Helpcenter - Frequently asked Questions

Why doesn't ARCTIC specify TDP values?

The TDP (Thermal Design Power) specification indicates how much heat output a component emits and is intended to help you choose a suitable cooling solution. However, the common assumption that a cooler that can cover the TDP of a processor is sufficient, is no longer true.

Modern CPUs can automatically go far beyond the specified TDP in their turbo modes, meaning that the cooler has to dissipate much more heat than originally expected. High-end motherboards amplify this effect by automatically increasing the CPU’s turbo settings even further. As a result, a cooler that only supports the processor’s TDP will likely lead to problems such as performance degradation (thermal throttling) and increased noise.

Another problem is that the performance of a cooler depends heavily on the specific CPU. Different manufacturers or processor generations can have different cooling requirements, even with the same TDP.

Additionally, cooler manufacturers’ testing methods for TDP values are often unclear. The results can vary greatly depending on the CPU used, the test environment and the conditions, e.g. different ambient temperatures or maximum permissible temperatures of the processor. Since manufacturers often do not provide details on their testing procedures, cooler TDP values are difficult to compare and can be misleading.