One of the ways that Intel has fallen short the last couple of years is when it comes to the coolers it supplies with its processors. These coolers were desperately in need of a facelift, especially when compared with the coolers that AMD includes with its processors.
It seems this could be down to change though, or at least partly. Recently, reviewers in China and Vietnam discovered that Intel had silently updated the boxed coolers that shipped with the Intel Core i7-10700 processors.
What Do These New Coolers Look Like?
These new coolers have a slimmer profile than their predecessors and have a new look to them.
Unfortunately, it has been confirmed by Intel that the only processors that will come with these new coolers are the i9-10900, i9-10900F, i7-108700, i7-10700F, and the Intel Xeon W-1200 workstation processors. It’s a shame that these new coolers weren’t included throughout the entire 10th-generation lineup, but there’s always hope for the future.
These new coolers appear to have an 80 W TDP rating which is a welcome step up from the usual 65 W coolers. There is also a new copper core to reduce thermal resistance which is something that will go a long way to helping meet the 80 W TDP specification for the Xeon workstation processors.
These coolers are a circular design with a shielded cable and a sheath that covers the four fan wires. This leads to a very clean look that will look good in any PC build. The copper core also helps disperse more heat than the old aluminum core which is a massive improvement.
Why the Sudden Upgrade?
It’s no secret that the 10th generation of Intel’s processors is rated to run a lot hotter than their predecessors, especially when under heavy load. While initial reviews have shown that they haven’t become as hot as many had feared, the Core i7-10700 comes with a 65 W TDP right out of the box. This can increase by up to 1.8x during boost activity which could increase the power draw to up to 117 W. This makes the improved coolers look more of an essential upgrade than just a mere facelift.
While these coolers do look and perform a lot better than their predecessors, are they better than what AMD offers? AMD includes some pretty impressive coolers with its processors and many of its users don’t see the need to upgrade, we can’t say the same about those running Intel stock coolers though. Some of AMD’s boxed coolers even come with RGB lighting which is a massive draw for a lot of builders, this could be another area Intel could look at in the future.
What do you think of these new coolers? Would they be a deciding factor when you’re picking up a new processor? Let us know down in the comments section below. If we hear any more news on Intel’s coolers, we’ll be sure to let you know.