Hey everyone! I'm in the process of cooling my WD SN5000 SSD, which has a single-side design with significantly spaced memory and controller chips. There's also a sticker with serial numbers and QR codes between them. I bought a radiator that has a base metal plate and a radiator that fits over it. I'm wondering if I should put a thermal pad between the SSD's underside— which doesn't have any chips, just fiberglass—and the metal support plate? And for the side with the memory chips, should I use one thermal pad over the whole area, or cut it into smaller pieces to cover the memory chip, the controller chip, and the space between them? I'm considering cutting them so if I ever need to access the sticker, I could easily remove just that piece without disturbing the others. Would this affect the cooling efficiency? Thanks for your help!
2 Answers
Make sure to check the instructions that came with your heatspreader for advice on installation. Normally, for SSDs, your motherboard should come with a built-in heatsink. If you’re cutting the thermal pad into smaller pieces, just keep in mind that it won’t really change much in terms of cooling efficiency, but it might make access a bit easier if you ever need to check that sticker.
Using a thermal pad on the underside of the SSD won’t really do much for cooling since there are no chips there, but it will help prevent scratches. Just make sure your cooler is designed for the thickness you’re using. For the top, it’s best to use a full piece; it's easy to remove if you need to access the SSD later.
Related Questions
Lenovo Thinkpad Stuck In Update Loop Install FilterDriverU2_Reload