First see the image here https://imgur.com/TFgwXGI.png This gives all details. Which gives better heat management? Using the light blue adhesive thermal pad? Or not using it? (just place the copper heat sink right on top of the NVME?)
If it’s better not to use the thermal pad, should I use some thermal conductive paste? Or not really needed?
If it’s better not to use the thermal pad, then I would just use 1 or 2 rubber bands to secure the copper heat sink to the NVME.
I’m using the NVME as an external drive to make a full backup (clone) of my internal main drive. When I use the external NVME for the clone, it takes about 25 min. If I use an external hard drive it takes about 43 hours.
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You want the thermal pad because even on polished surfaces there’s inconsistencies that prevent the complete interface between the materials. Thermal Grizzly Minus Pad is the best thermal pad money can buy that I know of if you want an upgrade.
Thermal paste will be better but it’s usually conductive so it’s risky for an nvme if you get it anywhere but the top of the memory chips. I don’t have much experience with non-conductive pastes but Artic Silver makes one based on ceramic. It’s also not ideal compared to a CPU/GPU because all the chips won’t line up exactly flat.
With passive cooling you want the most amount of surface area exposed to the air as possible (so your copper sink is magnitudes better) with fins wide enough apart to take the best advantage of the surrounding airflow.
If i’d take a guess that heatsink was designed to be in a case with some circulation because those fins are packed but they should be much better either way.
Rubber bands work but silicon rings are better because rubber bands will disintegrate under tension.
