Dont know what to do with it?
Wondering if you should fling it away already?
Bear with me; I know exactly what you should do with your former processor cooler.
What Can I Do With an Old CPU Cooler?
Even the lousy stock cooler shipped with your CPU is good enough to serve some purpose.
But before you move on, I want you to be creative.
Explore and find ways to achieve diverse utilisations for your good old processor cooler.
But your graphics card already has a cooler installed on it.
So, whats the point?
The built-in cooler for an entry-level card is not that efficient in dissipating it.
Buy some additional heat sinks and thermal pads to put on theVRAM.
I made aFrankensteinGPU myself, and the results were phenomenal.
MyRTX 2070Sdropped a whopping10 degreesof maximum temperature.
Similarly, you might cool down the opposite portion of the GPU die on the PCB.
Typically, this section is covered with a metal backplate accompanied by thermal pads in between to dissipate heat.
Save it As a Backup Cooler
A PC component can fail at any time.
CPU coolers are no exception, especiallyAIOs.
The pump may die, or the radiator may get leaked.
The only thing that can go bad in an air cooler is thefan.
A spare cooling fan will take a minute or two to get your cooler up and running.
However, dropping from a height may damage the aluminum fins and copper heat pipes.
But dont forget to use thermal paste each time you mount a cooler on the CPU.
Isopropyl alcohol is the safe bet to remove any leftovers from these components.
Remember,without a proper mounting of the CPU cooleryour system will not post at all.
The worst case scenario is that with increasing temperature, your processor may get fried.
Just slap on the old cooler, and get your system back in action.
Nonetheless, there is one decisive factor to consider; compatibility.
The cooler you are about to reuse with the new CPU must support the corresponding socket.
But how do you know whether the former cooler supports a new socket?
The answer is only a few clicks away.
Go to the product page of your old cooler and check the supported socket list.
If it matches the CPU socket, you are golden!
Lets say you upgrade from aRyzen 5 1600to aRyzen 7 3700X.
Both of the CPUs share the sameAM4socket.
So you dont need tochange the motherboard for the new processor.
Your existing cooler is perfectly fine for the new CPU.
On the contrary, going from11thto12th gen Intel CoreCPUs requires a new air or liquid cooler.
Thats because the first and latter supportLGA 1200andLGA 1700,respectively.
Note: Typically CPU coolers support multi generation sockets.
Simulated scenarios will help you understand an old coolers viability.
Even after that, theres another hack; get a compatible mounting bracket.
Itll allow you to reuse the old cooler on a new processor.
Repurpose Your Obsolete Processor Cooler
Assuming youre unable to reuse the CPU cooler of a vintage computer.
But dont worry, it may have some legacy left; who knows?
Go to the drawing board, get creative and find what you could do with it.
Just follow your instinct that works.
Sell it Off
One mans trash is another mans treasure; youve probably heard it, right?
FAQs
How Long Does a CPU Cooler Last?
All-in-One Liquid CPU Cooler(AIO) lasts around 3 years.
But air coolers can last way longer than that.
Only the fan may fail after 4-5 years.
How Often Should I Change the Water in My CPU Cooler?
Change the coolant or water of your custom water cooling loop every 1-1.5 years.
This will ensure the peak cooling capability of the loop.
Can I Reuse an Old AIO?
Yes, you might reuse an Old AIO if it supports the new socket.
Buy a compatible bracket if the included one does not support your new CPUs socket.
Ending Remarks
Throwing away your past CPU cooler is not a smart move.
Accessories of electronic devices can benefit you in different ways.
Hope this article showed you useful ways to utilize an old processor cooler.
Comment down below and let me know your thoughts.
