Hardware Removing Copper Sticker/Tape/Shim from SoC shield, is it good or bad?

[aranorde]

Hello All,

I've been trying to find some concrete data on the changes before and after removing the mentioned copper sticker and so far I'm not able to find any useful data.

I've read every single comment from this post here in GBATemp and I'm seeing people mostly say it improves the heat transfer but also see others saying that is it required.

Can anyone help me if you have done this? did it improve the temps?

An image I found online,

 

[ghjfdtg]

It's maybe 0.1mm. It's not going to do anything other than raise the SoC area. I would argue that the 2 layers of thermal paste are actually worse for spreading heat than the heatpipe not covering 100% of the SoC. I had no issues personally removing the copper foil.

What seems to be more important is what you have between the heatpipe and aluminium shield. Some argue if the heat transfer to the shield is better it makes the heatpipe less efficient. I don't know if this is true.

 

[aranorde]

Some argue if the heat transfer to the shield is better it makes the heatpipe less efficient. I don't know if this is true.

Thanks for you comment, I removed it but in the process the copper sticker is now not reusable as it is extremely thin. If I'm to put something in between, will those 0.1 or 0.3mm copper shims they sell for mobiles be sufficient? Image below.

heres what I did, I removed copper sticker, applied Noctua NTH1 paste between SoC and heatpipe contact and used a thicker thermal putty between heatpipe and back-plate (only in the place where the pink paste was, this is high conductivity stuff that I use for GPU/CPUs). Also put 0.5mm thermal pads on top of memory modules (so they contact the SoC shim) and then put 1.5mm thermal pads on top of the shim so they contact the back-plate.

Now I i'm in a bit of confusion, I feel like the switch is getting a bit hotter or its just me paying attention to the temps more often and being paranoid about it. IDK how to check since my switch is not modded.

E.g.:

• If I play Splatoon 3 (runs at 1080p/60FPS) for like 2 and half hours docked, and once I undock it then touch the console I feel like its a bit hot and can notice fan noise (if I take my ears closer, like within 20CM of the console closer). Is this normal?
• Also Alien Isolation and Zombie Army 4 are some games that are known to be closer to what PS4 offers and the console seems pretty hot to the touch if I play for 2 & 1/2hrs ish and can notice the fan going off even from a distance (I play on monitor so i sit closer) . Is this normal?

Is my switch cooling screwed Or am I going crazy?

 

[ghjfdtg]

As said, the stuff between aluminium shield and heatpipe can matter. I have seen people report higher temperatures on the board but lower on the SoC when they replace whatever stuff they applied from the factory with thermal pads. I guess it makes sense since you transfer more heat into the Switch body than previously. As long as nothing is overheating and the Switch doesn't go into standby on its own it's within specification.

These copper shims should work if you use the thin one.

 

[aranorde]

As said, the stuff between aluminium shield and heatpipe can matter. I have seen people report higher temperatures on the board but lower on the SoC when they replace whatever stuff they applied from the factory with thermal pads. I guess it makes sense since you transfer more heat into the Switch body than previously. As long as nothing is overheating and the Switch doesn't go into standby on its own it's within specification.

These copper shims should work if you use the thin one.

how does the board get hot compared to SoC? if the heat is transferred effectively from the main heat-source (SoC) to the heat-pipe, then heat is dissipated through the heatsink/fan cooling and-or transferred quickly to the back-plate.

Also, should I remove the thermal pads on memory modules? I'm worried about heat from back-plate transferring back to the modules. IDK if it will be a problem but just want to make sure that the thermal pad idea is helpful or not...

 

[ghjfdtg]

I don't see why the thermal pads on the RAM chips would do something. These chips don't get very hot at all. And the board can get hotter because only a small part of the shield has air flow. The remaining heat will go everywhere else inside the Switch.