bit-tech.net

ThermalRight demos heatsink chassis

Published on 6th June 2007 by Tim Smalley

We think ThermalRight might just have won the award for the show's largest heatsink this year...

As we were walking around the show, we came across an interesting chassis design on ThermalRight’s stand earlier today – it’s a massive heatsink.

In many respects, this is nothing new, as Zalman has been selling cases that act as massive heatsinks for quite some time now. However, we’ve never seen anything quite like this.

The chassis we saw looked to be styled for use as an HTPC case, but instead of being a solid design with panels, it’s a massive array of fins. Zalman’s previous TN-series case designs have been panelled designs, but this thing is quite literally a heatsink.

Inside, there’s a base plate that comes into contact with your processor, which is then connected directly to the main body of the case, which is quite literally a giant heatsink. We’ll leave you with a couple of pictures, because as the saying goes a picture tells a thousand words.

Don’t forget to drop by our forums to share your thoughts on ThermalRight’s interesting ideas.

37 Comments

Discuss in the forums Reply

OdDBaLL_MoD 6th June 2007, 15:42

Woah, I wonder how it'll cope with Dust?

Omnituens 6th June 2007, 15:43

that thing must weigh alot too

Paradigm Shifter 6th June 2007, 15:47

It'll be a nightmare to transport - all those fins will be very easily damaged... also, better hope you don't have any young kids wondering around; if they trip into that it'll cut their hands up rather well.

OdDBaLL_MoD 6th June 2007, 15:48

Just don't spill anything over it... :o

Glider 6th June 2007, 15:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by OdDBaLL_MoD
Just don't spill anything over it... :o

A new definition of Watercooling ;)

Bluephoenix 6th June 2007, 15:51

maybe they got the idea from hedgebox in the project logs here? :|

chrisuk 6th June 2007, 16:04

Two questions:

When? and How Much?

DXR_13KE 6th June 2007, 16:25

kind of stupid IMO.

the zalman one was not very popular either and was very expensive.

pdf27 6th June 2007, 16:27

Fitting that to the CPU must be hell!

I wouldn't worry about sharp edges, transport, etc. though - that case will be extremely rigid and all sharp edges will be deburred before sale.
One other possible issue is cooling other parts - the case seems only to cool the CPU, and if you try to go fanless that means other parts like your PSU, GPU, MOSFETS, etc. will get rather toasty...

AFX 6th June 2007, 16:27

I'll take 3 please. :) Wish there where pics of the full tower.

ralph.pickering 6th June 2007, 16:56

It looks like it'll be really fussy in terms of what hardware will fit. Look for a very short list of approved motherboards, graphics cards etc on Thermaltake's web site. But otherwise an interesting concept.

The_Pope 6th June 2007, 17:08

Paper Cut! :(

But props for creativity

supermonkey 6th June 2007, 17:15

I like the idea, but I can see one major drawback: dust. One a week I'd have to unplug the machine and run my vacuum over it just to get the dust out of all those little spaces.

Is it meant to be passive, or are there fans hidden beneath the mess of fins?

-monkey

Ramble 6th June 2007, 17:23

Looks pretty damn sweet though.
I don't think the dust will be a massive issue. In my experience heatsinks get loads of dust because of the fans. This doesn't have any.

Firehed 6th June 2007, 17:26

Hmm... I think it's cases/heatsinks like these that remind me why I don't do much system building anymore. This whole power use thing is getting just a bit insane (of course, the case should really attach to the GPU rather than the CPU).

lcdguy 6th June 2007, 17:49

i think it would look better in copper :)

Zurechial 6th June 2007, 17:54

I can't claim to know much about thermodynamics or thermal conductivity, but surely there's too much surface area on that case for the outer edges of it to even receive some conducted heat to dissipate? :?

I'd assume the engineers at Thermalright know what they're doing, but my guess is that a lot of that extra surface area and weight is more for looks and that coveted "biggest heatsink" (:)) prize than functional heat-dissipation.
Maybe I'm wrong, though.

I'd still like to have one. :D

pendragon 6th June 2007, 18:13

holy jeebus! that's one large piece of metal

Djizasse 6th June 2007, 18:27

I'm thinking about the Mora 2 radiator covered with 9 120mm fans.
I wonder if covering the chassis top with 120mm fans will make a silent and powerfull cooling solution.

jjsyht 6th June 2007, 18:56

I know ThermalRight for their good thermal conductivity.

