Thoughts on M.2 installation/cooling

[azrael]

So, I'm finally in the progress of building my new system. Got a quick "best practices" (if you will) question regarding the installation of the M.2 NVMe drive.

These days, at least the main M.2 slot is covered by a heatsink. Underneath that there is a thermal pad. I'm going to be putting a Samsung 990 Pro in. Samsung SSDs come with a sticker made of a thin slice of copper. That sticker also serves as a sort of heatsink. Removing the sticker voids warranty.

When I built my last system about 5 years ago, which incidentally also was the first one with an NVMe SSD, I left both the sticker and the thermal pad on. I didn't remove the protective film on the latter, though. Has never given me any trouble, but it's probably not how to properly do things. This time around I was thinking of leaving the heatsink off, at least for starters. However, the heatsink is what secures the drive to the motherboard, so that's not an option.

Should I do it like the last time, but removing the protective film on the thermal pad? Should I remove the thermal pad and have the SSD touch the heatsink directly? Or should I risk it and remove the Samsung sticker and use the heatsink including the thermal pad?

 

[blinnbanir]

Hi, you are not supposed to remove the sticker. I would leave it as is and just put the Thermal pad right on top of the SSD. You are not going to get cooler temps with the drive itself and the MB Heatsink. Besides that sticker is warranty information.

 

[static_void]

990 Pro is a hot drive (I have one myself), so you want a good cooling for it. This means that you should use the SSD radiator from your MB, just don't forget to remove the protective plastic film from the thermal pad on the radiator. Leave the sticker on the SDD in place, you are not going to get better thermals by removing it and you'll void your warranty as you have mentioned.

 

[LabRat 891]

Heatsink -> Thermal Pad/Putty -> Factory Sticker'd Drive (*-> Thermal Pad/Putty -> Mobo/carrier board)
(*Applicable for double-sided drives in some installations)

Do not remove the factory label on NVMe drives.
If you remove the sticker on the NVMe drive that contains its identifying data, you will invalidate the warranty.

 

[nomdeplume]

Should I do it like the last time, but removing the protective film on the thermal pad?

Yes, if you are referring to the protective film on your mobo heatsink's thermal pad.
No, if you are referring to the thin copper lined sticker on the NVMe itself.

It is key to have the correct thickness thermal pad on the mobo heatsink so it makes sufficient contact. Otherwise you are superheating the small air gap with the heatsink doing nothing. You should feel it squishing when you tighten down the heatsink.

 

[A Computer Guy]

So, I'm finally in the progress of building my new system. Got a quick "best practices" (if you will) question regarding the installation of the M.2 NVMe drive.

These days, at least the main M.2 slot is covered by a heatsink. Underneath that there is a thermal pad. I'm going to be putting a Samsung 990 Pro in. Samsung SSDs come with a sticker made of a thin slice of copper. That sticker also serves as a sort of heatsink. Removing the sticker voids warranty.

When I built my last system about 5 years ago, which incidentally also was the first one with an NVMe SSD, I left both the sticker and the thermal pad on. I didn't remove the protective film on the latter, though. Has never given me any trouble, but it's probably not how to properly do things. This time around I was thinking of leaving the heatsink off, at least for starters. However, the heatsink is what secures the drive to the motherboard, so that's not an option.

Should I do it like the last time, but removing the protective film on the thermal pad? Should I remove the thermal pad and have the SSD touch the heatsink directly? Or should I risk it and remove the Samsung sticker and use the heatsink including the thermal pad?

Like other responses.
1) Don't remove the sticker, not necessary. I have a 990 Pro under motherboard heatsink the sticker is not an issue.
2) Thermal pad between NVMe and heatsink. Remember hot controller bad, warm nand good. Let the heatsink cool the controller and distribute the residual heat to the nand.
3) Yes remove the protective film on the thermal pad or the thermal pad can't do it's job well.

 

[azrael]

Thanks to all of you. Any of the options I've listed initially would be done on purpose fully knowing what they would entail. It's more a question of what the best method is, and, unsurprisingly, everyone suggests using the heatsink with the thermal pad and the protective film removed.

The reason I didn't do it like that (as in, remove the protective film) with my current system is that I'm not sure how the SSD will come out of it, should I choose to replace it. That thermal goo is pretty sticky. Well, I've tried it one way. I guess, now is the time to try it the other way. Maybe next time I'll try it without the thermal pad...

 

[LabRat 891]

Thanks to all of you. Any of the options I've listed initially would be done on purpose fully knowing what they would entail. It's more a question of what the best method is, and, unsurprisingly, everyone suggests using the heatsink with the thermal pad and the protective film removed.

The reason I didn't do it like that (as in, remove the protective film) with my current system is that I'm not sure how the SSD will come out of it, should I choose to replace it. That thermal goo is pretty sticky. Well, I've tried it one way. I guess, now is the time to try it the other way. Maybe next time I'll try it without the thermal pad...

Speaking from my roommate's experience, even low-end NVMe drives will overheat if you leave the protective film on the pad and cover the drive with the mobo-included heatsink/thermalspreader.

IMO 'bare arse nekkid' would be better than
actively insulating it with a film-covered thermal pad
or
actively reflecting the heat off the aluminum heatsink and back into the drive.

In the worst-case, you could short-out the drive, running it w/o TIM (no thermal pad) and the heatsink mounted. (I did that to a Optane M10 16GB , once. )

Like other responses.
1) Don't remove the sticker, not necessary. I have a 990 Pro under motherboard heatsink the sticker is not an issue.
2) Thermal pad between NVMe and heatsink. Remember hot controller bad, warm nand good. Let the heatsink cool the controller and distribute the residual heat to the nand.
3) Yes remove the protective film on the thermal pad or the thermal pad can't do it's job well.

I've settled on Thermal Putty for for heatsinking NVMe<->USB enclosures that I'm swapping drives in/out of.
take a small ball of thermal putty, and manually mash it into/onto the NVMe controller then close-up the enclosure.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DB61GRKN

Gotta be careful though, too big of a glob, and the drive may flex and break (or break the M.2 Slot).