Team Xtreem 2GB (2 x 1GB) DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1300 (PC2 10400)Dual Channel Kit + eVga680i

[CryptiK]

It's not so much the sinks themselves, being as thick as they are is actually a good thing as they can absorb more heat out of the IC's, it's the thick thermal tape they use that I think is the issue.

My Cellshock sinks are very thick also and they get very hot without good cooling.

My Cellshocks are GKX, my TG's are GMH.

[Mr Roboto]

It's not so much the sinks themselves, being as thick as they are is actually a good thing as they can absorb more heat out of the IC's, it's the thick thermal tape they use that I think is the issue.

My Cellshock sinks are very thick also and they get very hot without good cooling.

My Cellshocks are GKX, my TG's are GMH.

I see what you're saying now. I took one of the sinks off the other day when I first got them just to have look see. They came off easily with no force. After a day of breaking them in I just tried to take them off. They're not coming off now. The one side came off with a little effort but the larger half wouldn't. I stuck them in the oven for a few minutes and the ends started to loosen but still wouldn't budge. Instead of doing something I would regret I left them in the oven for a few more minutes to let the pads get nice and soft and put them back together with two clips, one on each side like you said. I'll leave the clips on for a day or so or at least a few on\off cycles. Once that thermal strip sets it's very hard to get off.

I didn't see that you're using the PC2-8500's. The 9600's were supposed to come with those Thermalright HR-07 heatsinks but they didn't. I contacted MemoryC.com but they have yet to email me. I probably wouldn't have used them but I was actually looking forward to having them bare. I think with a fan blowing on them they'd be cooler.

That strip actually pulled the printing off of the top two IC's in the picture.