gerry wrote on Yesterday, 10:01:

Dothan Burger wrote on 2025-07-02, 23:32:

I think I spent $100 on this Socket A heatsink.

The attachment IMG_9047.JPG is no longer available

it looks interesting though, did it work any better than a more typical alternative? i guess it's all about airflow from the look of it. Actually looks like something an engineering boss might have on his desk to recall the times they actually did the engineering...

If I remember correctly it was a CNC operator from Oregon that made and sold them on a tech forum. No It wasn't very good and it's heavy so It wasn't very reassuring just hanging on the tabs of the socket.

gerry wrote on Yesterday, 10:01:

Dothan Burger wrote on 2025-07-02, 23:32:

I think I spent $100 on this Socket A heatsink.

The attachment IMG_9047.JPG is no longer available

it looks interesting though, did it work any better than a more typical alternative? i guess it's all about airflow from the look of it. Actually looks like something an engineering boss might have on his desk to recall the times they actually did the engineering...

I'm going mostly by intuition here, but my "understanding" is that the the general design objectives/considerations would be to
- choose a material with a low specific heat (like copper) for the heatsink
- optimize contact between the heatsink and what it's meant to draw heat from
- maximize surface of the heat sink
- facilitate air flow through the heatsink so that as much of its exposed surface area is exposed to the airflow
- keep airflow directed and ideally funneled in a way that facilitates expulsion of heated air from the chassis

The above is non exhaustive, of course and may not be completely accurately (please correct me as needed).

Based on the above it's hard for me to imagine how that hollowed out cube, while pretty, would be more effective than the time tested approach of thin fins with airflow flowing in parallel with the plane of said fins.

To me, this look like a potentially misguidedly over-engineered suboptimal gimmick that puts form over function (and is probably rather expensive to manufacture) UNLESS maybe there is more to it than just blowing air through it and/or I'm missing the point.

darry wrote on Yesterday, 17:34:

I'm going mostly by intuition here, but my "understanding" is that the the general design objectives/considerations would be to […]
Show full quote

gerry wrote on Yesterday, 10:01:

Dothan Burger wrote on 2025-07-02, 23:32:

I think I spent $100 on this Socket A heatsink.

The attachment IMG_9047.JPG is no longer available

it looks interesting though, did it work any better than a more typical alternative? i guess it's all about airflow from the look of it. Actually looks like something an engineering boss might have on his desk to recall the times they actually did the engineering...

I'm going mostly by intuition here, but my "understanding" is that the the general design objectives/considerations would be to
- choose a material with a low specific heat (like copper) for the heatsink
- optimize contact between the heatsink and what it's meant to draw heat from
- maximize surface of the heat sink
- facilitate air flow through the heatsink so that as much of its exposed surface area is exposed to the airflow
- keep airflow directed and ideally funneled in a way that facilitates expulsion of heated air from the chassis

The above is non exhaustive, of course and may not be completely accurately (please correct me as needed).

Based on the above it's hard for me to imagine how that hollowed out cube, while pretty, would be more effective than the time tested approach of thin fins with airflow flowing in parallel with the plane of said fins.

To me, this look like a potentially misguidedly over-engineered suboptimal gimmick that puts form over function (and is probably rather expensive to manufacture) UNLESS maybe there is more to it than just blowing air through it and/or I'm missing the point.

That's why I posted it here, I was young and dumb and didn't know any better. The guy who created it I'm sure wasn't trying to screw anyone this was just best thing he came up with.