Opteron 146 with No-HSF

[NPlack]

This thread:Extreme Undercooling got me to wondering what my CPU could do, so I tried running with no heatsink much like that guy.

Opteron 146 CABYE
DFI NF4 UT Ultra-D 702-1
Patriot XBLK 2x512

I backed the CPU off to 5x200, and set my Startup voltage to 1.2v (to aid in cold boots), and then set the VID override to 0.9v. Removed the HSF and rebooted! I have a 80mm case fan blowing directly over the CPU, as you will see in the video's.

Here are some (slightly crappy) video's of the CPU doing its thing, and me poking around on the PC doing benchmarks and the such. CPU temp is Temp1 on top (temp1 on bottom is HD). Movies are split into 4 parts, since my digicam wouldnt record longer than 170 seconds or so.
Part1
Part2
part3
part4
(no audio, and in XVID format, hosted by me on DSL 640Kbit upstream)

30 minute heatsinkless prime95 run:


and SS after i halted the run:


Temp curve for going from Idle (95*F) to fully loaded for 10+minutes (118*F).


SS after getting done with a UT2003 run:


These opterons run cold as ice, when on low voltage! Thanks for the suggestions of running with no-HSF!

More later...

-Plack

Online Temperature converter

XVID video codec

[ScHpAnKy]

I'm pretty sure any CPU can go without a HSF if it's undervolted/clocked

[Supertim0r]

rofl

misteroadster primed @ 1.8-1.9ghz without ihs/heathink (IIRC)

[NPlack]

I dont think every CPU can get down to low enough voltages to be able to run without a heatsink.

The temperature graph above was actually for 1.0V. The graph below is for 1.0v, and 1.2GHz.



The next graph is for 1.4GHz



Going from 1GHz to 1.4GHz only gained 10*F fully loaded. I dont have my picture of a 1GHz run at 0.9v, but you can see from some of my other screenshots, and from the video, that my loaded temp at 0.9v is around 110*F. Increasing voltage from 0.9 to 1.0 gained 10*F.

My cpu could only do 1.2GHz or so on 0.9v, and only a little over 1.4GHz on 1.0v. I think most CPU's (non-opty's) would take more voltage, and therefore put out much more heat. But who's to say.

Either way, I think it is interesting that a modern CPU can still run 1.4GHz without nary a heatsink. VIA Eden cpu's cannot reach these speeds, and even if they did, their performance is worthless compared to a similar clocked A64. And the Eden is supposed to be a uber-low power consumption CPU. An AMD is a computing powerhouse not designed for all-out power savings, and yet if you bring the clocks down to the specialty CPU's, It can do more for the same heat.

I dare someone to try this on a P4...

-Plack