I recall hearing someplace that framework started to use ptm7950 in all their products, but did they start adding it to newly sold 7040 boards? I bought mine late December. If not, any quick way to know/check? I’ll install some if it doesn’t since the fan noise can be annoying occasionally. Thank you!
I ordered my 7640u in late July and installed ptm7950. Idle temps are around 40C. Unfortunately the only way I know of to check is if your temps are similar to mine or others with PTM7950. Either way, it’s less than $20 on amazon so it won’t break the bank if you decide to get some anyway. I was able to mess up the first installation, install it correctly, and install it on my desktop ryzen 7 9700x all from the same 40x80mm sheet.
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My 7040 was not PTM. as a ‘quick’ check, you could probably let the laptop cool, and then gently try to remove the heatsink. PTM acts almost glue like when it is cold, and it’s not going to go anywhere, paste when cold will have some hold, but will shift. (Granted, a re-paste may be required if you remove the heatsink).
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Do you remember where this was mentioned? I have only heard that they were switching new shipments of the FW16 (both the existing 7040 and the new AI 300 series) to it, not necessarily all existing product lines. Some new lines seem to use it though.
The TIM is listed on the specs pages of their products, and from those I see…
Using PTM7958:
- FW 16 AMD 7040 (new production)
- FW 16 AMD AI 300
- FW 13 AMD AI 300
- FW 12 Intel 13th Gen
- FW Desktop AMD AI Max 300
Not noted as using PTM7958:
- FW 16 AMD 7040 (earlier production; liquid metal)
- FW 13 AMD 7040 (Compound not listed, but historically Shin-Etsu 8117)
- FW 13 Core Ultra 1 (Shin-Etsu 8117 thermal paste)
So given the above, the answer appears to be no. It’s not definitive, but that’s the most accurate info I’m aware of.
If you do remove the heatsink to install PTM7958, you can check how the existing compound behaves. There are reports of PTM7950 acting waxy when scraped and forming chunks on removal (see the photos in FW’s desktop APU TIM replacement guide), whereas paste (fresh enough like yours probably is at least) will act, well, like a paste. Do let us know which it is if you find out.
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Appreciated, I’ll check on that.
Sure thing, based on the temps it seems to not be PTM7958 (idling at 56 c). I’ll buy some and replace it with that, as well as take a picture of the old thermal solution if I can remember to
I did something a little extra with mine. So the bottom of the heat fins towards the top left, they get really close to the bottom of the laptop frame where there’s some copper. I put some PTM there as well and it actually moved the entire hotspot from under the CPU to that corner. I also put some insulating tape under the entire board aside from the air intakes. Now even when the laptop get’s hot, it only really gets hot behind the feet. The best part is, if I ever don’t want that anymore, I can just remove it. I haven’t done any permanent mods.
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My heat is sitting at 45C with nothing open, freshly applied yesterday. Nothing amazing so far but the fans seem to be spinning up a lot less than before. I have a photo from before to share, I’ll probably send it here tonight
Super cool! I don’t know enough about thermals to do that myself but that’s a really interesting mod.
45C; freshly applied; nothing amazing
Did you heat cycle a few times / for several hours before taking these results? Most reports find that PTM7950 takes a few cycles to “settle in”.
Not yet but I use it often off and on, I’ll see how it fairs over the next few days
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