X-bit labs

Coolers for LGA775 Processors Begin to Transpire.

Category: Coolers

by Anton Shilov

[ 03/04/2004 | 06:25 PM ]

Cooling specialist Thermaltake on Thursday unveiled two new coolers designed for Intel’s forthcoming microprocessors in Land Grid Array (LGA) packaging. The fresh thermal systems for new chips follow Intel’s recommendations for efficient and cost-effective air cooling products.

Land Grid Array (LGA) connector type permits direct electrical connection between a module substrate and a mainboard. It is bit complex type of socketing, but it allows making CPUs with higher density of pins keeping the costs of such devices at levels suitable for mainstream computing. Higher pin count is traditionally needed to enhance microprocessors’ functionality as well as to transfer more power to them.

Intel is expected to roll out a breed of Pentium 4 processors at 3.60GHz, 3.40GHz, 3.20GHz and 2.80GHz speed bins as well as Pentium 4 Extreme Edition 3.40GHz CPU in the LGA775 form-factor to popularize the new Socket T platform in the second quarter of the year. The Santa Clara, California-based chipmaker is also expected to release value Celeron chips at 3.20GHz, 3.06GHz and 2.80GHz in LGA775 packaging in the third quarter of the year.

All desktop microprocessors from Intel will be intended for Socket T only starting from 3.60GHz core-clock. This is not a secret that Intel’s latest CPUs typically dissipate loads of heat because of increased transistor count as well as certain issues with the company’s 90nm process technology. To address the problem with cooling hotties that dissipate more than 100W of heat, Intel came out with recommendations for companies designing coolers.

Heat-sink of the near future is likely to be round and with bifurcated semicircular fins. As a result, the total area of the heat-sink increases dramatically allowing to dissipate more heat than conventional coolers are able to while retaining a not very large diameter. The solution will have a special copper core inside the aluminum heat-sink in order to provide the lowest possible thermal resistance for the core of Intel Prescott or Intel Tejas processors.

The new coolers from Thermaltake – A1829 and CL-P0003 – represent a Jungle family of solutions. Both coolers are made of aluminum, with copper base inside, are round, equip 90mm fans and are about 80mm in height.

The CLP003 seems to be more advanced than its brother, as it has 4 pin connector with PWM, thermal control functions and features heat-sink with bifurcated semicircular fins. Its fan works at 2300rpm or 3600rpm depending on the temperature and generating 29.5dBA to 43dBA noise. The part is capable of dissipating around 125W of power inside a computer case from a processor which case temperature is about 70 degrees Celsius.

The A1829 looks like a more affordable solution. Its fan always spins at 4700rpm generating 45dBA of noise, while its heatsink feature semicircular, but not bifurcated fins. This one has less potential of power-dissipation, but is still capable of dissipating around 110W – 120W of heat.

At this time ti is not clear which Intel Pentium 4 E processors will dissipate 120W or more this year. Intel recently said that the Pentium 4 processors with 1MB L2 cache on the 90nm process technology will undergo C-0 to the D-0 core processor stepping change. The fresh D-0 stepping will incorporate planned power optimizations to enable speed enhancements. Thermal guidelines of the new D-0 chips are not unveiled at this time, but the current C-0 Pentium 4 E CPUs consume up to 103W of power.

Pricing and availability information about Thermaltake Jungle A1829 and CL-P0003 was not touched upon.