PS4 thermal pad instead of thermal paste APU fan noise

Page 2 - Seeking answers? Join the Tom's Hardware community: where nearly two million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.
Status
Not open for further replies.

rubez

Distinguished
Nov 5, 2010
102
0
18,680
The PS4 has known problems with fan noise.

Some run quiet, some are VERY loud. I had the latter, so I opened it up and found the thermal paste job on the chip was abysmal - half of the chip was not touched at all by the paste - it still had that brand new mirror finish shine! (it wasn't even in the middle, where it would be most effective, it was down one half)

So, I reapplied it, and the fan noise diminished greatly. But now it is starting to creep up after a few months. The way the PS4 heatsink goes onto the chip is inefficient. There is no clamp, the entire board is layed on top of it, and screwed down with a very flexible bracket on top of all this supposed to apply pressure. Lot of room for inconsistencies and inefficiency.

Anyway. I think a thermal pad would do a much better job in this case at providing a better seal. Considering half of my chip had no thermal paste at all, at least it never blew up, just fan maxed out... surely a thermal pad would be better than that.

Arctic do 0.5mm, 1.0mm and 1.5mm thick pads.

What thickness is best? do the thickest pads provide the best or worst heat transfer?

Given the wonky set up, no real clamp, and the need for a decent seal between heatsink and chip, I am thinking a thicker pad may be better? (normally I would have guessed thinner is better, but what do I know!)

Any thoughts?

Thanks.
 
I will get 1.5mm thick pads for the memory.

But I honestly don't know what thickness of shim to get...

you can get 0.3mm, 0.5mm, 0.8mm or 1mm

What would you suggest?

0.3mm is microscopic! so I am leaning toward 0.8mm or 1mm... but I know nothing, that is purely a guess!
 


Mate different setups will require their own solution on thickness required per laptop, there is no size fits all solution. I'm done

tape the edge metal on apu with the tape, no overlap in corners of tape(This will also form a barrier against shim slipping past), paste 0.8 shim onto centre chip, 2.0mm thermal tape on mem ,done
 
Status
Not open for further replies.