Silver or black aluminum Microcool heatsinks for mosfets?

[Shootingblanks]

Going to purchase some microcool mosfet, pll, and southbridge heatsinks. Which is better to use, the black anodized aluminum or the silver heatsinks?

[chicconet]

The only difference is the colour, so it's a your aesthetic choice. Even if black anodization has a better dissipation for irradiation than silver.

[Shootingblanks]

should i use arctic alumina thermal adhesive or arctic silver thermal adhesive to permanetly place these?

[freecableguy]

Doesn't really matter which kind you get. Attach with the AS thermal epoxy though.

[Byron]

Yeah, those Microcool heatsinks come with some really low quality thermal adhesive tape... it is so stiff that it won't be in touch with the whole chip surface area when it is attached to it.

[Tyrou]

artic silver adhesive will do the job, and color doesn't matter :d

(I'd prefer the black ones, but it's only aesthetic :) )

[enzoR]

silver stands out well on a black mobo.

[Tyrou]

but blacks are stealth :D

[SPL15]

It's well known anodized black aluminum has better infrared emmisivity (I think thats how you spell it) than any other color, but I really dont think it will make a measureable difference with something with that small of surface area especially with airflow.

If you like bling, get the bare aluminum ones, if you like not seeing big silver chunks of heatsink around your motherboard get black

I got the black ones cause I'm anal about minute performance benefits over looks.... except with girlfriends :D

Either will be good enough for ya. I highly recommend AS Epoxy. The more I use it, the more I'm impressed by it.

[smokey]

I'm anal about minute performance benefits over looks.... except with girlfriends

Should I go there?...
:bananal:

[Wstinkbait]

Also those Microcool heatsinks are not flat. They look flat but lap them on a sheet of glass to see just how uneven they are.

[SPL15]

Also those Microcool heatsinks are not flat. They look flat but lap them on a sheet of glass to see just how uneven they are.


Good point, I'll have to remember that.

The thinner the thermal interface the better. Lapping will help minimize the thickness of the epoxy and maximize contact of heatsink to whatever your stickin it on.

[wwwww]

The only difference is the colour, so it's a your aesthetic choice. Even if black anodization has a better dissipation for irradiation than silver.

Silver reflects light/heat whereas black will absorb it.

[alexio]

Silver reflects light/heat whereas black will absorb it.

Only light, wich turns into heat as black stuff doesn't reflect but absorbs it.
In a case, with a casewindows or not the light that these sinks will see is to small to make any difference.