Innovation Cooling 7 Carat Diamond TIM Test results thread *NOW ACCEPTING RESULTS!!*

[Nademon]

I haven't gotten all of the results yet but I'll post what I have so far with my current TIM. I should have some IC7 results later tonight at which point I'll update this post. To stress the CPU I used Prime95's small FFT test. To stress the GPU, I ran FurMark.

Pre-IC7 (CPU)
Compound: Arctic Cooling MX-2
Ambient Temp: 22C
Idle Temp: 33C
Load Temp: 50C

Pre-IC7 (GPU)
Compound: Arctic Cooling MX-2
Ambient Temp: 22C
Idle Temp: 39C
Load Temp: 69C

IC7 (CPU)
Ambient Temp:
Idle Temp:
Load Temp:

IC7 (GPU)
Ambient Temp:
Idle Temp:
Load Temp:

Processor: AMD Phenom II X4 920 @ 3.5GHz, 1.425v
CPU Cooling: Sunbeam Core Contact Freezer with Yate Loon D12SL-12
Video Card: ATI Radeon HD 4850 512MB GDDR3 @ 650/1025
GPU Cooling: Akasa Vortexx Neo

Tests were run in an Antec P182 case with side panel off.

Really looking forward to these results! I'm really interested in the GPU results as I've had great success with IC7 when I push it really hard...and the GPU will get the job done!

I'm suggesting to everyone not to post results until they have most or all of them so your post won't get missed by people that go straight to the newest post. If you reserve your post early on, chances are it will get overlooked by the time you come back and fill in the data.

And keep in mind everyone that there may be a learning curve or adjustment period for people that have never used a paste with this consistency. Once you get used to it, application becomes pretty routine and that's when you get great results (this is from my own personal experience...I've used it so much at this point I always tend to get a great mount with IC7)

Keep on keepin on!!

 

[Jonwall]

Really looking forward to these results! I'm really interested in the GPU results as I've had great success with IC7 when I push it really hard...and the GPU will get the job done!

I'm suggesting to everyone not to post results until they have most or all of them so your post won't get missed by people that go straight to the newest post. If you reserve your post early on, chances are it will get overlooked by the time you come back and fill in the data.

And keep in mind everyone that there may be a learning curve or adjustment period for people that have never used a paste with this consistency. Once you get used to it, application becomes pretty routine and that's when you get great results (this is from my own personal experience...I've used it so much at this point I always tend to get a great mount with IC7)

Keep on keepin on!!

Ya i dont think ive done the greatest job applying it, ive only even applied any thermal paste twice before lol, and it was pretty runny compared to this. Maybe they should send me a massive tube of it for practice

 

[ASharp]

I'm suggesting to everyone not to post results until they have most or all of them so your post won't get missed by people that go straight to the newest post. If you reserve your post early on, chances are it will get overlooked by the time you come back and fill in the data.

Yeah. Sorry about that! I'll admit, I didn't completely read your original post until after I had posted my results with MX-2. :doh:

Anyway, I've been running the tests now and I've updated my previous post with my IC7 results. Differences weren't very dramatic like previous posters but in my case it was easily able to compete with MX-2 and one-up it by a degree or two. Awesome stuff! :thumb:

I'll be away this weekend but on Monday when I get back, I'll see if I can maybe swap out the IC7 for some OCZ Freeze and some GELID TIM that I have lying around and see how they compete.

 

[ICD7]

Introducing myself here - Andrew from innovation cooling


I thought I would post some raw pressure/contact film image results from another give away along with the thermal result to kick things off. I occasionally provide test kits to a few members to test the integrity of their mounts as a reminder illustration of how important it is to have a secure (tight mount) and good contact to optimize performance.

In most cases 80% see a result right out of the gate. In sampling of 4 different forums using the contact film it was found that the 20% who did not approx. 80% of those (Alfrado Defrado's rule?) were found to either have insufficient contact and/or not enough pressure for good thermal transfer.

