[Hexus]Corsair TEC to take DDR3 to new (and colder) heights

1211 Views 22 Replies 17 Participants Last post by Licht, Mar 10, 2009

Wookie Man

Discussion Starter · Mar 10, 2009

2

Quote:

HEXUS took a look at some tasty Corsair DOMINATOR GT 2GHz CL7 RAM a short while ago, commenting that it was the fastest around.

Shipping with a DOMINATOR AIRFLOW fan as standard, we note that the heatspreaders were designed such that a waterblock or TEC unit could be installed for enhanced cooling.

Corsair was demonstrating the TEC unit at CeBIT 2009. TECs (Peltiers) work on the principle of running voltage through two dissimilar materials (semiconductors). Joined together electrically, the voltage causes heat to be pulled from one side to the other, making it colder. The cold side helps drag heat away from the components you're cooling, but the hot side of the TEC requires cooling itself, and that's why you see the watercooling on top.

Put simply, TEC-assisted watercooling is better than basic liquid cooling because it drags the heat away quicker.

We managed to push our 2GHz CL7 kit to 2.1GHz CR1 with the DOMINATOR AIRFLOW, so it will be interesting to see just how much help the TEC provides. We have one in the labs right now, and we'll attach it to the modules this week.

What you don't see is the humidity sensor that ensures condensation doesn't take place on the cold side - the last thing you'll want is water dripping on to the components, right.

No word on the pricing and availability of the waterblock or TEC unit, but we'll update this article once we have news from Corsair.

Source

Really Corsair?

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1 - 20 of 23 Posts

TEntel

· #2 · Mar 10, 2009

A humidity sensor to prevent condensation?

So the ram is prevented from going sub-ambient?

I can't imagine regular liquid cooled ram being above ambient anyways...

Am I missing something?

Hephasteus

· #3 · Mar 10, 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by TEntel

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A humidity sensor to prevent condensation?

So the ram is prevented from going sub-ambient?

I can't imagine regular liquid cooled ram being above ambient anyways...

Am I missing something?

Ram manufacturers are really desperate to actually improve ram. Did you miss that?

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mothergoose729

· #4 · Mar 10, 2009

I eagerly await the results but I have to say that this is probably pointless. RAM neither over volts very well, nor responds well to lowering temperatures (as far as squeezing out more performance). RAM rarely even overheats, especially when it can only be clocked to 1.65v because of the memory controller. I will reserve judgment on this tell later.

sLowEnd

· #5 · Mar 10, 2009

This is too bulky

noobpower2

· #6 · Mar 10, 2009

i think even air cooling ram is overkill

Wankerfx

· #7 · Mar 10, 2009

Just let TECs die.

CL3P20

· #8 · Mar 10, 2009

You guys have never witnessed LN2+DDR2..? I believe single channel record for DDR2 is somewheres in the 900mhz*2 range..and dual-channel WR is over 800mhz*2. <-clocks obviously ONLY possible with extreme cooling methods, and crazy-insane voltage levels...like 2.7-3.1v

This is good news for folks that enjoy running screaming clocks and snug-tight latency for 24.7 use..very good news. That cooler could easily be mod'd to fit any RAM I am sure.

thunder_2008

· #9 · Mar 10, 2009

I read this article the other day and there testing results from the tec were not substantially higher than watercooling.

This as a concept is a great idea...but I think that the wattage needed to really make these cooler would require quite a bit more than what they have going at present.

thunder_2008

· #10 · Mar 10, 2009

3

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Originally Posted by noobpower2

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i think even air cooling ram is overkill

whats that your saying? Here on OCN?

Nothing is ever overkill...even if it is...LoL

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thunder_2008

· #11 · Mar 10, 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by CL3P20

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You guys have never witnessed LN2+DDR2..? I believe single channel record for DDR2 is somewheres in the 900mhz*2 range..and dual-channel WR is over 800mhz*2. <-clocks obviously ONLY possible with extreme cooling methods, and crazy-insane voltage levels...like 2.7-3.1v

This is good news for folks that enjoy running screaming clocks and snug-tight latency for 24.7 use..very good news. That cooler could easily be mod'd to fit any RAM I am sure.

Hmm, I have seen a thread somewhere in the ether with ln2+ddr cooling...I'm sure that would be a great thing.

Just there's two things that already have me thinking ahead for my up-coming switch over into my water chiller from my 360 water tower.

When it comes to conde. prevention? This also reminds me of seeing a completely frozen over ddr from ln2 or phase or water chiller.

Anyways, I know dielectric is needed for the ddr slot and nail polish for everything on the modules and around the socket area as well?

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DuckieHo

· #12 · Mar 10, 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by CL3P20

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You guys have never witnessed LN2+DDR2..? I believe single channel record for DDR2 is somewheres in the 900mhz*2 range..and dual-channel WR is over 800mhz*2. <-clocks obviously ONLY possible with extreme cooling methods, and crazy-insane voltage levels...like 2.7-3.1v

This is good news for folks that enjoy running screaming clocks and snug-tight latency for 24.7 use..very good news. That cooler could easily be mod'd to fit any RAM I am sure.

Are you sure? I saw phased cooled RAM... being sub-zero, they only got a few MHz more.... I think.

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ChielScape

· #13 · Mar 10, 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by DuckieHo

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Are you sure? I saw phased cooled RAM... being sub-zero, they only got a few MHz more.... I think.

and several feet of e-peen

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DuckieHo

· #14 · Mar 10, 2009

Found it.. http://forums.vr-zone.com/showthread.php?t=134010

Brutuz

· #15 · Mar 10, 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by noobpower2

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i think even air cooling ram is overkill

It isn't.
I have to put a 80mm fan over my RAM or I can get a BSOD.

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Solertia

· #16 · Mar 10, 2009

As much as I love Corsair... this is :swearing: ridiculous.

Penicilyn

· #17 · Mar 10, 2009

Pretty silly, most ram doesn't even need heatspreaders.

DuckieHo

· #18 · Mar 10, 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Penicilyn

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Pretty silly, most ram doesn't even need heatspreaders.

The Ball Grid Array (BGA) ICs used today risk broken solder joints from uneven thermal cycling. The heatspreader helps to increase the chip lifespan. Nothing fancy but a sheet of metal would help

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CyberDruid

· #19 · Mar 10, 2009

I'm dubious of TEC cooling in general. But perhaps a MFR-level TEC unit could be engineered to be simple and safe. From what I understand most Pelt Plates have a sweet spot that needs to be discovered that makes for a happy balance between the heat load and the amount of voltage used and the amount of cooling brought to the hot side.

When a TEC fails because of heatsoak to the cold side the results are spectacular...suddenly boiling fluid in the LC part of the TEC set up can blow the tubing right off the fitting, or melt a hole in it and spray fluid all over the guts of the Rig... but I imagine Corsair took all of this into consideration and has some sort of self-monitoring system to keep the TEC inside it's desired operating range.

Hephasteus

· #20 · Mar 10, 2009

What about this instead.

http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1812

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