Lapped CPU (Large Images)

[LaMokona]

Decided to lap my CPU, AMD FX-8350 and just wanted to share. I also lapped the cooler but didn't take pics of that since it's basically the same process.

Started with some 220 grit wet or dry sandpaper.





Moved up to 400 grit after that.



Up to 800 grit. Would usually go for 600 here but didn't have any.



1000 Grit.



1500 Grit



2000 Grit



2500 Grit



Finished product:





Temps dropped about 8°C to about 55°C full load, running at 4.8Ghz @ 1.45v± 2%.

Fair Warning to all:

I don't recommend this at all, since it voids warranty and promotes electromigration which degrades the chip over time.

I do plan to upgrade to Steamroller once it comes out and I have chips sitting around to use if the absolute worst is to happen with this one.
Thank you TechFan@ic for bringing that up.

[Theo]

Nice! Was wondering if people still did that today, -8C is fcking sweet, now i feel like doing it too lol

[LaMokona]

Thank you. I don't see a lot of it around, not sure if less people do it or they just don't like sharing :p

I didn't expect the degree drop myself. Was expecting 3-4°C drop

[Wats]

Lol.. Warranties..

Nice job, It looks good. Gz on 8C drop!

[DoctorNick]

Nice. GJ! And nice temps :)

My 2500K will get this makeover soon.

[Levent]

few weeks ago i had my 3570k front of me with bunch of sand papers and i saw few posts that kinda stopped me from doing it (mostly it was because of the TIM between IHS and im NOT going to risk my cpu by deliding it) nice job. By the way how did you decided to stop lapping more?

[Arndroid]

Personally I always thought that those caps covered over the CPU's are nothing good for the cooling to begin with.

The warm air of the processor itself can't really escape, and there is text printed on an aluminium outer layer..

Only this already saves 8 degrees, nice job! :)

[Jozi]

GJ! How long did it take you to finish?

[Guest stealer0517]

dayum thats shinny, but I like being able to see the info about it in-case in 5 years i keep it and forget what it is (like my p4, i didnt know if it was a p4 or my old c2d)

[LaMokona]

Lol.. Warranties.. Nice job' date=' It looks good. Gz on 8C drop! [/quote']

Thank you. I think the warranty was gone when I overclocked it :p

Nice. GJ! And nice temps :) My 2500K will get this makeover soon.

Thanks and hope your 2500K get's some nice temp drops.

few weeks ago i had my 3570k front of me with bunch of sand papers and i saw few posts that kinda stopped me from doing it (mostly it was because of the TIM between IHS and im NOT going to risk my cpu by deliding it) nice job. By the way how did you decided to stop lapping more?

Thanks. I stopped at 2500 grit when the CPU was just gliding over the surface. That was also the highest grit I had. Would have probably done 3000 if I had some lying around.

Personally I always thought that those caps covered over the CPU's are nothing good for the cooling to begin with. The warm air of the processor itself can't really escape' date=' and there is text printed on an aluminium outer layer.. Only this already saves 8 degrees, nice job! :) [/quote']

Thank you. I lapped both the CPU and Heatsink so not sure by how much it would have dropped with just the CPU lapped. Probably should have tested that out. Maybe next time. I have a Thermaltake Frio and AMD 1090t sitting here, might test it with those.

GJ! How long did it take you to finish?

Thank you. CPU took about an hour. Heatsink took about an hour and a half. Done this a few times before so get the flow a bit faster now. The starting 220 grit is always the longest though.

dayum thats shinny' date=' but I like being able to see the info about it in-case in 5 years i keep it and forget what it is (like my p4, i didnt know if it was a p4 or my old c2d)[/quote']

Thanks, love the shine to it. I actually took pics of the info on there before I lapped it. If ever removed, just put it back in it's box with the info on a paper. :D

[TechFan@ic]

I don't recommend this at all, since it voids warranty and promotes electromigration which degrades the chip over time.

I do however recommend lapping the surface of a CPU cooler, because that doesn't void warranty nor does it cause electromigration since there is no chip in the cooler's block.

[eshbop]

I don't recommend this at all, since it voids warranty and promotes electromigration which degrades the chip over time.

I do however recommend lapping the surface of a CPU cooler, because that doesn't void warranty nor does it cause electromigration since there is no chip in the cooler's block.

But so does bumping up the volts and anyone that is lapping their CPU is likely to be swapping processors more frequently, so I wouldn't think it'd matter THAT much.

Does cooler lapping drop temps as much as CPU lapping? Considering they generally have a better surface than the CPU heatspreader.

[TechFan@ic]

I don't recommend this at all, since it voids warranty and promotes electromigration which degrades the chip over time.

I do however recommend lapping the surface of a CPU cooler, because that doesn't void warranty nor does it cause electromigration since there is no chip in the cooler's block.

I'm not talking about enthusiasts I'd personally lap a CPU to get a couple of extra hundred Mhz out of it even if it killed it within the the same year, cuz I'm crazy like that.

I just thought It'd be sensible to give out a word of warning to some of the less informed folks who might stumble upon this thread.

Cooler lapping depends largely on the cooler itself, if the cooler block is already factory lapped then there is no real benefit from lapping it.

But Logan from Tek Syndicate did say that he dropped his CPU temps by about 4c just by lapping the block of his Corsair H100.

[eshbop]

I don't recommend this at all, since it voids warranty and promotes electromigration which degrades the chip over time.

I do however recommend lapping the surface of a CPU cooler, because that doesn't void warranty nor does it cause electromigration since there is no chip in the cooler's block.

Yeah true, fair enough.

[LaMokona]

I don't recommend this at all, since it voids warranty and promotes electromigration which degrades the chip over time.

I do however recommend lapping the surface of a CPU cooler, because that doesn't void warranty nor does it cause electromigration since there is no chip in the cooler's block.

Thank you for pointing this out. I will include it in the main post. :)

[MunsonedForLife]

Wow...that's a great drop in temps...nice work!