Monday, December 13th 2021

First Clear Picture of Intel Next-Gen Stock Cooler for "Alder Lake" Processors Surfaces

All six Intel 12th Gen Core "Alder Lake" processor models launched to date are unlocked (K or KF) SKUs, which lack a boxed cooling solution. This is expected to change early next year when Intel fleshes out the lineup with at least 10 new SKUs for the retail segment; and with "Alder Lake" marking the first major change to the mainstream desktop processor cooling mount in over a decade; Intel has the opportunity to radically change its cooling design. We got our first hint at what these could look like back in September, and we now have a clear picture of one of them.

There are three stock coolers Intel is preparing. The RH1 (high) will likely go with the top Core i9-12900 and i9-12900F parts. The RM1 (mid) could be bundled with various Core i7 and Core i5 SKUs; while the RS1 (small) could go with entry-level Core i3 SKUs. Here we have the RM1. Back in the September article, we were staring at low-resolution pictures and trying to guess what the heatsink design could look like. At the time we thought that the pointy structures into which the fan is nestled, are metallic extensions of the heatsink's fins, designed to make use of lateral bleed airflow from the fan. The new picture puts this theory to rest. Turns out, those are little more than an aesthetic touch.
The RM1 heatsink is just a larger-diameter version of the heatsink we're used to seeing for the past many years—the base (possibly with a copper core) collects heat from the processor, and the monolithic heatsink has fins projecting radially, in a somewhat spiral fashion. These fins are forked toward the end. The heatsink relies entirely on axial airflow from the fan, while the fins end up guiding some of the exhaust around the socket, where it ventilates components such as the CPU VRM and memory.

The structures surrounding the fan are simply a ring of tinted acrylic that suspend a ring-shaped LED diffuser along the bore of the fan's intake. We don't know if this lighting is RGB or simply fixed to Intel's favorite shade of blue. The acrylic frame is bolted onto the heatsink underneath, along with the fan, just like the fan-frame on the older stock coolers. The retention module is of a familiar push-pin type.
Sources: VideoCardz, momomo_us
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12 Comments on First Clear Picture of Intel Next-Gen Stock Cooler for "Alder Lake" Processors Surfaces

#2
dirtyferret
You are not sure if it has RGB? How can it work without it?
Posted on Reply
#3
Totally
Images aren't loading, error message: says due to adblocker.....using chrome on android...I would love to be able use, no scratch that just have the option to use an adblocker on this browser.
Posted on Reply
#5
Totally
Just go look at them at the source

Yeah, hey Pat, that .04 cents of plastic isn't doing you any favors. Would have been better off putting that towards .04 cents more aluminum or copper. Just from an eco perspective that's a huge win which means less plastic e-waste since we all know the large majority of these things are gonna go straight from the retail box into the trash or to shelf only to be forgotten about and then the trash. He The business case, that one item you can eliminate in the supply chain.
Posted on Reply
#6
TheinsanegamerN
Looks like total garbage, somehow haswell was the peak for intel CPU cooler design.
Posted on Reply
#7
bug
TotallyImages aren't loading, error message: says due to adblocker.....using chrome on android...I would love to be able use, no scratch that just have the option to use an adblocker on this browser.
Same here. AdBlock is disabled, NoScript allows both techpowerup.com and tpucdn.com :confused:
Firefox on Linux, fwiw.

@btarunr
Posted on Reply
#8
ShurikN
You guys might think that those plastic fins are dumb, but actually this is what peak performance looks like...

Sometimes I feel as Intel's marketing dpt is doing more than their job description.
Leave something for the engineers you guys...
Posted on Reply
#9
Chrispy_
Like the AMD coolers, the biggest of the three will probably be a fantastic cooler for the lower-TDP chips.

Since no self-respecting i9 buyer is going to hamstring their 250W CPU with a small air cooler, the i9 coolers will be on ebay for $10 and will make pretty decent options for people buying i5 and i3 chips.
Posted on Reply
#10
Vader
Given the recent testing by TPU, the sweet spot for i7s and i9s will likely be around 125W. I wish intel supplied decent coolers for these cpus. A 65W cooler shouldn't be used, the multi-core potential is severely crippled at that point
Posted on Reply
#11
Selaya
rgb!!!!1111!111111one
Posted on Reply
#12
FreedomEclipse
~Technological Technocrat~
I was going to say something about a fan with a proper frame like an Akasa K32 would probably help a little. static pressure and channelling the flow of air down at the PCB and through the fins would probably drop as much as 3-5'c (maybe???) but then again. Intels design does ensure that VRMs and some memory have some airflow over them.

(its only taken me some 48hrs to be able to post here so i gave up with my original post but this was the long and short of it)
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