Heatsink for emulation required?
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Hello, I recently purchased a Pi 3 b+ for emulation so I'm new to this, what is the consensus on heatsinks requirements?
My Pi 3 is enclosed in a regular plastic raspberry case (the one with the raspberry logo on top), and here are the emulators I plan on using:
-GBA
-Playstation
-NES
-SNES
-Genesis/MegaDrive
-NEOGEOIt is necessary that I purchase a heatsink?
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there is no consensus - there are two many variables: silicon lottery, ambient temperature, case, overclock, etc. it’s best to try out, and see if you get temperature warnings.
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If its overlclocked is it a given you should use a heatsink. Or do you even need more such as a fan? I know you said lots of variables but just say overclocked.
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I've run all of these emulators for hours at a time and days while initially installing the OS and all the files over wifi. I have the metal case with the built-in heatsink and I'm not overclocking. The case does get warm after being on but it's never been so hot I couldn't touch it.
I'm under the impression the system is working far harder when decompressing and compiling files pulled off of the github than when running any of the emulators, including NEOGEO which isn't really any more intensive than SNES or Genesis. The one that may cause more heat may be the PlayStation one since I don't have it but I'm also running SuperGrafx, Turbo CD, Turbo Super CD and Sega CD and they are all pretty comparable to the original PlayStation in terms of hardware.
You could get the metal case if you're really worried since the heatsink is built in to the case but unless you're overclocking the system for some reason you probably will be okay without it. Also, something I tend to forget is that the circuit boards seem pretty disposable at about $35. Not like you're overclocking the board on some $500-$1000 laptop.
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Temperature for the PI is based on the same thing your PC or laptop is based on.
8086 CPUs (intel, AMD) run much faster..thus run hotter and the NEED a fan or they will burn to crisp. Some systems will not even start if the fan does not come on.
If it is hot in my house then my computer will run hotter than normal..if it is cold then it will run colder than normal..just how it works. Also depends on the airflow of your case..more airflow will allow your pi to run cooler (the heat can vent better)
Think of yourself as the cpu in a computer you know when you are more hot and when you are not based on if it is winter or summer..of if you are "trapped in box" without any ventilation.
Same thing for your pi to a point a heat sink draws heat away from the cpu (heat transfers) and then the air can "blow" through the fins..thus "faster/better" cooling
A fan will always give you a better (lower) temperature.
Again you being the CPU you have a fan blowing on you..it keeps you cool..all it is doing is blowing heat away from you (your own heat) so you cool faster...The pi is the same thing..just in reverse. the fan sucks the hot air off the cpu (cpu/heatsink) and draws it away so the inside of your case stays cooler.
All that being said..no you do not need a fan as the PI wans made to run without one. A heat sink does help a little though even without the fan. The PI is basically a cell phone motherboard/computer. You can't talk very well with your fan cooling the inside of your phone..too much noise! lol
The RISC cpu does not run as fast as a normal cpu..thus less heat...but less speed. A RISC is NOT new at all..been around for years...British people are smart you know! :D Most of the older systems you are trying to emulate used a RISC CPU.
Also if you run shaders to give effects that might make your pi run warmer as well (depends on how many you run). Also rendering video will make it run hot..I was using 640x480@60fps for my snaps..nearly "killed my pi". I converted them down to 320x240@30fps and the pi handles them much better (smoother) and it's MUCH happier with me too! :D
And if you over clock well..safe bet IS to run a fan..you can reach almost "top operating safe temps" just having it idle sometimes.
Safe operating temp is 80C (85C tops I think) if you stay under 80C then you are fine...so most people say. But I like to keep mine as cool as possible just because well I want to make it last "forever" ;) But the fan is noisy and I can't stand it at times.
So honestly it all comes down to how you want to use your PI..if you have it in a a small area that does not have a lot of ventilation..you might want one. If it is "out in the open" you may not need one at all.
No this is NOT scientific or anything like that..just info and good to know. I could care less about scientific.
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@somguy For normal emulation and usage of the hardware under comforable room temperature then it is unlikely you will heat throttle even without and sort of additional cooling. Think of the pi more like a cell phone or tablet and less like a traditional desktop computer.
