Intel Issues PCN Reflecting LGA1200 Support for BXTS15A Boxed Cooler

[btarunr]

Intel sells a beefed up sibling of its stock heatsink-fan separately in the DIY retail channel, called the Thermal Solution TS15A, which was originally released when Intel launched its LGA115x socket. With the new LGA1200 socket retaining cooler compatibility with LGA115x, Intel issued a PCN (product change notification) apprising its retail supply chain that a newer batch of the cooler will come with updated packaging to reflect that the cooler supports LGA1200 in addition to LGA1151. The TS15A features a copper core making contact with the processor's IHS at the base, from which aluminium fins project radially. A high power fan ventilates the cooler axially, while the cooler's design spreads some of the air onto the CPU VRM and memory.



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[Caring1]

The previous version appeared to be all copper, going by the picture on the rear of the box.

edit: I've searched for the copper cooler and all of them appear to be alloy with a copper core.
So basically Intel lied, and the picture is false marketing and clear bait and switch tactics.

 

[Crackong]

So they knew their thermal solution is insufficient in the very first place.

(pic form hothardware)

 

[Apocalypsee]

They still use crappy plastic on those push-pin. It cant stand a few heatsink removal

 

[Bjørgersson]

I bought a used one for an i5-4460 a couple of years ago and while it's massive cooler as hell, especially compared to that tiny toy Intel cooler, I'm not sure it'll be potent enough for the new 300 W furnaces.

 

[W1zzard]

They still use crappy plastic on those push-pin. It cant stand a few heatsink removal

I love those, because it takes only 15 secs to installer a cooler for a quick testing run

 

[Space Lynx]

blowing heat down onto the mobo just seems like such a bad design to me, especially for a case like mine where its soundproof, i have 1 rear exhaust and 3x 120mm intake on front panel. i need my CPU cooler to cycle out the air as fast possible so i opted for the 2 fan arctic esports e34 sucks in the 360 fresh instake air and aims it right at the rear exhaust fan, and i get soundproof foam on 4 side panels on top of that, works out great for me

 

[maxitaxi96]

I bought a used one for an i5-4460 a couple of years ago and while it's massive cooler as hell, especially compared to that tiny toy Intel cooler, I'm not sure it'll be potent enough for the new 300 W furnaces.

Linus reviewed them a while back. They're enough for a 95W CPU... but also not significantly better than the stock cooler...

 

[Vayra86]

blowing heat down onto the mobo just seems like such a bad design to me, especially for a case like mine where its soundproof, i have 1 rear exhaust and 3x 120mm intake on front panel. i need my CPU cooler to cycle out the air as fast possible so i opted for the 2 fan arctic esports e34 sucks in the 360 fresh instake air and aims it right at the rear exhaust fan, and i get soundproof foam on 4 side panels on top of that, works out great for me

Topflow is actually the most effective and above all 'fool proof' design for CPU cooling. You cool the VRM, so regardless of case airflow, if something crashes, its because the whole system is too hot, which means you can spot it quickly. With a tower heatsink, that may completely escape your attention until its too late.

A CPU cooler also barely affects the airflow in/out of case. Its not like its making any air, right? It just creates a different flow around the CPU area, but intakes and exhausts will still push the air through the case. You're suffering 90 degree angles no matter what.

The only limitation of topflow is the size issue. Its not easy making a big one and for heatsinks size matters in terms of the TDP they can take.

I'm a fan of this attempt, note the double heatsink

 

[Space Lynx]

Topflow is actually the most effective and above all 'fool proof' design for CPU cooling. You cool the VRM, so regardless of case airflow, if something crashes, its because the whole system is too hot, which means you can spot it quickly. With a tower heatsink, that may completely escape your attention until its too late.

A CPU cooler also barely affects the airflow in/out of case. Its not like its making any air, right? It just creates a different flow around the CPU area, but intakes and exhausts will still push the air through the case. You're suffering 90 degree angles no matter what.

The only limitation of topflow is the size issue. Its not easy making a big one and for heatsinks size matters in terms of the TDP they can take.

I'm a fan of this attempt, note the double heatsink

View attachment 156817

I never thought of it that way, that makes sense. I just figured you are cycling out the hot air faster cause the extra 2 fans pointed directly at the exhaust fan, keeps the suction of everything going. But what you said does make more sense.

VRM cooling i won't be worried about though as my next mobo will be the msi x570 tomahawk. assuming it ever comes in stock

 

[hat]

The case airflow should be able to remove any heat given off by the CPU cooler anyway.

 

[Tomorrow]

Intel is super weird sometimes. On one hand they include iGPU in EVERY mainstream CPU they produce (even F models where the silicon is present but disabled). Even with high end 500$ CPU's despite it being more than likely that people buying such a pricy DIY component already have (even several) or can easily procure a superior graphics solution. Not to mention the die size an iGPU consumes. Intel could easly have 16c/32t CPU's right now if they would let go of this oddity. Atleast on their K series SKU's.

But then on the other hand they do not include a stock heatsink with their mainstream K and KF series (boxed obviously) CPU's. Obviously they assume people buying those already have their own cooler(s) or can procure them. Yet the same is not true for a GPU?.

And the one they do include is woefully inadequate despite producing a superior version for DIY market. Seriously - does anyone know anyone who has purchased this thing in the article instead of hunderds of better options available on the market?

 

[W1zzard]

does anyone know anyone who has purchased this thing in the article instead of hunderds of better options available on the market?

I have, even paid premium for it, because I'm not aware of any faster option to install the CPU cooler.

 

[Caring1]

Topflow
I'm a fan of this attempt, note the double heatsink

View attachment 156817

That sir is a thing of beauty.

