what is the use of the cpu lid?

[tjeulink]

i was wondering what the use is of the lid in desktop cpu's. i mean, i can understand why laptops dont have them, but why do desktops need them? whats the benefit for this over better thermal diffusion to cooling? is it just that it protects the cpu better for shipping and installing?

 

[clutchc]

It acts as a heat spreader. The more surface the processor has to dissipate its heat, the easier it is for the add-on cooler to do its job.

 

[Robert Cook]

well ti does shield the silicon from heat sinks. many older bare silicon chips were chipped easily if you messed up heat sink installation. Also it helps spread the heat as its name states, so that the heat sink can cover a larger area and thus have heat transfer more efficiently.

 

[need4speeds]

It also serves as a emergency heatsink so if someone puts a cpu in, or the cooler clips break, the cpu doesn't instantly burn up, it gives the board time to shut or throttle the cpu it if is run with no heatsink.

Search on Youtube "Athlon xp burning no heat sink" and "Athlon 64 frying a egg".