Are RAM Heat Spreaders Snake Oil? (in 2015)

[u0berdev]

As we move towards more efficient chipsets, CPU's, and RAM chips, the trend for faster, more efficient, and cooler running technologies continues. We've seen TDP drop on CPU's considerably, DRAM package sizes shrink, and controllers become more efficient on a per cycle basis. With these reductions, there have been reductions in cooling and power requirements also.

I searched on the forums and found an article from back in 2010 on Heat Spreaders for RAM, but I wanted to pose the question in a 2015 world:

Are RAM Heat Spreaders in today's world nothing but snake oil? Are they a remnant of a time where they once made a difference, but now are only used for minor perception-based benefits at an extra cost to the consumer?

Please keep in mind: I don't overclock, nor plan to. My question comes from a non-overclockers perspective.

I also wonder how much difference heat spreaders actually make, if any? Sure they spread the heat out more, reducing RAM hotspots (if those even exist), but they also tend to reduce the amount of space between each RAM socket, potentially reducing air flow that would carry away heat.

What are your thoughts?

 

[Emulex]

I run 8gb rdimm (registered buffered ECC) in my server, 2U with 24 @ 1.5volt without any heat issues in my server.

Now in a hot environment without proper airflow, perhaps heat spreaders might work, or if overvolting!

But with DDR3L(ow power) and DDR4 both the voltage goes down to 1.35/1.2volts respectively, so for actively cooled systems, heatspreads don't help a bit!

 

[MongGrel]

You don't need them.

Most come with em anyways if half way decent RAM I guess.

 

[Charlie98]

Form before function...

 

[blastingcap]

The short answer is yes. Server RAM doesn't have huge heatspreaders, ask yourself why. Now, if you overvolt and overclock like crazy you might generate more heat than the packages were designed for, but then you should ask yourself why the heck you're doing that in the first place: http://www.anandtech.com/show/7364/memory-scaling-on-haswell/10

 

[Dasa2]

but then you should ask yourself why the heck you're doing that in the first place: http://www.anandtech.com/show/7364/memory-scaling-on-haswell/10

shame that review doesnt show the effect ram can have on cpu performance due to the tests being gpu bottlnecked

generic samsung ddr3 sticks oc nicely with no heatspreader

 

[Smoblikat]

You dont need them, and havent since at least the DDR2 days. They do look pretty though.

 

[Insert_Nickname]

Pretty much. They are more of a relic kept around for looks. Standard DIMMs look rather plain. Keep in mind an average DDR3 DIMM uses perhaps 2-3W full load, so its really not that much waste heat we're talking about.

There might be a few corner cases (hot case, limited airflow, overclocking/volting) were they have a questionable benefit, but generally no.

 

[Dasa2]

Standard DIMMs look rather plain

They can blend in nice for those that dont want something in your face
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y83/dasa09/Darkling/BRS_8787_zpse0bc5e93.jpg

I cant help but wonder if dims with no hs may run cooler than those with a hs when all 4 slots are filled as there isnt much air room left between them if they have a hs

 

[PliotronX]

Snake oil unless we are talking about fully buffered DIMMs. I have actually achieved higher clocks with a quiet fan blowing over naked sticks. Back in the Winbond *H5 days, even a manufacturer label on the chips themselves had to be removed for better cooling at high voltage (3.1v+).

 

[john3850]

Snake oil unless we are talking about fully buffered DIMMs. I have actually achieved higher clocks with a quiet fan blowing over naked sticks. Back in the Winbond *H5 days, even a manufacturer label on the chips themselves had to be removed for better cooling at high voltage (3.1v+).

I remember when ocz sanded the manufacturer label to cool them.
I still have ocz ram voltage booster in a old case.

 

[kasakka]

My beef with them is that they are often excessively tall just to look fancy. But that means they won't fit my machine thanks to a huge Phanteks CPU cooler's fan going over them.

 

[Insert_Nickname]

They can blend in nice for those that dont want something in your face
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y83/dasa09/Darkling/BRS_8787_zpse0bc5e93.jpg

Personally, I don't really care one way or the other, since I do not have a windowed case and anyway my case is firmly under my desk...

But I've seen some really nice builds, yours included, so I'm fine with there being something for everyone...

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Not quite snake-oil, but definitely unnecessary "bling." If you run the RAM at spec, I can't see how the heat-spreaders help all that much. They may help "a little."

But not a necessary feature. I just naturally accept the fact that if I pick a set of well-spec'd RAM sticks, from a preferred maker and brand, I'm likely to get them with heatspreaders.

 

[Essence_of_War]

Pretty much. They are more of a relic kept around for looks. Standard DIMMs look rather plain. Keep in mind an average DDR3 DIMM uses perhaps 2-3W full load, so its really not that much waste heat we're talking about.

There might be a few corner cases (hot case, limited airflow, overclocking/volting) were they have a questionable benefit, but generally no.

Exactly this. The heatspreaders are just a canvas for brands to differentiate themselves with arbitrary color/design schemes choices. They don't do anything useful except look nice or ridiculous as the case may be.

 

[VirtualLarry]

I remember when ocz sanded the manufacturer label to cool them.

Is that what they claimed? LOL.

 

[john3850]

Is that what they claimed? LOL.

Thats what Anandtech claimed not ocz.

 

[Diogenes2]

I have heard the OEMs like to hide the chip info ..

 

[Puffnstuff]

I buy corsair with heat spreaders and a lifetime warranty and don't worry about it.

 

[Z15CAM]

I run 16GB's of 4 sticks low profile Samsung MV-3V4G3D-US_DDR3 at 1.3 5mV 9-9-9-24-1T @ 1866Mhz without spreaders and haven't had memory glitch in 3 years.

 

[darkfalz]

Good to eliminate hot spots. Also as someone said, hides the OEM of the actual manufacturer. But also protects chips from say, static electricity or accidental damage to some degree. My DDR3 1333 in my HTPC doesn't have headspreaders.

 

[Blain]

Are RAM Heat Spreaders Snake Oil?

No, just as side panel windows aren't snake oil.
They aren't functional, but they are preferred by some people.

 

[bryanl]

The Samsung 1600 DIMMs taken off the market, 2 years ago never had heat spreaders but were more overclockable than others that did.

 

[corkyg]

Sometimes snake oil serves a purpose - the spreaders do make it easier to wipe the DIMMs clean. And, it is a nice way to display info, and they look nice.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Exactly this. The heatspreaders are just a canvas for brands to differentiate themselves with arbitrary color/design schemes choices. They don't do anything useful except look nice or ridiculous as the case may be.

Know what I think? They are more likely both. The design, shape and sheet-metal molded into heatsinks offers the possibility of blingy product differentiation.

And people who invest heavily in watercooling, case windows, LED illumination will also want the heatspreader bling.