I'm looking at Samsung 990 PRO SSDs and noticed that the models with factory-installed heatsinks are often cheaper than those without, which seems a bit strange. Is it possible to remove the factory heatsink and replace it with a better one? If so, how difficult is it?
4 Answers
Yes, you can remove the heatsink, but it might be a bit tricky. It's held on by 4 screws, and those screws are not your typical Philips screws; you'll need a P5 (1.2mm) screwdriver. After that, separating the heatsink can be a challenge, as some people needed to use isopropyl alcohol to soften the adhesive thermal pads. Just be gentle when you're prying it apart to avoid damaging the SSD itself!
You can definitely remove it, but honestly, you might not need to unless you're looking to use the motherboard's built-in heat dissipation features. SSD prices fluctuate a lot, and typically, the heatsink models are pricier, so that could explain the pricing you’re seeing.
It’s totally possible to take off the heatsink; however, make sure you consider the space within your case, especially if you’re using a laptop. The size can really impact your choices if you’re planning to replace it with a different heatsink.
I've got a built-in heatsink on my SSD, and I really like it. I'm not sure why you'd want to swap it out unless you're limited by space or need to fit another SSD in a tight spot under your graphics card.
I have limited slots on my motherboard, so I need the space. Plus, my current setup won’t allow for an NVMe drive with its own heatsink. It's a tight fit for sure.
Sometimes, motherboard designs restrict you to specific heatsinks. I have to use what my motherboard comes with because other NVMe drives simply won't fit!
I recently did this with another model. It was pretty nerve-wracking since I hadn’t worked with M.2 drives before! I used a toolkit with all the right bits, and it helped a lot. Just be extra careful to not apply too much force.