If you are using it in a hot environment, increasing the voltage to the board for an overclock, or constantly running the cpu at 100% then you could potentially heat throttle. Those tiny aluminum heat sinks that are popular for the pi have virtually no benefit unless they are paired with a small fan. The large passive cooling systems, like the flirc case, can noticeably reduce CPU temp but generally do nothing to cool off the GPU.
In other words, if you are just doing emulation in a comfortable room on a stock install then you only need to worry if you get a heat warning on screen. If you are overclocking or doing tons of video processing then active cooling or large passive cooling might be beneficial.
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Definitely need a heatsink.
I buy the Canakit that comes with the silver heatsinks for the CPU and the network chip (which is pointless to heatsink). But I found that they still run really hot. I switched to the black ones instead of the silver...
http://a.co/7XcpIIb
and also use the copper on the bottom as that gets hot too.Still self-stick... but 15 degrees cooler on average across all the rpi units I have (15 of them)
I've not compared the self sticks to using actual thermal paste... but I'm quite content with the black ones. -
Though I'm not planning on overclocking the device, I decided to get a fan and a heatsink for the broadcom cpu/gpu thingie, like some of you mentioned, having the Pi3 heating inside the case might not be a good idea even if its doesen't normally reach critical temperatures, especially during the summer..
Also, apparently you can get these really cheap (smth I was not aware).
Thanks for all the replies. -
As one that did it and am not all that afraid to do so, you can simply not put the Pi inside the case and stick a piece of wood underneath so there's no heat transfer from whatever it's sitting on. Plug everything in and you could even get a fan to blow across it plugged in to the wall. The board alone used for it's intended purpose shouldn't overheat in any real capacity anymore than as above stated than a cellphone board.
It may not look pretty but I'm more interested in playing the games than worrying about the fashion statement. Be that as it may, during initial installation of the OS and emulator packages I had all the wires and cables plugged in to the board with no case whatsoever. Had it sitting on top of a piece of extra hardwood flooring. Propped up just a bit for a nearly 360 degrees of airflow and we all know wood doesn't transfer electricity very well so I wasn't in danger of shorting anything out. Looked ridiculous and after about a week my Flirc case showed up and now I'm using that. I recommend them if you're concerned about a heatsink and you want a quality one and the cases aren't that expensive as to render the whole initial idea of the Pi and Emulation Station unaffordable.
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My Pie 3b used to heat throttle all the time. So I brought a 3b+ and got a case with a fan and heatsinks for £6 off amazon. It hasn't throttled since but I don't know if this is because I now have a 3b+ or because of the case and heatsinks. I don't really see a reason not to run the heatsinks and a case with a fan to be fair.
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@dsstrainer said in Heatsink for emulation required?:
Definitely need a heatsink.
I buy the Canakit that comes with the silver heatsinks for the CPU and the network chip (which is pointless to heatsink). But I found that they still run really hot. I switched to the black ones instead of the silver...
http://a.co/7XcpIIb
and also use the copper on the bottom as that gets hot too.Still self-stick... but 15 degrees cooler on average across all the rpi units I have (15 of them)
I've not compared the self sticks to using actual thermal paste... but I'm quite content with the black ones.Careful with the heatsinks that come with the canakit. They are 9448 (I think) 3M tape. It's an insulator, not a conductor. The one to get is 8805 or 8810. That's 3M's thermal tape. You can also use thermal adhesive which should do a better job.
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Careful with the heatsinks that come with the canakit. They are 9448 (I think) 3M tape. It's an insulator, not a conductor. The one to get is 8805 or 8810. That's 3M's thermal tape. You can also use thermal adhesive which should do a better job.
This is exactly why I was very wary of using heatsinks. Didn't want to turn the tape in to an insulator and make the situation worse.
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@ultrakev9 Don't be wary. Just use the right stuff. Thermal adhesive works well, as does the thermal tape.
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I like to pull that tape of and use thermal paste. I never trust that stuff when it's preapplied.
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