Archer57 wrote on 2025-07-24, 04:09:

Do not underestimate the effectiveness of this heatpipe + fin stack + fast radial fan design. Small as that fin stack is such co […]
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Vany wrote on 2025-07-24, 03:35:

Problem is that just the radeon gpu has this problem with overheating. Either way, this might sound dumb and insane but I've decided to create a custom cooling solution for this thing that must fit in the original case. Plan is to cannibalize a low profile gpu's heatsink, and solder a dedicated usb fan directly to one of the usb ports. Whenever I get the parts to do so, I'll post the photos here.

Now that I re-read this, how stupid it all sounds, saving a mid-range laptop from 2008 for no reason at all... hah

Do not underestimate the effectiveness of this heatpipe + fin stack + fast radial fan design. Small as that fin stack is such cooling solution is used everywhere for a reason - when everything works properly it can dissipate a lot of heat.

Do not expect simple heatsink fitted within the same space to be more effective.

Also strange that only GPU has issues. Being connected with a heatpipe temperatures should not be dramatically different. This points towards heat pipe not working properly or contact issues even more.

And it is not stupid at all, as long as it is fun - why not fool around with old hardware?

If it was cooling max. 2 chips, then maybe but in this case, it simply isn't enough. A toshiba that I used to have with an i5-4200M and a GeForce 710M would heat up to 92C and that had two copper pipes which were thicker and a better fan. I understand if the CPU is an ULV model or the gpu is weak then yes a single pipe will be "adequate", but in this case, remember, 3 power hungry chips are being cooled by it. The Toshiba with an i5 at least had a sticker that the laptop will get very hot though. Also, after some more searching, I find this to be a common problem with T500s equipped with a 3650 or a FireGL chip... What makes this worse is that all 3 chips are continuously powered and generate heat even when idling. I only have the option to disable the Radeon in the BIOS which doesn't help.

Anyway, the custom heatsink will be an aluminum slab cannibalized from a low profile gpu, I'll cut it and attach a USB fan to cool the slab, therefore the chip also. I often find IBM laptops at a flea market so if I find a similar model, I might swap the cooling system so I can properly check if this one is truly done for.

Vany wrote on 2025-07-24, 22:38:

Anyway, the custom heatsink will be an aluminum slab cannibalized from a low profile gpu, I'll cut it and attach a USB fan to cool the slab, therefore the chip also. I often find IBM laptops at a flea market so if I find a similar model, I might swap the cooling system so I can properly check if this one is truly done for.

Again - do not underestimate heatpipes - they are used so much nowadays for a reason. They conduct heat literally hundreds of times better than aluminum or even copper (when they work that is).

So as small as this cooling system looks - it makes sure that fin stack is as close in temperature to GPU/CPU as possible. Fin stack itself is also constructed with efficiency in mind, maximizing surface area given individual fins do not need to be too thick/conduct heat far.

If you use just a slab of aluminum it'll likely need to be about the size of old intel stock cooler + it will need free airflow....

Archer57 wrote on 2025-07-25, 01:09:

Again - do not underestimate heatpipes - they are used so much nowadays for a reason. They conduct heat literally hundreds of ti […]
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Vany wrote on 2025-07-24, 22:38:

Anyway, the custom heatsink will be an aluminum slab cannibalized from a low profile gpu, I'll cut it and attach a USB fan to cool the slab, therefore the chip also. I often find IBM laptops at a flea market so if I find a similar model, I might swap the cooling system so I can properly check if this one is truly done for.

Again - do not underestimate heatpipes - they are used so much nowadays for a reason. They conduct heat literally hundreds of times better than aluminum or even copper (when they work that is).

So as small as this cooling system looks - it makes sure that fin stack is as close in temperature to GPU/CPU as possible. Fin stack itself is also constructed with efficiency in mind, maximizing surface area given individual fins do not need to be too thick/conduct heat far.

If you use just a slab of aluminum it'll likely need to be about the size of old intel stock cooler + it will need free airflow....

I am open to suggestions though. I examined the pipe, can't find signs of it being damaged or empty. I reapplied thermal paste on all 3 chips - again, and no improvements, this time I shut it down when it reached 100C. Software wise I will try a few more things like undervolting the gpu but I think its pointless. The Radeon idles at 70-72C

Vany wrote on 2025-07-25, 02:10:

I am open to suggestions though. I examined the pipe, can't find signs of it being damaged or empty. I reapplied thermal paste on all 3 chips - again, and no improvements, this time I shut it down when it reached 100C. Software wise I will try a few more things like undervolting the gpu but I think its pointless. The Radeon idles at 70-72C

First of all verify the heat pipe is working. Heat one end, the other one should heat up near instantly.

After that perhaps check the voltages are correct? May be something is broken and voltages are too high?

This all sounds way, way too excessive. Does not seem possible for it to be designed like this. You should look for a fault which is causing this, IMO.

myne wrote on 2025-07-23, 11:09:

Got a stove?
Hold one end, heat the other.
If the heat is nearly instant, it's fine.

Seems like the pipe is good then? I never came across a leaky copper pipe yet. Could it really be that a sensor is faulty?