/ waterblock or scratching core die and killing your cpu as a advantage yeah it has no downside.

downsides: everything that is related to installing cpu cooling is way more annoying and stressful 

[simtransporter]

Deliding = removing the "lid" known as the metal heatspreader on top of the CPU.

 

Why? so that you can get better heat transfer and therefore lower temperatures, and potentially better overclocks as a result.

[Stonep11]

if you count cracking core die while trying to install a heatsink/ waterblock or scratching core die and killing your cpu as a advantage yeah it has no downside.

downsides: everything that is related to installing cpu cooling is way more annoying and stressful 

I said it has no downside if done RIGHT, please read the whole post, right after I followed by saying that it can ruin your CPU and is not easy to do right.