M.2 Heatsink has a tape covering sticky surface. Shall I remove it?

[dc2000]

I just got this GIGABYTE X299 AORUS GAMING 7 PRO motherboard that I'm trying to install. I've never used a PCIe M.2 SSD drives. So when installing it, when I undid the heatsink for it, and the inner surface of the heatsink had this blue tape covering a sticky pad underneath. Here's the picture:

Am I supposed to take off that blue tape or leave it? Also, why is it sticky?

 

[Darkbreeze]

Yes, it needs to come off in order to be adhered to the M.2 drive. It should be outlined in the user manual for the drive if you visit the product page.

 

[dc2000]

Thanks.

And I did check the manuals. There's nothing about this sticky tape in the mobo documentation, nor in the SSD one. (If you've ever bought Samsung 350/360/370 PRO/EVO SSD drives they come with a drive and a short warranty pamphlet and that's it. Not even a mounting standoff or screws.)

 

[Darkbreeze]

You didn't mention any model number of the M.2 drive you are trying to install.

 

[dc2000]

Samsung 970 PRO 512GB - NVMe PCIe M.2 2280 SSD (MZ-V7P512BW)
and
Samsung 970 EVO 1TB - NVMe PCIe M.2 2280 SSD (MZ-V7E1T0BW)

 

[Darkbreeze]

Blue tape always comes off, all electronics and devices. It is only there to protect from blemishes and hand oils, and from drying out.

 

[dc2000]

Yeah, thanks. Like I said, that's my first NVMe drive. Now I'll know.

 

[_dawn_chorus_]

Blue tape always comes off, all electronics and devices. It is only there to protect from blemishes and hand oils, and from drying out.

After removing the blue tape do I need to remove the 970evo logo sticker on the drive itself too? Or just stick this thermal pad on top of it?

 

[dc2000]

After removing the blue tape do I need to remove the 970evo logo sticker on the drive itself too? Or just stick this thermal pad on top of it?

No, I didn't remove anything except that blue tape. TBH, I don't think this heat sink makes much of a difference. (Unless you're running some extensive drive loads in your PC.) I've been installing the OS and such and then felt that drive and it was barely warm. So nothing like a CPU temp.

 

[Darkbreeze]

I am not using any heatsink with my 970 EVO and I have no issues. However, I think it makes sense to remove the product sticker if you are going to use the heatsink. Certainly it can't work as well with a piece of paper between the hardware and the heatsink but there might be warrant factors involved in doing that even though BY LAW they cannot refuse to warrant a product just because you remove a product sticker.

That goes for even the type that says warranty void if sticker removed. BY law, that is illegal and most manufacturers are beginning to learn that they mean it too.

This might be helpful to you.

https://www.gamersnexus.net/guides/2781-msi-m2-heat-shield-increases-temperatures

 

[_dawn_chorus_]

I am not using any heatsink with my 970 EVO and I have no issues. However, I think it makes sense to remove the product sticker if you are going to use the heatsink. Certainly it can't work as well with a piece of paper between the hardware and the heatsink but there might be warrant factors involved in doing that even though BY LAW they cannot refuse to warrant a product just because you remove a product sticker.

That goes for even the type that says warranty void if sticker removed. BY law, that is illegal and most manufacturers are beginning to learn that they mean it too.

This might be helpful to you.

https://www.gamersnexus.net/guides/2781-msi-m2-heat-shield-increases-temperatures

Thanks for the reply, I'll just pass it up. It's never gotten very warm on my old system. Not worried about a couple degrees.

 

[Darkbreeze]

I haven't had any thermal issues at all with mine and I've tried to make it get hot. So long as you've got plenty of airflow through the case it shouldn't be a problem.