A heat sink is a discrete piece of hardware that sits on top of a CPU (or other electronic components) to extract heat away from it. In other words, it’s there to prevent your device from getting too hot.
The problem is that the vast majority of heat sinks don’t retain heat very well, so users soon learn how to choose the right one.
A good one will not only be sized appropriately for its intended application but it should also be made from durable die-cast aluminum or silicone-based materials instead of cheaper alternatives.
What Is A Heat Sink?
A heat sink is a discrete piece of hardware that sits on top of a CPU (or other electronic components) to extract heat away from it. In other words, it’s there to prevent your device from getting too hot.
The problem is that the vast majority of heat sinks don’t retain heat very well, so users soon learn how to choose the right one.
Die Cast Aluminum Heat Sink
A die cast aluminum heat sink is a heat sink that is made from aluminum, which is a durable, heat-conductive material. Aluminum is an excellent metal choice for making heat sinks, as it is highly conductive, not prone to corrosion, and has good thermal conductivity.
However, die-cast aluminum is a lower grade, less expensive type of aluminum than what is used for automotive applications. It is also more prone to brittleness.
Lower grade aluminum is cheaper to produce, so it is cheaper to make the heat sink, while aluminum that is produced using the lost-leaves process is less prone to brittleness but has a lower thermal conductivity.
Heat sinks made from die cast aluminum are often less expensive than their silicone-based or high-quality polymer counterparts, but they are also less effective at conducting heat away from the CPU. If you are looking for an inexpensive, low-quality CPU heat sink, then a die-cast aluminum product is for you.
Why Die Cast Aluminium?
Die-cast aluminum heat sinks are often compared with other materials because they are a low-cost, low-quality alternative to other heat sink materials. However, die-cast aluminum is not a cheap material by any stretch of the imagination.
The cost of producing it is quite high compared with other materials, as is the cost of recycling it. The key difference between a die-cast aluminum heat sink and other materials is the material’s density. Aluminum has a relatively low density, which is why it is used for automobile exhaust systems.
However, by casting aluminum into a specific shape, it is possible to increase its density and thus make it viable as a heat sink.
Things To Look For In A Heat Sink
The most important thing to look for in a heat sink is its thermal resistance. A heat sink must be able to transfer heat reliably to be effective. The thermal resistance of a heat sink is a measure of how well it transfers heat.
Lower-quality heat sinks tend to be lower in thermal resistance, meaning that they are more likely to get too hot to the touch. Other things to look for in a heat sink include the material’s density, thermal conductivity, durability, and flexibility.
The material’s density determines how well the heat sink transfers heat, while thermal conductivity is a measure of how quickly heat is transferred. A heat sink should have good thermal conductivity to be effective, but it should also have a low density to reduce its overall weight.
