What are the types of CPU heatsink? 3 common types you should know

When it comes to CPU heatsink, I believe the first thing many people think of is air-cooled heatsink, in fact, there are three common type of CPU heatsink, air-cooled heatsink is one of them, the other two are heat pipe heatsink and water-cooled heatsink.

Air-cooled Heatsink

Air-cooled heatsinks are the most common type, including cooling fans and heat sinks. The principle is to transfer the heat generated by the CPU to the heatsink, and then the fan takes away the heat. It is important to note that different types and sizes of CPUs use different heatsinks. For example, AMD CPUs and Intel CPUs use different heatsinks. Intel 478-pin CPUs use a different heatsink than Intel 775-pin CPUs.

Heat Pipe Heatsink

A heat pipe heatsink is a heat transfer element with extremely high thermal conductivity. It transfers heat through evaporating and condensation liquid in a fully enclosed vacuum tube. These fans are mostly "air-cooled + heat pipe," with the advantages of both air-cooled and heat pipe and extremely high heat dissipation. 

Water-cooled Heatsink

Water-cooled radiators use liquid driven by a pump to force circulation to remove heat from the radiator. Compared with air cooling, it has the advantages of silence, stable heat dissipation, and less dependence on the environment. 

How to choose the right CPU heatsink?

It is essential to choose a good CPU heatsink for your CPU. Here are some suggestions from Coolsolet, a professional CPU heatsink manufacturer

CPU heatsink fan power

Generally speaking, the higher the power, the more wind the fan provides and the better the cooling effect.

Fan speed: Generally speaking, the higher the fan speed, the more airflow the CPU provides and the better the air convection. However, extremely high speed brings heat and increases the wear and tear of the fan, so a balance must be struck between the two.

Heatsink Materials

Low-cost, heat-dissipating aluminum alloys are widely used as heat sinks. Also, to improve the overall heat dissipation of the heatsink, the mid-to-high-end heatsink uses copper media with better heat dissipation in contact with the CPU cooling core.

       Fan noise, refers to the sound made by the fan when it is running, mainly affected by the fan bearings and blades.

Fan Exhaust Volume

       Fan exhaust volume is an essential indicator of fan performance. The fan blade's angle and the fan's speed are decisive factors affecting the cooling fan exhaust volume.