Tweakmonster BGA RAMSink Modification

Introduction

The first step in overclocking my TI-4600 was installing heatsinks on my video RAM chips. Tweakmonster is by far the most popular BGA (Ball Grid Array) type RAMsink available, and I wanted to see just how well they performed. But most importantly, I wanted to see whether or not I could squeeze a few more MHz out of my video card RAM :-).

First let's have a look at what we are dealing with:

Preparation

In order to install the Tweakmonsters, you need the following materials:

• 8 Tweakmonster BGA RAMsinks
• Video Card with BGA type RAM
• Thermal Adhesive compound
• Cotton Swabs (Q-Tips)
• Isopropyl Alcohol

The card I will be using is my own MSI GeForce4 TI-4600. I also chose Arctic Silver Thermal Adhesive for my bonding agent. Arctic Silver is a reputable distributor and I use their Thermal goo for other HS installations as well. Let's have a look at what we're working with:

Installation

The installation itself is fairly straight-forward. The first thing you want to do is clean off the RAMsinks and the RAM. Use a cotton swab to gently wipe down each of the RAMsinks and RAM chips. I recommend you use a paper towel or soft anti-static cloth to wipe the alcohol off before it dries, to avoid any residue.

Once all of the components are clean, go ahead and prepare some adhesive. For Arctic Silver Adhesive, you want to mix a small amount from each tube with a 1:1 ratio. I don't recommend you mix very much, instead mix a small amount for each 1-2 sinks you put on - since you only have a 2-3 minute liquid phase where the compound is workable. (For in-depth instruction on using Arctic Silver Adhesive, read this guide @ arctivsilver.com). Something to note is that the AS adhesive drys through a heating process. Once the compounds are mixed they heat up from the reaction, which hardens the adhesive. Working in a cool environment can give you a little more open time to work with the compound.

Start with the back of the video card. Apply a thin layer of mixed adhesive to the RAMsink, then place it evenly on one of the chips. I would recommend placing them with the fins perpindicular to the core fan, to maximize airflow. It won't make a huge difference, it just makes sense to line them up for proper airflow. You also want to press firmly on the RAMsink to ensure a tight bond. Once you are done with one side, let it dry for about 15 minutes before you move on to the other side. Now do the exact same thing to the top, once the backside is dry.

Here are some pics of the entire process, minus the adhesive application. Since time is vital I didn't want to mess up the job trying to snap a picture at the wrong time :-(.

And we're done! Now let the card sit at room temperature for approximately 2 hours. This will be enough time for the adhesive to harden entirely, and at this point we don't want anything falling off or it could mean trouble! We know that heat forces the adhesive to harden, but too much heat can degrade the process and cause it to harden improperly. Therefore sticking it in your comp and running 3DMarks for an hour will not speed up the drying process!! But finally, if all goes well, we can install it and see how much higher our RAM speeds will go :-)

Here's the finished product, finally back in its home!
Here are some full-sized pics of the finished card.

Conclusion

From everything I have heard, I expected a reasonable jump in OC'ability. According to RivaTuner, I was able to bring my RAM OC from 742MHz to 756MHz stable. Not a huge jump, by any means - 14MHz to be precise. Unfortunately I do have to admit that the conditions are a little different this time. I had an 80mm Antec fan blowing across my GeForce4, which I think helped a little bit. This time I had removed the 80mm and instead installed a 90mm Panaflo, although much further away from the card. Once I put the 80mm back and run some more benches, I will be sure to update this article. For the time being, I think I show a reasonable improvement in temperature, and under the same conditions I think I could hit 769.5MHz which I think would be a good OC. Overall this appears to be a good product, although don't expect magic from it. Definitely for tweakers only ;-).

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