SilverStone TP04 M.2 SSD Cooling

[phoronix]

Phoronix: SilverStone TP04 M.2 SSD Cooling

With proper heatsinks becoming all the more important with speedy PCI Express 4.0 NVMe SSDs to avoid thermal throttling, SilverStone has been among the vendors offering after-market aluminum heatsinks designed for M.2 2280 drives. The SilverStone TP04 is a simple but effective aluminum alloy SSD cooling kit for about $17 USD.

https://www.phoronix.com/vr.php?view=30452

[Teggs]

First it was CPUs, progressing to the point where a 'normal' cooler can have multiple 120mm fans and a hunk of metal that may not even fit in an otherwise normal-looking case. GPUs started later and took longer to ramp up, but any GPU worth spit is now actively cooled. RAM has mostly stayed under control so far, most of the heat spreaders have been gimmicks and not necessary, though I have heard rumblings about DDR5 needing them due to onboard processing.

Now SSDs are starting the process. How long until an NVME SSD requires active cooling? PCIe 5? PCIe 6? I don't look forward to yet another fan in the system, or the motherboard redesigns and increased cost either. :/

[DanL]

First it was CPUs..How long until an NVME SSD requires active cooling?

You forgot the NB/SB chipset. Nvidia found a way to make the chipset so hot, it needed active cooling.
I'm still waiting for someone to build a case with an AC fan.

[evil_core]

You forgot the NB/SB chipset. Nvidia found a way to make the chipset so hot, it needed active cooling.
I'm still waiting for someone to build a case with an AC fan.

What's 'AC'?. I hate when somebody uses such non-obvious acronyms :-/

[danmcgrew]

"First it was CPUs...Now SSDs are starting the process..."

"...Nvidia found a way to make the chipset so hot..."


I'm almost certain that there is a mechanism at work here called "progress". (With all due respect, there is a slight problem with the logic involved in the 'Nvidia Example'; some would say that, by making a more powerful chipset, Nvidia found they had a chipset which consumed more power; which. of course, generated more heat...which needed to be dissipated somehow).

As I see it, one has only two choices:

1) accept the fact that building ever-more-powerful integrated circuits in--approximately--the same-sized packages will result in higher heat generation, with ever more sophisticated heat-dissipation and heat-mitigation techniques required; and/or

2) deny that a problem exists. This technique was tried by the firm known for their--to this day--continuing engineering wizardry, the Raspberry Pi organization. Eben Upton tried his utmost to deny that there was heat problem with the (then) new Raspberry Pi 3. This, in the face of overwhelming amounts of irrefutable published evidence consisting of hard data AND thermal images, from very many sources.
This choice didn't work for Eben Upton.
It won't work for you.

[DrYak]

I'm still waiting for someone to build a case with an AC fan.

AC: You mean air conditioning? As in: a device that create cold by changing the phase (liquid -> gas, exactly like in a fridge) ?

Wait no more! Such devices already existed since the past glorious days of 2002: the Vapochill by Asetek !

[Michael]

AC: You mean air conditioning? As in: a device that create cold by changing the phase (liquid -> gas, exactly like in a fridge) ?

Wait no more! Such devices already existed since the past glorious days of 2002: the Vapochill by Asetek !

Or other similar products from a long time ago as well - https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?pa...item=485&num=1

[F.Ultra]

Btw was the performance of the SSD also measured during the temperature runs to see if they where different? One issue with SSD cooling is that the controller chips on them usually likes heat and performs worse when chilled.

[danmcgrew]

Btw was the performance of the SSD also measured during the temperature runs to see if they where different? One issue with SSD cooling is that the controller chips on them usually likes heat and performs worse when chilled.

"Sorry, Charlie"...

This has to be one of the most transparent pieces of fabricated personal opinion published here in a looooong time.

This doesn't even make for a great 'sound bite'. It DOES make for a great piece of total lack of understanding of basic science and engineering; in particular--semiconductor physics. I'm calling HORSE-S**T on this one, unless and until you can provide valid proof from a very valid source. Sources which promote 'channeling', ear-candling, crystal-healing, and homeopathy are not considered valid.

Where did you EVER hear, or read of, ANY semiconductor "liking heat", and performing worse when cooled (down) from a higher temperature. Do you understand the basics of semiconductor physics? Do you know that all semiconductor leakage current, of every semiconductor (germanium, silicon, gallium arsenide, silicon carbide...), INCREASES with increasing temperature?

In whose catalog can one find semiconductor heaters? On the next page right after semiconductor cooling devices? Or before? If what you say is true, someone, somewhere, absolutely must sell semiconductor heaters.

We ALL are eagerly awaiting validation and verification of this statement of yours.

You have my best wishes for providing a large dose of very good, valid, and well-documented information.


"Anyone here who believes in psychokinesis, raise my hand."--anon

[curfew]

I have an NVME SSD in a USB enclosure and its performance is abysmal. At first it starts off pretty well, writing 500+ MB/s, but after a minute or two it dips to around 150 MB/s -- that would be acceptable for an HDD! The drive is also bloody hot.