Do memory modules really need heatsinks

Robzere31 · 22 Feb 2017 at 13:37

As title really, just received my new corsair vengeance memory order from overclockers & looking at the modules I'm not sure they will fit behind my full height radiator.

At work at the moment so not tried them yet but just looking at them it may be tight

So, do memory modules really need the heatsinks?

tom_e · 22 Feb 2017 at 13:37

No, but bling sells.

On Holiday · 22 Feb 2017 at 13:39

Not particularly, unless extremely overclocking.

hornetstinger · 22 Feb 2017 at 13:39

You can buy memory sticks where the heatsinks are just a little bit bigger than the stick themselves.

Rroff · 22 Feb 2017 at 13:42

It used to be only the most cutting edge memory had heatsinks (and in some cases actually needed) now it seems memory without is the exception rather than the rule.

I remember someone had the heatsinks from their OCZ Reaper X or something start slipping off and ran them fine without the heatsinks heh.

Robzere31 · 22 Feb 2017 at 13:43

Thanks, so worse case scenario I can remove them.

TBH, I never gave the height of the modules a thought when I ordered them

Armageus · 22 Feb 2017 at 13:44

Mostly for aesthetics, but possibly it has reduced failures caused by static (e.g. by directly touching exposed chips).

Robzere31 · 22 Feb 2017 at 18:13

Bit of a bonus, just fitted the new memory & just about fits with about 2 or 3mm to spare

hornetstinger · 22 Feb 2017 at 18:16

suppose watercooled ram is a bit ott

http://www.pureoverclock.com/wp-con...ng/swiftech_apogeehd/swiftech_apogeehd_16.jpg

Silent_Scone · 22 Feb 2017 at 20:42

Not anymore, no. Although active airflow can help when pushing things.

Yaayuh! · 23 Feb 2017 at 07:32

Nope, not really.
My Samsung Green takes a beating with tight timings and overvolting for over 4 years. Still cool, still stable.

moogle · 23 Feb 2017 at 08:23

No, but that diversified the market and allows them to sell all sorts of them with different colours. I just go for the lowest height memory to make sure it's compatible with future CPU coolers

ed79 · 23 Feb 2017 at 16:20

Rossi~ said:
My Samsung Green takes a beating with tight timings and overvolting for over 4 years. Still cool, still stable.

Yeah my Samsung at 1.35v is completely cool.

I remember my Geil DDR2 had orange coloured heatsinks and they did actually get pretty hot. Having said that I think DDR2 ran at 2.2volts at 800MHz.

Robzere31 · 23 Feb 2017 at 17:35

ed79 said:
Yeah my Samsung at 1.35v is completely cool.

I remember my Geil DDR2 had orange coloured heatsinks and they did actually get pretty hot. Having said that I think DDR2 ran at 2.2volts at 800MHz.

Ah, the good old days of putting 2.2volts though the memory & 2v though the cpu to get 2.5ghz.

Rroff · 23 Feb 2017 at 17:51

ed79 said:
Yeah my Samsung at 1.35v is completely cool.

I remember my Geil DDR2 had orange coloured heatsinks and they did actually get pretty hot. Having said that I think DDR2 ran at 2.2volts at 800MHz.

Typically with RAM the modules are rated to considerably higher temperatures in normal operation than they would ever actually get to in desktop PC operation - heatsinks in rare cases made a difference in stable overclocks but generally don't help - what people consider toasty for RAM is actually around 20-25C below their max (long term stable) operating temperature.

The real problem is voltage (and temperatures have only a slight impact here) there is generally a point where the effects of electromigration speeds up considerably - if anyone remembers the D9GMH chips there was a voltage point (which slightly differed on each) where they would die within weeks at or above that level regardless of the cooling used. This is why SRAM is often the first product pushed through to test new semiconductor nodes as the density and complexity is good for exposing effects like this early on.

mattyfez · 23 Feb 2017 at 21:24

Not really, but anyone remember these hehe he

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=c...AUICCgC&biw=360&bih=479#imgrc=dFVv54cRP3ii2M:

Rroff · 23 Feb 2017 at 23:21

I used to have the OCZ XTC cooler like that along with the RAM and DDR booster - with that thing you actually needed cooling - think I still have the setup in a box somewhere.

I miss the days when manufacturers did totally nuts things like that.

Nickolp1974 · 24 Feb 2017 at 06:20

Robzere31 said:
Ah, the good old days of putting 2.2volts though the memory & 2v though the cpu to get 2.5ghz.

Those days are still here! My Galax HOF ddr4 love it over 2v and very little heat is produced.

Silent_Scone · 24 Feb 2017 at 10:52

It's not so much the memory these days, or the DRAM voltage, or effect this has on the IC lol - more so the means (especially with OC socket rails) the CPU need to get there. A lot of mystery shrouded there, but CLT and CLK can scale quite high when pushing frequency. Generally speaking DDR4 IC's are pretty tough, I've not heard of any real solid evidence of degradation or failures.

Nickolp1974 · 24 Feb 2017 at 11:19

Nope me neither and I know a few that use upto 2.2v with no issues to report.
But for normal 24/7 users I'd personally stick to a limit of 1.75v