Rockit 88 Kickstarter aims to delid your Intel CPU with a simple tool

[Scorpus]

It may not be a common practice, but among enthusiast overclockers there is a belief that you can improve the thermal performance of your Intel CPU by delidding it. The process usually involves using a knife to carefully cut away the integrated heat spreader (IHS), revealing thermal compound that can be replaced for better cooling.

As you have to take a knife to your expensive CPU, there are a lot of risks involved with delidding it: one small slip or stuff up and your CPU will be damaged. This is where the Rockit 88, an already-funded Kickstarter project spotted by The Tech Report, comes in. With the Rockit 88, all you have to do is place the CPU inside a specially crafted device, crank the handle, and then you can easily remove the IHS.

Some people believe that delidding a CPU doesn't actually do much to improve the thermal performance, but Rockit Cool, the designers of the Rockit 88, believe you can achieve up to a 10°C improvement in load temperatures on an overclocked Devil's Canyon CPU through the process.

Anyone who wants one of these niche tools can put down $35 and have a complete Rockit 88 kit delivered to them, with an estimated shipping date of May 2016. Considering the price of a high-end Intel CPU, it's well worth forking out $35 to remove any risks associated with cutting into your expensive hardware.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/64417-rockit-88-kickstarter-aims-delid-intel-cpu-simple.html

 

[oldikes]

Just the thought of doing this freaks me out.

 

[Cycloid Torus]

If I needed to do this for a $200+ CPU, I certainly would buy this gadget. My old stuff can be replaced for $50 or so I wouldn't bother. Of course, the old stuff probably needs it more.

Leaves me with a puzzle. Do you put the lid back on (creating a new Thermal Paste/air bubble sandwich) or do you push the heat sink on top and hope for the best??

 

[cliffordcooley]

Leaves me with a puzzle. Do you put the lid back on (creating a new Thermal Paste/air bubble sandwich) or do you push the heat sink on top and hope for the best??

Reseal the lid with better thermal compound.

Although if you are not overclocking with a K version this would all be pointless.

 

[Evernessince]

Did this with my old 3570k. Delidding improve the temps by a solid 20c.

This is really on a problem Intel has created. I fully expect that all the Zen CPUs will be soldered.

 

[HugsNotDrugs]

If I needed to do this for a $200+ CPU, I certainly would buy this gadget. My old stuff can be replaced for $50 or so I wouldn't bother. Of course, the old stuff probably needs it more.

Leaves me with a puzzle. Do you put the lid back on (creating a new Thermal Paste/air bubble sandwich) or do you push the heat sink on top and hope for the best??

Get rid of the sealant around the edges. It can be scraped off with the edge of a credit card.

The new thermal compound you use between the die and the heatspreader should be barely sufficient to keep the heatspreader in place. You'll need to handle the CPU with care.

I lowered my 3570k temperatures by more than 20 degrees Celsius using Coollaboratory liquid ultra. It's pretty aggressive stuff. Razor blade to delid worked fine for me, but requires patience and planning.

 

[HugsNotDrugs]

Did this with my old 3570k. Delidding improve the temps by a solid 20c.

This is really on a problem Intel has created. I fully expect that all the Zen CPUs will be soldered.

The problem is the distance between the CPU die and the heatspreader. Too much adhesive was used around the edges of the heatspreader. Some guys even re-used the existing thermal paste after the adhesive was removed and resulting in strong temperature improvements.

 

[treetops]

I find it hard to believe that something so simple could yield 20c. I bet you guys also re applied thermal paste to the outside. Cleaned your case out. Blew off your radiator dust. I know I would if I was taking out the cpu. Iv gained 10c+ from just taking the dust off my radiator. I stopped my computer from completely over heating and shutting down by cleaning the dust under my cpu fan blades laying on the heat sink. Only seen by using a flash light in between the blades.

 

[lripplinger]

No thanks on "delidding".

 

[Uncle Al]

Hmmmmmm ..... sounds like it would be a lot less painful to delid the operator, rather than the machine ..... no?

 

[Evernessince]

The problem is the distance between the CPU die and the heatspreader. Too much adhesive was used around the edges of the heatspreader. Some guys even re-used the existing thermal paste after the adhesive was removed and resulting in strong temperature improvements.

Yeah, had to make sure to remove all that silicon grease. Really though that wouldn't have been a problem if they had just continued soldering. Intel creating issues to save pennies and it still continues with Intel's latest skylake processors.

 

[BJ Ladderdale]

I am backing this and sharing. Hope they launch a crowdspeaking campaign too! I need one of these so badly.

:0

 

[Darth Shiv]

Sorry just to get this straight... is the heatspreader being put back on after fixing the thermal paste?

 

[Darth Shiv]

Did this with my old 3570k. Delidding improve the temps by a solid 20c.

This is really on a problem Intel has created. I fully expect that all the Zen CPUs will be soldered.

