[SOLVED] M.2 Heatsink + Motherboard Fan + Thermal Pad

[ryandorn]

This is the first time I've built a PC, so please go easy on me & forgive me if these are dumb questions.

I have:

• An Aorus Pro Wifi 570 ITX board
• An Aorus Gen4 M.2 - mounted on the front M.2 slot (the one with the fan)
• A Samsung 970 EVO M.2 - mounted on the back of the motherboard

My questions:

1. Would there be any draw-back to mounting the front-mounted M.2 with the copper heat-sink AND the fan?
   Note: the drive / heatsink fits, though the fan bracket is at a slight angle (which doesn't bother me and it doesn't seem like the fan bracket is actually a heat-sink itself so I'm thinking 'full-contact' shouldn't matter). It still I figure that the fan + copper heatsink is going to dissipate more heat than either alone. (please see picture below)
   
   
   
   
2. The motherboard came with a 'thermal pad' - do I need to use this and is the application for the rear-mounted M.2 correct (please see picture below)
   
   

 

[Lutfij]

Welcome to the forums, newcomer!

1| I'd leave either the heatsink on the SSD on and the fan for the chipset off or remove the heatsink from the SSD and slap the fan back on. Yes the heatsink with fan will go at a an angle but you don't want to crossthread a screw and worse, strip it's head.

2| The thermal pad that was included with the board was meant for the M.2 SSD that goes above the chipset heatsink, not on the rear. I'd flip the SSD positions for your board, if I were you.