Overclocking with the CopperSink

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The last time we talked about the Frosty CopperSink, we primarily discussed how to make one from scratch. Today we will be going over its performance in the realm of the overclocker. Does it have 'magical' properties that would allow a 300Mhz chip to hit 900Mhz? No. Will it make an overclocked chip that's unstable, stable? Possibly. The tests have been completed, we've got some better info on how the CopperSink performs thermally, so read on!

To recap in about one sentence or less, the CopperSink has fourteen copper fins measuring 50mm x 50mm which have been attached to a 60mm x 60mm 1/4" copper plate.  This little beast weights quite a lot and measures over 65mm tall with a small 15 CFM fan attached. Even with a small fan such as this, the CopperSink performs exceptionally well.

Test Setup

All tests were performed in an Aopen HX08 case, using an ABIT VT6X4 motherboard, ASUS S370-133 Slocket and an FC-PGA Pentium III 500E processor with AOS non-silicon based thermal goo. Temperature readings were based on a 10k Ohm thermistor. The thermistor was placed as close as possible to the die of the test processor. Due to the fact that the thermistor was several times the diameter of the space between the base of the CopperSink and the 500E, the probe was placed on the copper above the die. Located directly above the processors die, at the base of the fins (in direct contact with the copper), and insulated from the surrounding air by a small piece of anti-static foam. Readings were recorded on a simple in/out temperature gauge.

While this configuration will not result in pure silicon die temps, it is as close as we could get to the silicon to take direct measurements. The results reflect the temperature of the copper base, which forms a good approximation of the actual CPU temp to within a degree or so.

Each test began by cold-booting the machine at a set clock speed. Before any measurements were recorded we waited for about 30 min periods to allow everything to stabilize to working temperatures. Then the temperature was recorded.

So without further adieu, lets see how the CopperSink performs thermally as the FSB is cranked up..... way up!