While the test user had a positive result of -2C he was able to improve his performance by adding more pressure with a "washer mod" to drop temps 5C.

Nice clean prints. The 8A was a before a "washer mod" and 8B was after the "washer mod"

The increase in performance matches nicely with the increased contact and pressure (actually is as good as a couple of the better ones I have on file)

It's a nice illustration which you people already know and reinforces probably the most recommended forum troubleshooting solution to cpu thermal problems - Lap and tighten/balance the sink.

Thanks tkl.hui for the extra effort, much appreciated

Note: The "washer mod" in this case were washers that were used to shim the sink to increase the pressure/contact between the sink and IHS.

 

[ICD7]

Might as well add the full digital analysis this is the 8A result

Not a bad result pressure wise, approx. 1 C under the average, overall force in the 50lb range, average 43lbs. 50lbs is generally/approx. the beginning of the optimal pressure range

On the contact side of things some pressure bias on the left and right sides vs lighter or no contact on the top/bottom axis. A common print with the high spot in the middle making for a kind of "island in the lake" look.

 

[ICD7]

This is the 8B Result. The "After Washer Mod"

Washer Mod improved performance another -3 C for a total of -5C - Increased force 15lbs to 65 lbs and the average force 8lbs to 51lbs.

IHS contact is broad,even with few high spots, pretty much ideal from a performance standpoint

Great contact and good pressure says it all.

 

[SKYMTL]

May I ask what kind of contact film you purchased?

 

[ICD7]

May I ask what kind of contact film you purchased?

Pressurex Fuji Prescale Paper, Pressure Indicating Film

costs about $60.00 USD sq ft - then extra for the digital analysis.

Raw prints can be quite revealing without the digital analysis - I was playing around with the idea of making a kit to sell along with the ICD so people could optimize contact but I think it was too specialized to be profitable.

I also tried to come up with an poor man's alternate by playing around with carbon paper and a couple other things with mixed results, interesting stuff(at least to me:biggrin

Andrew

 

[Nademon]

Pressurex Fuji Prescale Paper, Pressure Indicating Film

costs about $60.00 USD sq ft - then extra for the digital analysis.

Raw prints can be quite revealing without the digital analysis - I was playing around with the idea of making a kit to sell along with the ICD so people could optimize contact but I think it was too specialized to be profitable.

I also tried to come up with an poor man's alternate by playing around with carbon paper and a couple other things with mixed results, interesting stuff(at least to me:biggrin

Andrew

Told you guys...The IC Diamond Big Brained Guru! I hope no one thought I was kidding. Be prepared folks, if ever the nuclear physicists had a Fonzie, Andrew would be it! :haha:

I know there's going to be oooodles of information that will come out over the next few weeks and I'm sure we're all going to learn loads of interesting stuff! I'm looking forward to this geek session (I'll deny that in public...hunt you down and give you an atomic wedgie if you squeel on me! And of course...your pocket protector will be MINE!)h34r:

I'll be doing some GPU testing myself...oops, already did (but I'm gonna use it on some other cards too)! Here's the results:

Card: BFG 9800GX2

Compound: OEM stuff that came on the card
Ambient: ~21C
Idle: ~66C
Load: 96-98C:shok:

IC7
Ambient~23C
Idle: ~61C
Load: 81C

So...suffice it to say, I was very happy! Plus, once I applied IC7, my EUE's completey vanished! I havent had a single one since the day after I applied it. A while back I also used it on my main rig and shaved off 8C uncer load (i'm sure it was more, but just to be safe), but I don't have the specific data to post. I do remember I screwed up the first time and it only dropped about 5C, but then reapplied and reseated and got much better results on an overclocked QX9650 @1.32V running 4Ghz.

Good luck guys!

 

[Inik]

I'll post my result tonight.. the application section of the IC website is down (Not Found)