 

[Vayra86]

I never thought of it that way, that makes sense. I just figured you are cycling out the hot air faster cause the extra 2 fans pointed directly at the exhaust fan, keeps the suction of everything going. But what you said does make more sense.

VRM cooling i won't be worried about though as my next mobo will be the msi x570 tomahawk. assuming it ever comes in stock

Cooling aside, suction is always good

 

[Tomorrow]

I have, even paid premium for it, because I'm not aware of any faster option to install the CPU cooler.

I have a faster option. Well it's not the most secure one so better not have cats or dogs (or children) near the motherboard when the CPU is under load:

Place the motherboard horizontally on a box or a testbed. Place the cooler on the CPU without any mounting hardware and let gravity do all the work. Done
Well some thermal paste is actually a good idea. I've run several test benches that way. Saves a lot of time but admittely works best with huge (1KG+) dual-tower coolers.

 

[W1zzard]

Place the cooler on the CPU without any mounting hardware and let gravity do all the work

that's what i've been doing for more than a decade. it'll be fine for desktop work, but not for any serious load, so i just bought that heatsink, problem solved

 

[Tomorrow]

that's what i've been doing for more than a decade. it'll be fine for desktop work, but not for any serious load, so i just bought that heatsink, problem solved

I'll take your word for it considering your expertise.

 

[FreedomEclipse]

that's what i've been doing for more than a decade. it'll be fine for desktop work, but not for any serious load, so i just bought that heatsink, problem solved

Can we have a review? Im interested in how it stacks up against aftermarket coolers.

 

[watzupken]

Topflow is actually the most effective and above all 'fool proof' design for CPU cooling. You cool the VRM, so regardless of case airflow, if something crashes, its because the whole system is too hot, which means you can spot it quickly. With a tower heatsink, that may completely escape your attention until its too late.

A CPU cooler also barely affects the airflow in/out of case. Its not like its making any air, right? It just creates a different flow around the CPU area, but intakes and exhausts will still push the air through the case. You're suffering 90 degree angles no matter what.

The only limitation of topflow is the size issue. Its not easy making a big one and for heatsinks size matters in terms of the TDP they can take.

I'm a fan of this attempt, note the double heatsink

View attachment 156817

I agree. Tower heatsink reduces a lot of airflow to the hot components around the CPU, and basically minimal airflow to the components for watercooling. While the appears to cool the CPU better, the VRMs and such runs hot.

So they knew their thermal solution is insufficient in the very first place.

(pic form hothardware)

Intel should bundle this with their processors, especially the current generation. They cheap out for so many years giving that crappy small and thin heatsink for the sake of cost cutting. While the basic cooler worked fine with the first gen Skylake chip, the Comet Lake is a Skylake on power steroid.

 

[FreedomEclipse]

I agree. Tower heatsink reduces a lot of airflow to the hot components around the CPU, and basically minimal airflow to the components for watercooling. While the appears to cool the CPU better, the VRMs and such runs hot.

Unless youre setup on an open air bench this shouldnt matter. With the way cases are designed to channel air through one way and out the other. There is still gonna be airflow. Its when there isnt enough air being pulled through the case is when its going to be a problem.

Most boards do just fine without a fan on the VRMs or the chipset so long as you have a good amount of air being push and pulled in and out of the case. The only time this could be an issue is when youre doing some extreme overclocking and need to set the voltage sky high or when youre running big clocks & a hot GPu but your ambient temp is 30'c+

 

[timta2]

Intel is super weird sometimes. On one hand they include iGPU in EVERY mainstream CPU they produce (even F models where the silicon is present but disabled). Even with high end 500$ CPU's despite it being more than likely that people buying such a pricy DIY component already have (even several) or can easily procure a superior graphics solution. Not to mention the die size an iGPU consumes. Intel could easly have 16c/32t CPU's right now if they would let go of this oddity. Atleast on their K series SKU's.

But then on the other hand they do not include a stock heatsink with their mainstream K and KF series (boxed obviously) CPU's. Obviously they assume people buying those already have their own cooler(s) or can procure them. Yet the same is not true for a GPU?.

And the one they do include is woefully inadequate despite producing a superior version for DIY market. Seriously - does anyone know anyone who has purchased this thing in the article instead of hunderds of better options available on the market?

The reasoning for all this has already been explained and discussed, over and over, for years. You would have to have been trying not to pay attention in order to not know it. The other part of the problem, here, is the assumptions you're making, like that people who buy the higher-end CPUs only use them for gaming and don't need an iGPU or might not be able to benefit from it's capabilities or future use cases. You think Intel hasn't done it's research on what coolers people with higher-end CPUs have been using and are unaware of something that most of the enthusiasts have been aware of for decades? I don't know where you're getting this "woefully inadequate", that you're referring to, but you don't think Intel engineers design and test them to work properly with the CPUs that they are included with? That's been the case for every Intel CPU with included cooler that I've ever purchased. They usually aren't great in comparison to other aftermarket options, but they work and are cheap, which is what most consumers want. As far as the cooler in this article, it's a good thing you aren't being forced to buy it, right? I don't understand getting worked up about that.

 

[wahdangun]

I have, even paid premium for it, because I'm not aware of any faster option to install the CPU cooler.

actually amd mechanism in am2/am3/am4 is faster, just push and secure the clip, its more robust too

 

[W1zzard]

actually amd mechanism in am2/am3/am4 is faster, just push and secure the clip, its more robust too

i tend to disagree, mounting the amd clip coolers seems a little bit slower to me than the intel push pins. either way, it won't help me install the cooler on an intel cpu