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Copper Shims


Date
: 12/3/00 – 08:06:03 PM

Author
:

Category
: Misc

Manufactor: CPU F/X

Price: $9.99 for the Duron/TBird shim and $5.99 for the P!!!/Celeron shim

Introduction

Destroying a cpu has been very easy to do lately. The cores of the processors are made so small that it is very hard to install the cpu cooler properly. If it is not seated the way it should, your cpu will overheat and possibly be detroyed. If you suceed in installing the cooler correctly and perfeclty flat, there is still the risk of crushing the core itself because of the high pressure
you have to apply on some coolers to get them of your cpu again.

These problems are things that can and will happen to you sooner or later! Personally I had the not so pleasant expierence of destroying a perfectly good cpu while putting the cooler onto the cpu. You can read my ‘Destruction of hardware‘ article if you want to know more about it.

All the above problems can easily be avoided if we could increase the size of the core, so that the pressure from the cooler is spread out over a larger surface. To increase the size of the core, some manufactors have designed copper shims to put around the actual core, so you will never feel the anger you get when you just crushed a $200 piece of hardware.

Specifications

There are several manufactors out there who produce these copper shims, but unfortunately not all of them produce quality shims.
CPU F/X is one of the better manufactors who delivers very high quality shims, that are all perfectly machined! I remember once getting a copper spacer from an online store which I will not call by name. Their spacer was so fragile that it had already bended through shipping! Before I could install it I needed to make it flat again and still after that it never turned ok again :(.

The shims I got from CPU F/X were in perfect shape when I got them and you will only manage to bend them if you have bad intentions! There is no way you will get these babies destroyed with normal use.

CPU F/X is selling two different shims: one for the coppermine cpu’s (Intel) which they call the MesaIII and one for Tbird/Duron cpu’s (AMD) called the
KTS-400. Because AMD puts bridges and other stuff on to of the cpu, you can not use the coppermine shim as it does not has holes in it so the bridges are
cleared. Another problem are the ‘feet’ on the AMD cpu’s. AMD has put 4 rubber feet on them to help get the cooler seated correctly, but these feet will get in the way of the coppermine shim.

Both shims are manufactored in the same high quality T-10 copper aloy and of course they are both polished very well so they shine very nicely.

Installation

Installing the copper shims is a piece of cake. Just put the the cpu in the socket, lay the shim on the cpu in a way the core is not covered. The coppermine
shim can be used in all four directions, but the AMD shim will only fit the cpu’s in one possible way. Once you installed it you just add some thermal
grease and install the heatsink. That’s it :). Nice and easy huh.

Overclocking

I know most of you will not believe me that a shim can help you overclocking, but let me explain why I believe it actually can help you.

With the shim installed, your heatsink will be installed perfectly flat onto the cpu core. This means 100% coolingpower. If you install the heatsink without a copper spacer, the heatsink will never be perfectly alligned with the core, resulting in not so good cooling. So that’s why a shim can and most certain will help you overclock your cpu better.

Results

What this copper shims got us? I test them on my Duron 600 @ 1035MHz and I measured a difference
in temperature of 2 degrees celcius!! I think this is worth every dollar of the shim!
When I put the shim on a P3 650E overclocked to an amazing 975MHz I got a difference of 3 degrees celcius. There is more difference with a P3 because the AMD chips already have 4 feet to support the heatsink. The copper shim will also remove some heat from the base of the cpu, which can only be a good thing :).

Conclusion

Copper shims are a must for all the owners of coppermine cpu’s or Tbird/Duron cpu’s. It can save your cpu from the crushing death and it will help you to get the cpu cooled better resulting in a possible higher overclocking chance. With the price of these shims in mind, I can only advise you to go out and buy your shim today!

Good

- Price

- Saves your cpu

- Helps improving the cooling

Bad

- Nothing I can think of …