Painting RAM

Heavenkiss · 24 Feb 2014 at 12:22

Hi Guys,

I was looking at getting the following RAM:

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MY-052-TG

However it is out of stock. I was wondering how easy it is to buy another colour and simpy spray paint it? Im going to be purchasing some orange spray paint anyway for my rig at some point (AF120 fan rings etc).

Only other option is to pay the same price and get slower RAM from same series or pay more and get faster. Just considering my options.

Nice one

Heavenkiss · 24 Feb 2014 at 16:34

Got the faster RAM so this is no longer relevent to me. However feel free to post for anyone this could help in future

PHazlington · 24 Feb 2014 at 16:39

Hey man,

So I've looked at a couple of benchmarks for RAM speeds in gaming and it appears that, in games, 1866MHz RAM, for whatever reason, seems to get the best frame rates (obviously only by 1/2 fps either side). So, if you mainly game then a slower RAM kit might be better for you.

Painting it would be risky because even if you peel off the heat spreaders without doing this: http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/3254/img9873s.jpg then you might bend the heat spreader.
You would lose the sticker and you might have to but some thermal tape along with it.
That being said I have seen some people do it in build logs.

Heavenkiss · 24 Feb 2014 at 17:02

PHazlington said:
Hey man,

So I've looked at a couple of benchmarks for RAM speeds in gaming and it appears that, in games, 1866MHz RAM, for whatever reason, seems to get the best frame rates (obviously only by 1/2 fps either side). So, if you mainly game then a slower RAM kit might be better for you.

Painting it would be risky because even if you peel off the heat spreaders without doing this: http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/3254/img9873s.jpg then you might bend the heat spreader.
You would lose the sticker and you might have to but some thermal tape along with it.
That being said I have seen some people do it in build logs.

Wow, that image alone would have put me off!

Avenged7Fold · 24 Feb 2014 at 17:20

PHazlington said:
Hey man,

So I've looked at a couple of benchmarks for RAM speeds in gaming and it appears that, in games, 1866MHz RAM, for whatever reason, seems to get the best frame rates (obviously only by 1/2 fps either side). So, if you mainly game then a slower RAM kit might be better for you.

Painting it would be risky because even if you peel off the heat spreaders without doing this: http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/3254/img9873s.jpg then you might bend the heat spreader.
You would lose the sticker and you might have to but some thermal tape along with it.
That being said I have seen some people do it in build logs.

Done this many times without ripping a module off. You just got to be patient and not be an idiot basically. Also the thermal stuff on the heat spreaders might as well be glue for all it does. Most RAM modules i have used don't even have the thermal pad just standard adhesive under the sinks, so wouldn't worry about heat, as these aluminium things are mostly for show and the rest for marketing in any normal situation.

Hair dryer + fingernails + 10 mins and that is enough to get them off safely. Dont pull, just let the tension in the heatsink slowly peal the adhesive off.

katinacooker · 24 Feb 2014 at 20:59

Would be pretty simple assuming you can easily remove the headspreaders without damaging the module. It also depends on whether or not the headspreaders are just for show or glued on

Avenged7Fold · 24 Feb 2014 at 21:09

katinacooker said:
Would be pretty simple assuming you can easily remove the headspreaders without damaging the module. It also depends on whether or not the headspreaders are just for show or glued on

They can all be removed by gently heating them and just pealing them off like you would remove anything which is stuck on via a strong adhesive. These usually use a thermal adhesive, which tbh isn't all that great at transferring heat.

They are all pretty much for show under normal voltages. If you stress the ram and feel the heatsinks, they don't even get that warm. I was hoping to stress the ram to make the removal easier by heating the RAM modules up, but it didnt help at all!

The glue usually comes off a bit 'stringy'. By creating a little bit of space between the modules (just with the tension created by slightly bending the spreader) and using something very thin like the non sharp edge of a razor blade, to cut the glue fibers, you can remove the heatsinks without putting to much force on the modules.

You can use a heatgun but there is little point and is way overkill for RAM modules. Hell, it might even result in melting any nearby solder, which you would definitely want to avoid.

PHazlington · 24 Feb 2014 at 21:40

It would look completely fab if you do decide to paint it because that sticker, I feel, really detracts from the aesthetic of the RAM. It looks like this without the sticker: http://cdn.eteknix.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Xtreem_Home.jpg
I think this, with the black PCB, would look pretty sexual ngl

Stas823 · 24 Feb 2014 at 21:43

is there even any point in heat spreaders? i though ram doesn't run hot.

Avenged7Fold · 24 Feb 2014 at 21:46

Stas823 said:
is there even any point in heat spreaders? i though ram doesn't run hot.

Only for marketing and extreme benchers who use the spreaders to attach to extreme cooling methods. Doesnt run hot at all.

My personal fav is the EK monarch (or the old dominator) cooling modules. These have an amazing finish!!!! They are also held together by screws and not glue, and fit ANY DDR3 memory module. You just put a set of non adhesive thermal pads for contact between the RAM chips and the Monarchs. Remove them by just unscrewing two screws on each module and you are good to mount them on the next naked memory module.
Even if i didn't have a RAM water-block i would still use them.

katinacooker · 24 Feb 2014 at 21:47

Avenged7Fold said:
They can all be removed by gently heating them and just pealing them off like you would remove anything which is stuck on via a strong adhesive. These usually use a thermal adhesive, which tbh isn't all that great at transferring heat.

They are all pretty much for show under normal voltages. If you stress the ram and feel the heatsinks, they don't even get that warm. I was hoping to stress the ram to make the removal easier by heating the RAM modules up, but it didnt help at all!

The glue usually comes off a bit 'stringy'. By creating a little bit of space between the modules (just with the tension created by slightly bending the spreader) and using something very thin like the non sharp edge of a razor blade, to cut the glue fibers, you can remove the heatsinks without putting to much force on the modules.

You can use a heatgun but there is little point and is way overkill for RAM modules. Hell, it might even result in melting any nearby solder, which you would definitely want to avoid.

Aye, i've got Gskill Series X which is apparently held on with thermal tape! Mine are the color i wanted them to be regardless, but its good to know if i change my mind in the future

PHazlington · 24 Feb 2014 at 21:52

Old RAM used to get warmer and they put heat spreaders on that and I guess they just forgot to stop hahaha! Nahh, I suppose it's for aesthetic purposes, to prevent clumsy hands and ESD damage. Also I guess that faster RAM and also crappy RAM runs a bit hotter.