Mushkin Redline Heatspreader Preview

Denver, CO, July 28, 2005 - Mushkin announces a new heatsink for high performance DRAM memory modules. The new heatsink is designed to handle the increased thermal demands of today's high performance PCs. The new design delivers superior thermal conductivity and dissipation. It's sleek and aero-efficient design provides 58% more surface area than Mushkin's previous heatsink.

"By opening up the design we improved airflow in and around the memory module and increased the surface area," says Brian Flood, head of Mushkin's product development. "It's far superior in performance and appearance."

Additionally, the new design utilizes an advanced thermal adhesive with double the thermal conductivity of the previous material. Mushkin is using the new heatsink on all its performance DDR and DDR2 products, such as the Redline series products that benefit the most from the new design, like the popular Redline and Xtreme series products. Expect to see the new heatsink on all Mushkin performance DDR products.

UPDATE (8/1/2005): The Mushkin REDLINE Series is expected to be the first lineup to ship with the new heatsinks including the improved thermal tape. REDLINES will start shipping in full, with the new heatsinks, by August 16th, 2005. Some lucky customers may have already received the new heatsink with our present thermal tape.

In our labs, we received one stick of Mushkin's blank PCB with the new heatspreaders. From what we could see so far with this system memory cooling sample, we were a bit skeptical as to the actual performance advantages of these new heatspreaders, but they certainly looked as if they should provide improved cooling performance. Once the Redline series officially adopts the new design later this month, we hope to have some of these modules in action. The top of the heatspreaders is opened to allow for direct airflow to the chips. The "arches" in the heatspreaders should also help to create turbulence, and ideally help dissipate heat. As for their claim about the double heat transfer thermal tape, well, we'll believe it when we see it. Even if these features don't help heat dissipation at all, as you can see for yourself, they do look quite awesome and they are a welcome departure from normal RAM heatspreaders. We're sure we'll be hearing more about these soon.