I am amazed it is that bad. Amazed that Intel's design isn't better I mean. Not amazed that it could be that bad. An air gap or any additional material layer is obviously going to affect heat conductivity. But why would Intel have a design that increases temps that much?!?

 

[cliffordcooley]

Sorry just to get this straight... is the heatspreader being put back on after fixing the thermal paste?

Yes The point is to replace the compound, not take the spreader off.

Leaves me with a puzzle. Do you put the lid back on (creating a new Thermal Paste/air bubble sandwich) or do you push the heat sink on top and hope for the best??

Reseal the lid with better thermal compound.

 

[Kibaruk]

I don't buy this, at all, nor the 20° improvement. This is a serious issue for everyone, for proc manufacturers and consumers alike, wouldn't live this much for randomness. Definitely not buying into the hype of like someone already suggested, having your computer at top notch behaviour.

I'm super certain that if this could reduce 20°C the guys from Intel -or AMD- would've put the BEST coolant out there for a mere cents a proc and sell it overclocked for the extra punch and K*shing shing*, no way in hell they are loosing money.

 

[cliffordcooley]

I'm super certain that if this could reduce 20°C the guys from Intel -or AMD- would've put the BEST coolant out there

Then how do you explain articles such as the one in the following link?
http://www.eteknix.com/ivy-bridge-thermal-grease-is-the-culprit-for-heat-problems-after-all/

 

[EClyde]

I'm super certain that if this could reduce 20°C the guys from Intel -or AMD- would've put the BEST coolant out there

Then how do you explain articles such as the one in the following link?
http://www.eteknix.com/ivy-bridge-thermal-grease-is-the-culprit-for-heat-problems-after-all/

I can't explain it only question it. 4 year old article with one comment ...any corroboration?

Guys will try anything to increase performance...any performance..ho ho ho

 

[VitalyT]

They say, brain cells need to be always oxygenated.

So, how about a device to make a few holes in the head to provide more airflow?

That'd be great.

 

[Carmaine]

Good'ol vice procedure was the delid-of choice for my 4790K. Sitting pretty 24/7 at 26C idle/45-55C load(depending on what kind of load...LOL) at 4.9GHz, 1.325V.

 

[captaincranky]

"Rockit 88", really? I wonder where the heck they came up with that name?

Maybe it was this 1950 Oldsmobile "Rocket 88".

 

[CortyDK]

I don't think Intels thermal design is bad. My believe is that it is designed for the use at stock speeds.

My I7-6700 (not the K) version does not run hotter than 50 degrees celsius even under hours and hours of full load (Handbrake 1080p rendering) with its Noctua NH-U9S cooler. (Only 92mm fan as it has to fit inside the 95x95mm specs for my mITX mobo.

Motherboard barely reaches 26-27 degrees in the same conditions.

Overclocking on the other hand, well, there might be something to gain coolingwise, but I have never OC'et a pc (except an old Pentium 133 running 166MHz) so I cannot deduce on that.

 

[Darth Shiv]

I don't think Intels thermal design is bad. My believe is that it is designed for the use at stock speeds.

My I7-6700 (not the K) version does not run hotter than 50 degrees celsius even under hours and hours of full load (Handbrake 1080p rendering) with its Noctua NH-U9S cooler. (Only 92mm fan as it has to fit inside the 95x95mm specs for my mITX mobo.

Motherboard barely reaches 26-27 degrees in the same conditions.

Overclocking on the other hand, well, there might be something to gain coolingwise, but I have never OC'et a pc (except an old Pentium 133 running 166MHz) so I cannot deduce on that.

Are people getting 20 degrees cooler just with better thermal paste at stock clock speeds under load? If that's so, then I'd say categorically, Intel's thermal design is terrible. If they are overclocking then you can't really compare the thermal objectives.

 

[Evernessince]

I am amazed it is that bad. Amazed that Intel's design isn't better I mean. Not amazed that it could be that bad. An air gap or any additional material layer is obviously going to affect heat conductivity. But why would Intel have a design that increases temps that much?!?

I cannot speak with complete certainty but in general the delid community agrees that it is simply a matter of saving money. It's allot easier to slap a bit of non-conductive and cheap thermal paste on the die than it is to solder it on. Not to mention, solder is harder to remove and more difficult to apply. You save a few pennies and simplify the assembly process.

It just goes to show the lack of competition Intel has. Just look at the Skylake CPUs. The chip is even smaller, which means their yields increase (which means more money) and the PCB is thinner, saving once again pennies, but also causing the whole heatsink bending the CPU debacle.

Rest assured, Intel will continue to find ways to eek money out of it's customers in every manner possible.

 

[Puiu]

Why do people assume that Intel has a bad design? Do you really think intel wants you to super OC their CPUs? They make them good enough to work at their rated temps and speeds.