The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    How many thermal pads do I need?

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by toxicair, Aug 29, 2012.

  1. toxicair

    toxicair Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    13
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    I am about to purchase fujipoly pads from an ebay store and they seem to be in 1 pad/vram sizes at 14mmx18mm. I'm about to upgrade my alienware to a 5870m ati chip and it looks like it will need 8 pads. Am I correct or is that excessive? Here's a picture ATi Radeon 4000 Series Mobile « « RazeTheWorld
     
  2. Kuu

    Kuu That Quiet Person

    Reputations:
    765
    Messages:
    968
    Likes Received:
    18
    Trophy Points:
    31
    Assuming those grey squares are VRMs, you would need 3 more, one for each, and then another 1 or 2 for those small blocks up on the very top left of the picture (I forget what those are, but they look like they sit high enough to need them~)

    Its easier to get more than you'd need at first, than getting not enough and then having to reorder later on, though, assuming the pads aren't too expensive, just get a few extra because you never know what might happen.
     
  3. niffcreature

    niffcreature ex computer dyke

    Reputations:
    1,748
    Messages:
    4,094
    Likes Received:
    28
    Trophy Points:
    116
    Is that the card your upgrading to? Why not upgrade to a 5870 for nearly the same price?

    I hope you don't have an MXM 2.1 laptop which uses a different type of the 4870, not only will the thermal pads be different but the card will be and will not fit your laptop. :(
     
  4. toxicair

    toxicair Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    13
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    I bought the card a month ago and mistyped the info, it is the dell 5870 and it's going into the M-15x 2nd gen. The chips are almost physically identical so that picture is still a good reference.

    I just bought the pads as well. It may be overkill, but 10 35x35mm shinetsu pads should do the trick.