DavidNJ

Always taught that the best fit is two flat surfaces mated closely under pressure, with a high thermal conductivity grease in between.

No water blocks are 'bowed'. What does it mean? How does it work? When would you use it?

Thanks,

David

RonindeBeatrice

Bowing a waterblock merely ensures that the middle comes into direct contact with the IHS and isn't resting on the mounting bracket, or contacting it at an edge.

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Bitemarks and bloodstains

you only have to bow water blocks on intel socket 775 as they have a mounting bracket for the cpu that runs around the edge of the IHS

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dralb

Since the CPU dies are in the middle of the CPU, the bowing helps to create a stronger contact patch in the middle. If you look at a stock Intel cooler, it only cover the middle of the IHS. Bowing a block helps to make sure that area has good contact and pressure. Also, the IHS isn't always machined perfectly flat. in some cases, it can even be slightly concaved. Bowing helps minimize any imperfections as well.

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Firestorm252

normally the waterblock contact surface is spread across the entire IHS (the silver-colored cover on the processor).

The CPU Die(s) however are at the center. While the IHS disperses the heat across a larger surface. The concept of bowing makes the best contact area directly above where the heat-generating components are (and consequently the most cooling ability) rather than spreading it out

it's like the thought process, do you want to cover the larger area with cooling even if it all doesn't need it or would you rather have a really awesome spot-cooler.

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TonyL222

Translated from French, but a good explanation:

http://translate.google.com/translat...hl=en&ie=UTF-8

cognoscenti

oh not thats Bowie

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RonindeBeatrice

Always insightful cog

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ericeod

dralb is 100% correct as usual. It all comes down to where the cores are located under the IHS. The Bowed bases make the best contact at the center of the IHS, right above the cores.

rep+ dralb.

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ira-k

They have you covered on the answer, here are a couple of pic's to go with it....The anatomy of a 'bow'.

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