Hi,
I am interested in Framework Desktop Mainboard (AMD Ryzen™ AI Max 300 Series). I have 2 questions:
The preinstalled cooling has a fan and is not passive.
Same here… but don’t look to be a AM4/5 cooling , but may be an other one ca be compatible.
With quick mesure on the motherboard picture I get:
79x89 mm
Can be nice if we can have water cooling for exemple …
https://support.watercoolinguk.co.uk/article/74-mounting-hole-spacing-for-air-coolers-and-water-blocks => don’t look to be a standart size…
As others have said, the premounted custom heatsink is not a passive cooling solution. It is absolutely necessary to mount a 120 mm fan to the heatsink, using the included mounting bracket. I don’t think there is much need for exchanging the cooling solution. Just get a strong quiet fan (if you buy the Desktop the two fans on option are good choices) and you are fine.
If you really want to exchange the cooling system, you will not only need something that can mount but you will need a custom cooling block, that also cools the memory and the VRM, like the stock heatsink does. That would need custom CNC machined adapter if not an entirely custom system.
EDIT: if you want to design a custom cooling solution. There is information on the board dimensions at the Framework github: Framework-Desktop/Mainboard at main · FrameworkComputer/Framework-Desktop · GitHub
If it’s treated as a mobile CPU, the performance mode selection changes the maximum TDP.
For the FW16, I believe it’s 54 at most, but only 35 in economy mode (to be verified…) by default. But from memory, it can be modified with a few tools.
Some of the other MODT main boards adopted standard cooling system mounts for desktop coolers (e.g. the Minisforum BD795m uses an LGA 1700-compatible mount for its 7945HX chip).
Since the Framework has hardwired memory that also needs cooling, probably none of the desktop format mounts would work.
This is a real pity since for rack mount scenarios I’d much prefer a low-profile blower-style of cooler (or even water cooling) to fit everything into a 1U or 2U form factor.
This CPU is designed for mobile use. The connection between CPU and Memory does not allow any socketed components to due its highspeed 256bit bus.
Of course. This is why I referenced other MOTD motherboards - they all need to pick a cooling solution, and the desktop standards don’t account for both CPU & RAM since desktop RAM isn’t soldered on.
In the case of Minisforum, the BD795M (7945HX) MOTD board picked LGA1700. But all their other boards used the same approach as Framework, providing a custom cooling solution that takes a 120mm fan.
By contrast, AOOStar’s new boards (9955HX & 9955HX3D) picked plain ‘ol AM5. So you can go nuts on the cooling options.
For my money, it’s far preferable to be able to mix-n-match motherboards and cooling solutions. I get that there’s no neat existing off-the-shelf solution for Strix Halo board manufacturers to pick, but the first one who does is gonna make a TON of sales to people who are aren’t being served yet.
For a proper cooling solution you need a custom cold plate (or repurpose a dismantled stock cooler contact plate somehow). In both cases custom mounting holes are not much of a concern, you simply add them where you need them or have them already in place in case of repurposing the stock plate.
The market for the Framework Desktop isn’t huge, the market for APU cooling system modders of that machine is even smaller.
I’m in a similar ish boat… I’m wanting to watercool the CPU, but the custom cooler makes contact with both the ram chips and the VRM. The team while at PAX weekend before last was amazing and took off the cooler to show me when I asked.
The real question at that point is: Do the ram chips and the VRM need active cooling, and how much? Can I just slap on some tiny aluminum heatsinks from amazon? Do I need a downdraft cooler/fan so they have airflow? Or do I need to make a shim of some kind so that the RAM chips are thermally connected to the CPU cooler?
All the RAM combined has a TDP of roughly 10W max as far as I have read. That is not an insignificant amount. That would be roughly 1.5 W per module Maybe some simple aluminium fins could handle that. Your judgement.
The VRM will probably work even if uncooled but it might more or less severely negatively impact longevity. No cooling would be the express lane to the grave if the sytem is running often under high load I suppoes. Aluminium fins may or may not be enough to keep temperatures in check.
I would still recommend getting a custom cold plate, covering everything, or modding the stock cooler contact plate for AIO. You really have to view the Strix Halo as a graphics card basically, that just happens to have in the same power limits also a CPU included.
