Overclocker and tech YouTuber Roman ‘Der8auer’ Hartung has demonstrated how direct die cooling can allow a 6 GHz overclock on all eight P-cores of an Intel Core i9-14900KS, with out thermal throttling. Der8auer used a customized liquid cooling loop that relied on a delidded 14900KS, a CPU water block making direct contact with the CPU die, and liquid metallic to get the processor so cool that even almost 400 watts of energy consumption wasn’t a difficulty.
Though Intel’s Particular Version Core i9-14900KS can hit its extremely excessive clock speeds partly due to extra selective binning, one other a part of the equation is the processor’s energy consumption. Its excessive energy profile requires 320 watts, a lot larger than the 253 watts the 14900K’s excessive energy profile is rated for. In our testing, we noticed the 14900KS devour considerably extra energy than the 14900K, to the purpose the place even a top-end 360mm AIO liquid cooler could not forestall thermal throttling.
Der8auer had a really comparable expertise and confirmed how efficiency tapered off over an extended time frame with the Core i9-14900KS with a 5.8 GHz overclock on an AIO cooler. Solely with a customized water cooler was constant efficiency potential, however the overclocking specialist needed to go additional by placing his 14900KS beneath direct die cooling.
Usually, a CPU’s die (the precise silicon chip itself) is beneath a metallic warmth spreader or IHS, and warmth is transferred through a thermal interface materials (TIM). Generally the TIM is a thermal paste, however the 14900KS makes use of indium. Eradicating the IHS and cooling the die straight can cool issues down extra straight. Whereas direct die cooling could sound unique, it’s customary observe for GPUs and non-socketed CPUs corresponding to these utilized in laptops.Â
Utilizing an upcoming water block Der8auer developed with Thermal Grizzly, he demonstrated the method of delidding the 14900KS, scraping off leftover materials from the IHS, and putting in the CPU and water block onto the motherboard. This water block is not all that completely different from one Der8auer showcased final yr for Ryzen 7000 CPUs, which was additionally made in partnership with Thermal Grizzly.
With the unique 5.8 GHz P-core overclock, the direct die liquid cooler dropped temperatures by greater than 20 levels Celsius. Energy consumption additionally barely decreased by 12 watts on common, as warmth really causes processors to devour extra energy even when clock pace hasn’t modified. The additional cooling capability from direct die cooling gave Der8auer sufficient headroom to hit 6 GHz on all P-cores whereas solely hitting 95 levels, simply in need of thermal throttling.
The Thermal Grizzly direct die CPU waterblock could have an MSRP of $99 in accordance with Der8auer, and an RGB model with barely higher cooling efficiency will probably be accessible for “round $140.” There is not a exact launch date for both water block, however Der8auer says it is going to solely be launched when there’s sufficient inventory, which he hopes is in “about two to 3 weeks.”