Intel Retail Heatsinks SUCK!

It was Monday two weeks ago now that I noticed a problem with my computer. I was playing Counter-Strike Source (which is heavily CPU intensive) and was experiencing lots of screen jerking and apparent lag. Checking my net graph turned up no problems and I put it down to hard drive fragmentation.

Three completed defragmentation cycles later and the problem persisted. What does any competent technician do then?

I opened the Task Manager scrolled through my process and services lists attempting to determine if it was a rogue program or undetected virus which may have been eating up my CPU cycles. Another dead end.

Next step was to check the temperatures, and I downloaded a program named Speedfan which gives you temperature readings on of all the supported components in your computer.

Launching Speedfan I was surprised to see my Core 1-4 temperatures hovering around the 70 degrees celcius on a cold boot-up. For those who are not familiar with average temperatures for CPU’s on cold boot-up let me point out that 70 degrees is 40-50 degrees hotter than it should be.

Loading Counter-Strike Source I gamed for about 5-10 minutes and exited the game and loaded Speedfan again. The results shocked me.

Two of the cores were close to the boiling temperature of water. I could not believe how hot the CPU was running.

My first thought was Broken Heatsink Fan!!! Speedfan must be reporting fake RPM’s. Ripping off the side of my case and I discovered the fan merrily spinning it’s way. What the hell was going on!!

My next step was to shut the PC down and perform a physical check of the Heatsink and CPU area. It was then that I discovered the cause of my temperature problems.

The Heatsink was not completely touching the CPU and “Oh shit!” two of the four locking catches were broken. Not only were they not staying closed as I attempted to turn them into the closed position, the clips that are seated in the motherboard itself were not sticking hence my problem with the Heatsink not keeping contact with the CPU.

I’ve come to the conclusion that Intel Stock Heatsinks SUCK!

I know what the enthusiasts reading out there are thinking right now. “Serves you right for not throwing the Intel Stock Heatsink straight in the bin“.

I believe however that if Intel are to sell a CPU with a Heatsink, it should god damn stay attached to the motherboard at least.

So until next week at the earliest I’m stuck with a potentially egg frying CPU which could burn out any time. Dammit I hate no deliveries on weekends!!!