I’m starting on a build using the framework desktop (obviously). But I’ll be watercooling the system, as you probably know the cooler makes contact with not just the APU but also the RAM modules and the VRM, so I’ll be building a custom cooler/heatspreader/etc to cool those. But since I couldn’t find good pictures online of the naked motherboard, I took my own.
Photos taken at 4-ish feet away then zoomed in and cropped to minimize perspective issues.
All the thermal pads seem to be 1.25 mm thick
edit: 1.25 might be cutting it a bit close, probably want 1.5mm pads with these measurements, see comment about heights of different chips below
Ram Modules: 15x12.5 mm
CPU module: 38x45 mm
If you wanted to cool the CPU and RAM you’d need a plate approximately: 89x59.5
If you wanted to cool the CPU, RAM, and VRM you’d need a plate approximately 107x 103 (103 could not be measured directly)
CPU contact on the cooler seems to be raised up 0.5mm from the plate that the RAM pads sit on
The RAM is raised up 2mm from the row of R15 chips that are cooled
(edit: I should clarify this, the R15 chips are TALLER than the ram on the motherboard, so on the cooler that area is recessed to have clearance)
The other VRM thermal pads are placed on a plate the same height as the plate the RAM pads are placed on.
Lastly, the cooler mounting holes are 78x87mm.
I haven’t double/triple checked my work yet, but figured I’d share what I have. I plan to make a rough model of the motherboard with all the required surfaces to then build my cooler off of. (the model on github doesn’t include the VRM chips at all)
Also fun fact, if you use a solid motherboard tray and 0.25 inch standoffs, the M.2 hinge on the underside of the motherboard will hit the motherboard tray and prevent you from screwing it down without bowing the board. Turns out that hinge is 0.28in tall…
Do you mean how far it sticks out from the motherboard PCB or do you mean how far is it from the edge of the motherboard?
It is:
42mm from the “top” edge of the motherboard
67mm from the “front” edge of the motherboard
58mm from the “back” edge of the motherboard
90mm from the “bottom” edge of the motherboard
rounding to the nearest 1 mm (plus or minus 1 mm probably)
REALLY hard to measure, but I believe the CPU is 1.5mm tall…
rounding to the nearest 0.5 mm
Ram Modules appear to be 1mm tall (I’m not taking off the protective covering around the CPU and RAM)
R15 chips are 2.7mm ish tall…
the other VRM chips are about 0.9mm tall, which makes sense because the difference in height on the heatsink is about 2mm, thermal pads can soak up the difference in a few tenths of a mm.
speaking of thermal pads, I’m thinking the pads might actually be 1.5mm… it’s VERY hard to measure something that small that’s also really squishy even with calipers
yes, basically I had to take a straight edge, lay it on the CPU and then measure above a clear spot near the CPU how high the straight edge is above the PCB… I got 1.5mm
results could be skewed if for some reason the CPU isn’t parallel to the PCB, but that’s what I could do to measure it
As additional resource, there is a step file of the mainboard pn Framework’s github page. It has precise dimensions on APU and RAM but lacks any information on the VRM for whatever reason.
There is also clearance information in a PDF file there.
With heat transfer pads, make sure you get ones that are soft enough. I think mine where a bit too stiff for my mounting method and it was challenging to make good contact with the CPU dies because of that.
So in this pic… are the DDR5 identifying marks scraped off or painted over by Framework? Was curious who the manufacturer is but they look scuffed w/o writing.
I think that’s just the resolution of the photo, it was taken 4 feet away, zoomed in, and cropped… Pretty sure they have the markings on them… but I’ve fully put the cooler back on to test some d-gpu stuff and wont have it off again for a few weeks probably sorry, maybe someone else can get the info for you?
No worries. I believe they use Micron memory, I was just wondering if I could confirm. (someone on the forum pointed out to me it’s possible new systems “may” start shipping with Samsung mem modules) Thanx.
sorry, maybe someone else can get the info for you?