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- The uneven contact pressure between the cooler and IHS results in warping.
- After-market CPU contact frames do help prevent the IHS from bending or warping.
- The contact frame solution costs little and varies in MSRP depending on the brand.
Ever since the launch of LGA 1700-socket CPUs, be it the 12th, 13th, or 14th-generation processors, the same bending problem has plagued all. Most notably, this is due to the new rectangular CPU design and the latching mechanism of the LGA 1700 socket.
To prevent such issues, companies like Thermal Grizzly have put together a solution in the form of a CPU contact frame. It stops the warping and bending issues for a reasonable amount of money.
Impact Of CPU Bending On Thermals
Since these LGA 1700 CPUs boast a rectangular design, unlike the older generation processors, they are hypersensitive to deformations when installed into the socket. The problem could be due to the loading mechanism of the socket.
For a much better understanding, you can watch the test video of a YouTuber named Jisaku Hibi. Who proved that with the socket closed, the contact between the IHS and the cooler’s surface became much less, resulting in a noticeable gap between the two.
This could easily affect the thermal performance of the CPU by roughly 5 °C due to the gap between the IHS (Integrated Heat Spreader) and the CPU cooler.
Intel Spokesperson’s Comment On The Warping Issue
After numerous reports by the users, Intel finally commented on the ongoing bending issues. In an interview with Tom’s Hardware, Intel’s spokesperson said:
We haven’t received any complaints regarding our chips running below their rated specifications because of the change in the IHS. Moreover, our internal data suggests that such bending and warping is expected to some extent; however, it doesn’t impact the performance in any way possible. Last but not least, any after-market modifications to the socket or the ILM would result in voiding any product warranty that it has.
Even though Intel made a reassuring statement to answer most of the questions, it doesn’t answer all of them. For instance, they didn’t say anything about the impact on the traces and circuitry of the compatible motherboards in the long run due to the intense mounting pressure.
According to Intel’s response, there is no clear connection between the IHS and the motherboard’s shape deformation. However, they did acknowledge that it happens to both solely because of the loading mechanism of the socket.
How The CPU Contact Frame Helps
To put it simply, a CPU contact frame is a custom-designed after-market solution to mitigate the CPU bending and warping issues for the LGA 1700 socket CPUs. The contact frame replaces the stock loading mechanism of the LGA 1700-based motherboards.
Furthermore, the contact frame is also built in such a way that it equally distributes the contact pressure all over the processor’s IHS. This helps in achieving much lower temperatures by about 10°C during extreme workloads.
Doing this allows the heat to dissipate much better, resulting in better thermal performance, while also safeguarding the IHS from bending or warping over time. You just need to be careful while screwing and unscrewing stuff because the rest of the installation is relatively straightforward.
The last reason I would say that these contact frames are worth getting is their price. These anti-bend contact frames are inexpensive to purchase and vary depending on the brand. The contact frames cost anywhere from $5 to $40 and are compatible with any LGA 1700 socket motherboard, regardless of its tier, so it’s up to you which one to pick. Simply because all of them do the same thing — save the CPU and motherboard from bending.
What I Think Of The CPU Contact Frame
The CPU contact frames have come out as the savior of LGA 1700 socket CPUs at a reasonable price and an easy DIY installation process. However, if you care more about the warranty side of things and are fine with a bit of bending here and there and a little high core temperature, then you better stick with the stock stuff. As for me personally, I would invest in a CPU contact frame for better peace of mind.
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