Socket SP3 for Threadripper - Cooler compatibility and exclusive detail drawings

As we already know, AMD and some radiator manufacturers will offer special solutions that will also allow traditional coolers to be used on the significantly longer SP3 socket for AMD's thread ripper. We have managed to obtain a set of new retaining clips for the Alphacool XPX, stressing that it was not the manufacturer itself who served as the source.

Since we now also know the complete construction drawings for the base, we have made a kind of super projection with one of the upcoming radiator solutions and placed coolers and base drawing on top of each other. This now helps us to test compatibility in advance.

What is striking besides the overlong rectangular shape of the CPU recess in the holding frame, above all the asymetric arrangement of the threads for the mounting screws. We see a distance of 78 mm on the left and only 47 mm on the right. You can also see very nicely where the square (or round heatsink) of existing cooler will set up once. However, a large, rather square water block, like that of the Alphacool XPX pictured, should have a clear advantage over round solutions, as is known in many of the Asetek products.

The rectangular heat sink covers the heatspreader of the Threadripper CPU to approx. 90%, whereby you still have to unplug things like edges, screws and other things. In addition, the arrangement and size of the microchannels inside is of course not (yet) optimal, since Threadripper not only has a Die and thus also larger hotspots exist, which in turn also larger microchannel fields and other flow curves in the coolers.

For the beginning, however, the whole thing should be sufficient, if not yet quite optimal. We will be curious to see when and which products will be specially adapted for the SP3 base and how much better they will perform.

If you want to and can help yourself, have a CNC milling machine or are just really curious, we have compiled all relevant construction documents for you below.