Polartherm, the latest name in Thermal Interface Materials, has launched to deliver high performance Thermal Pastes at an accessible price point. Formulated for DIY Builders, PC Gamers and everyday users to achieve efficient heat transfer between critical components.

With today's processors and graphics cards requiring more power and operating much closer to their thermal limits every degree counts. Polartherm has entered the market to enable everyone to get the most from their cooling solutions, by offering products that provide high quality, straightforward application and durability at competitive prices.

Thermal Grizzly, a high-performance cooling solutions provider, unveils a new line-up of products specifically designed for Intel's LGA 1851 socket, the latest Intel Core Ultra 200 Arrow Lake CPUs. The product line consists of four new solutions tailored to the improvements of 15th generation CPUs, including a CPU contact frame, a direct die water block, a CPU delidding tool and a delidding heater. Today, three of these products are now officially launched and available for purchase on the Thermal Grizzly web shop and through its Partner Reseller Network.

Intel 1851 CPU Contact Frame V1
In addition to a new internal contour for the contact surface, the new Intel 1851 CPU Contact Frame V1 considers the position of the socket on the motherboard. The thermal hotspot has shifted with the Arrow Lake CPUs and is now located further north compared to its predecessor. With a slight shift of Socket 1851 compared to LGA1700, Intel has attempted to counter the hotspot shift. Thus, CPU coolers designed for Socket 1700 can also be used with Socket 1851. The shift in the socket makes previous contact frames for Socket 1700 incompatible with 1851, which is why Thermal Grizzly now offers the Intel 1851 Contact Frame V1.

The WireView Pro GPU was developed in collaboration with Jon "elmor" Sandström, a renowned hardware R&D engineer, extreme overclocker, and founder of Elmor Labs, to introduce new functionalities. To better protect the graphics card from potential damage, the Pro version of the WireView includes sensor pin detection that recognizes whether the 12V-2x6 power connector is correctly plugged into the power supply.

Another new feature is the temperature sensors on the PCB of the WireView Pro GPU, which measure the temperature at the power connectors. Users can set a threshold via the WireView Pro GPU, which triggers an acoustic alarm when exceeded. Additionally, an alarm can be set to trigger when a defined current level is exceeded. The WireView Pro GPU also includes two additional temperature sensors that can be connected to monitor, for example, the temperature of the graphics card's memory or voltage regulators.

Thermal Grizzly Holding GmbH presents the Intel Mycro Direct-Die RGB PRO V1, an optimized version of the Intel Mycro Direct-Die water cooler. In addition to a new design, the Pro version offers one thing above all: better cooling performance! Various changes to the microfin structure of the base plate, combined with a revised water flow, enable up to 6 degrees Celsius lower processor temperatures under full load.

The optimized cooling channel slot width on the surface of the Intel Mycro Direct-Die Pro RGB V1's copper base plate allows for 43 percent more cooling fins compared to the standard version. Additionally, a specially developed jet plate reduces the flow resistance of the cooler, enabling the Intel Mycro Direct-Die Pro RGB V1 to achieve a higher flow rate in liters per minute at the same pump speed as the Intel Mycro Direct-Die V1. This increased flow means that the pump can either be turned down to reduce noise or used to dissipate more waste heat at the same noise level.

With the PhaseSheet PTM, Thermal Grizzly Holding GmbH presents an electrically non-conductive thermal pad based on a phase change material (PCM). With PhaseSheet PTM, Thermal Grizzly closes the gap between traditional thermal paste and thermal pads based on graphene or carbon thermal pads. This means that the respective advantages in terms of application and thermal conductivity can be combined in one product.

PhaseSheet PTM is a thermal pad that has been optimized for applications where maintenance cycles are subject to long intervals. It is more durable than traditional thermal conductive pastes, but not as durable as KryoSheet, for example, which is virtually maintenance-free. The maximum thermal conductivity of PhaseSheet PTM develops and stabilizes after around ten thermal cycles above 60 degrees Celsius.

Thermal Grizzly, known most for its high conductivity thermal compounds, showcased a trio of innovative products at Computex 2024, which are highly relevant. The first such innovation is the WireView Pro, a gadget that monitors power delivery to your graphics card, and puts out audible alarms when there's overcurrent or overheating of the wires at the connector. This helps you prevent the power connector burnouts we're seeing with modern graphics cards. This particular model supports the 12V-2x6 (H++) connector standard, which in turn has compatibility with 12VHPWR.

The WireView Pro device sits between the power connection from your PSU, and the connector of your graphics card. It has a physical segment display that lets you monitor power draw or current in real time. It also has two thermal diodes, which connect to the wires close to the terminals of the connector. The device will provide an audible alarm if it detects overheating of wires that can lead to a burnout, or if it detects overcurrent (beyond the ATX 3.1 specification and its excursion tolerances).

During the CES 2024 show, EK unveiled an exciting new addition to their premium all-in-one (AIO) CPU cooler lineup—the EK-Nucleus AIO CR360 Direct Die D-RGB. As the name suggests, this new 360 mm AIO water cooler is purpose-built for direct die cooling of delidded Intel LGA1700 CPUs. The EK-Nucleus Direct Die stands out with its custom cold plate and mounting mechanism, which are exclusively engineered for exposed CPU dies. The nickel-plated copper base ensures compatibility with liquid metal TIMs like the included Thermal Grizzly Conductonaut, which comes in the package. EK has worked with der8auer to provide delidding service kits and tools to facilitate easy DIY removal of the integrated heat spreader (IHS).