Burnout21 6th June 2007, 19:27

i was rather pissed off when i saw that, as i had just finished designs for a similar idea for my HTPC i was planing on surprising you guys with this summer hoilday.

'Hangs head walks slowly back to the drawing board swearing and thinking!' :(

tk421 6th June 2007, 19:29

forget the 120's kids - put one of those coolermaster squirrelcage fans from the original stackers in there.

or one of those monster 250mm slow fans. on the top - drawing air out.

Rocket733 6th June 2007, 20:20

I wonder how're they planning to deal with cpu sockets in different locations on different motherboards. If it only supports certain motherboards that'd be kind of pointless. I like the look of the full tower though (go back and get more pictures please ;) ).

FooTemps 6th June 2007, 20:31

Well that design is a bit overboard... I figured a heatsink taking up a single side panel would be better than taking up four sides of the case.

Bluephoenix 6th June 2007, 20:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rocket733
I wonder how're they planning to deal with cpu sockets in different locations on different motherboards. If it only supports certain motherboards that'd be kind of pointless. I like the look of the full tower though (go back and get more pictures please ;) ).

that does seem to be a fairly glaring flaw... and any removable modules for different boards type system will just kill the ability to transfer the heat....

Drachnem 6th June 2007, 20:39

As others said, the flaws on this case outweight the good. Dust, Cuts, Damage, Weight, and high risk of spills.

if they put like a light over lay of metal around it to protect it, that would be better.

Skill3d 6th June 2007, 22:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drachnem
As others said, the flaws on this case outweight the good. Dust, Cuts, Damage, Weight, and high risk of spills.

if they put like a light over lay of metal around it to protect it, that would be better.

or some acrylics

HourBeforeDawn 6th June 2007, 23:11

wow okay Im sorry but that is simply cool, may not be to practical but hey Ill take one

Kipman725 7th June 2007, 01:29

you could mount the motherboard on an adjustable tray so it always lines up with the heatsink... this case is so far out and cool I just have to have one. I wonder how much they will cost. I'm guessing alot but it may be worth it.. although the jokes about compensating will be excruciating :P

DarkReaper 7th June 2007, 02:20

I can't see that being put into production, a combination of dust, fragility, expense and lack of adaptability to different component setups and locations. I wouldn't even use one myself if it were free, it'd be too much hassle to look after!

r4tch3t 7th June 2007, 06:48

Cost! A ThermalRight heatsink costs 100NZD and that is minuscule compared to this.

otispunkmeyer 7th June 2007, 10:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zurechial
I can't claim to know much about thermodynamics or thermal conductivity, but surely there's too much surface area on that case for the outer edges of it to even receive some conducted heat to dissipate? :?

I'd assume the engineers at Thermalright know what they're doing, but my guess is that a lot of that extra surface area and weight is more for looks and that coveted "biggest heatsink" (:)) prize than functional heat-dissipation.
Maybe I'm wrong, though.

I'd still like to have one. :D

i dont know about too much, perhaps its not too much, just unecessary surface area. though there is alot of metal to conduct heat into, great so long as you can get rid of it via convection or something.

thing is, for cooling a fin, its best to have a turbulent flow of air over it. if its a laminar flow it cooling effect is reduced, but long fins are best.... if the flow rate is right it'll have more chance of becoming turbulent at some point along the fin.

i have the calculations some where.

dragontail 7th June 2007, 15:11

Holy crap, that thing is ginormous! Performance charts?

./^\.Ace./^\. 7th June 2007, 15:46

I have a cat and he would definetly brake that case in like 2 minutes of me getting it home :D also how could you mod it, there is nothing to mod on it :( it has a front and a back to it and nothing else :(

tk421 8th June 2007, 12:42

well all of you guys talking of cuts and fragility and dust - go have a peek at thermalrights website.

apparently, there are outer panels - the gifreakingnormous heatsink is actually on the inside of the case.

MrHydes 24th March 2008, 18:35

how is this supose to work?

HourBeforeDawn 24th March 2008, 18:41

Well considering this was at last years Computex, I never saw this come to the market so I guess it didnt work to well.