CPU chip, normal?

[Vanarak19]

is this normal?

I was reapplying thermal paste on a buddies C2D mbp, thats out of warranty.

It runs fine, no temp problems, he just wanted to AS5 put on, at his request, i said sure.

there seems to be a pen-tip sized chip in the top of the processor. This is just a heatspreader right?


Click for full size - Uploaded with plasq's Skitch

 

[Mollemand]

From all of the CPU's I've seen - no, that is not normal. I believe that it will make the CPU more fragile when removed and inserted into its socket. So be careful not to break it

However, the chip is not located above the core, so the chip should still get all the cooling it needs.

It does look strange though. Best of luck.

 

[Vanarak19]

my understanding is the cpu is soldered to the board in macs anyways.

It seems to work fine he says, never gets real hot, no issues.

Ive just never seen something like that used on a laptop, youd think they would throw that chip away? I mean, that looks bad to me.

the picture makes it look worse than it is, but for whats directly under that die, youd think it wouldnt be used.

here is an image i found of what is directly under that spot. Seems to look important to me?

 

[Mollemand]

If it runs, it runs - and with no warenty there is no reason to replace it.

I hope that QC at the factory would replace that sort of CPU on the spot. Yet as long as no connections are broken, and it stays cool, there is no reason that this CPU shouldn't live as long as the rest of its batch.

Any takers?

 

[Mollemand]

here is an image i found of what is directly under that spot. Seems to look important to me?

The chip is at the edge - the core at the center. From the core you will find gold thread connections running to all of the connectors. If any of them are broken - you would notice. Ie the computer would not run. As long as the chip is 'only' in the resin, I wouldn't loose sleep over it. Thats as far as I know.

 

[alphaod]

is this normal?

I was reapplying thermal paste on a buddies C2D mbp, thats out of warranty.

It runs fine, no temp problems, he just wanted to AS5 put on, at his request, i said sure.

there seems to be a pen-tip sized chip in the top of the processor. This is just a heatspreader right?


Click for full size - Uploaded with plasq's Skitch

my understanding is the cpu is soldered to the board in macs anyways.

It seems to work fine he says, never gets real hot, no issues.

Ive just never seen something like that used on a laptop, youd think they would throw that chip away? I mean, that looks bad to me.

the picture makes it look worse than it is, but for whats directly under that die, youd think it wouldnt be used.

here is an image i found of what is directly under that spot. Seems to look important to me?

Those are 2 different diagrams; the first one is a chip in the CPU die, the second is a picture of a heat spreader removed from a desktop processor.

In other word's there is no heatspreader on any laptop CPUs.

 

[Vanarak19]

Those are 2 different diagrams; the first one is a chip in the CPU die, the second is a picture of a heat spreader removed from a desktop processor.

In other word's there is no heatspreader on any laptop CPUs.

Yes i very well know that. I was looking for a picture of what is under the die, which is what that is.

I obviously know there is no "heat spreader" on the laptop chips.

 

[alphaod]

Yes i very well know that. I was looking for a picture of what is under the die, which is what that is.

I obviously know there is no "heat spreader" on the laptop chips.

In answering your question; if the computer works good; but that is definitely not a good sign.

 

[ayeying]

Thats a pretty big chip... but I don't think its anything too major.