The package also contains a contact frame and protective foam for safe liquid metal application. At the heart of the cooler is a powerful AIO pump EK co-developed with the OEM manufacturer, meaning it is not an off-the-shelf pump found in other AIOs and is capable of up to 500 L/h flow rate. The reinforced, sleeved rubber tubing is fitted with aluminium covers for durability. Integrated omnilink connectors allow daisy chaining of the three included 120 mm D-RGB fans for cable management. The EK-Nucleus Direct Die offers extensive RGB lighting customization with illuminated circle accents on the removable pump top covers. The diamond-cut brushed aluminium side panels and radiator cowl add to the premium aesthetic. The new AIO will be available for the Intel LGA1700 platform, with hopefully more versions later. The EK-Nucleus AIO CR360 Direct Die D-RGB is now available for pre-order at €202.90 MSRP price tag.

EK, the renowned leader in computer cooling technology, is proud to announce a groundbreaking addition to its AIO lineup: the EK-Nucleus AIO CR360 Direct Die D-RGB - 1700. This trailblazing product, a first-of-its-kind in the industry, marks a significant milestone in cooling solutions. The latest Direct Die AIO, while closely resembling the acclaimed 360 mm Lux model in many ways, stands apart with its unique application—it's expertly designed for direct die cooling. This innovative pump-block combo distinguishes itself with a custom-designed cold plate, exclusively engineered for cooling delidded Intel LGA 1700 socket CPUs. EK's latest offering expands its esteemed AIO portfolio and sets a new benchmark in specialized cooling performance.

This unique AIO cooling solution is bringing the advantages of direct die cooling to more PC enthusiasts since delidding was mainly reserved for custom loop liquid cooling applications. It required a complete custom loop setup, which was not affordable or attractive to every user. With the launch of the latest AIO, EK is bringing direct die cooling to the mainstream market. The Direct Die AIO now guarantees a seamless experience and a more budget-friendly entry into direct die liquid cooling. Key elements of the new AIO, like its backplate and die-guard, were co-developed with Der8auer, the famous German overclocker and a pioneer in extreme CPU cooling.

A Reddit user has shared their experience of passively cooling an AMD Ryzen 9 7950X, with some modifications to the setup. Using the Streacom DB4 passively cooled case, the user u/AromaticImpress7778 pulled off cooling a processor with 16 cores and 32 threads with a TDP of 170 Watts. Interestingly, the Streacom DB4 case rates CPU support for only 65 Watts, meaning some modifications were in place. To support the high-TDP CPU, the user used two of the one-kilogram copper bars and attached them to the case. Heat is transferred to the two one-kilogram blocks using the case's default plate and an additional 233-gram copper plate for the CPU and motherboard. These big copper blocks are not soldered to the case, but instead, the user puts Thermal Grizzly Conductonaut liquid metal between copper parts and Arctic MX-6 between the case and copper.

To cool the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X and MSI B650I board, accompanied by HDPlex GaN 250 W and 64 GB of memory, the system did well enough for a passive build. After running the system at full load, the CPU reached 95 degrees Celsius for CCD1 and 95 degrees Celsius for CCD2. The external panels of the Streacom DB4 case were getting 50C to 60C of heat. Additionally, the user noted that the usage of this system will be more relaxed, as it will not run under full load for a prolonged period. Regarding the system's total weight, the entire build weighs around 13 KG, with 4.4 KG of that being only copper. The case weighs 7.5 KG, and the other parts weigh about one kilogram.

EK, the premium liquid cooling gear manufacturer, is releasing the EK-Quantum Velocity² ILM Replacement - 1700, a product that replaces the motherboard's Integrated Loading Mechanism (ILM) with a frame that bolsters the structural rigidity of the socket, motherboard, and even the CPU. It is used for cooling 12th and 13th generation Intel Core CPUs with regular EK-Quantum Vector² CPU water blocks, not Direct Die models.

Due to the rectangular and elongated design of these CPUs and the way the stock ILM holds the CPU down, the Intel 12th and 13th-gen CPUs are prone to warping caused by uneven pressure. The new contact frame from EK mitigates this issue as it prevents any warping or bending of the CPU and its surrounding area. This improves the cooling efficiency due to more even pressure applied on the CPU. As a result, the bending is removed and the CPU's center that contains the heat source is no longer concave, enabling improved contact with the cooler.

Thermal Grizzly has developed a new Contact Frame designed specifically to fix bending issues present with Intel's latest 12th Gen, Alder Lake CPUs. Developed in partnership with overclocking extraordinaire Der8auer, the new Contact Frame promises to lower operating temperatures on Intel's Alder Lake. According to the company, this improvement is achieved by fixing that platform's independent loading mechanism (ILM), which has been proven to slightly deflect the integrated heatspreader (IHS), reducing its heat transfer capability.

As tested by Igor's Lab, the new contact frame for LGA 1700 reduced the operating temperature of Intel's Core i9-12900K by as much as 10.19 °C - from 70.48 °C without the Contact Frame and towards 60.29 °C after it was installed. The CPU was configured to run popular stress test Prime95, with Small FFT at a fixed 5 GHz frequency on its P-cores. The processor's E-cores were deactivated so as not to compromise the results, while the memory subsystem was run at DDR5-7000. Thermal Grizzly's Contact Frame isn't the only product in this category, and the company is introducing their product at €39.90 for the German and European markets (~$36). Enthusiasts have likely spent more in cooling upgrades that delivered a lesser final operating temperature improvement.