Introduction :
We have just received a copy of the Thermal Grizzly Contact Sealing Frame for AMD platforms with an AM5 socket. Thermal Grizzly is a fast-growing brand, given the arrival of a number of executives in recent months, notably from EK. We recently tested the WireView 12VHPWR Normal. Speaking of this product, you should know that a new version has just been launched, the WireView PRO, which we’ll be writing about very soon. But let’s get back to today’s product: the Contact Sealing Frame AM5.
As you will have gathered, this ‘contact sealing frame’ is intended for AMD motherboards and models with an AM5 socket. Its purpose is twofold: firstly, to replace the locking mechanism that holds your processor in place, and secondly, to protect the processor’s small components.
If you look at a Ryzen 9 9950X processor, for socket AM5, the shape of its IHS(Integrated Heat Spreader) is very distinctive. You can also see the various resistors on the PCB protected by the IHS, which must not be damaged. NHU9B also uses a Contact Frame for its LGA-1700 test platform.
The Thermal Grizzly Contact Sealing Frame AM5 bundle:
We received a bundle containing everything you need to install the Contact Sealing Frame AM5. The packaging has not changed and remains the same as all the brand’s products.
Inside the bag we’ll find the Contact Sealing Frame, a Torx T20 tool for removing the socket locking mechanism , an Allen key and 4 screws, installation instructions BUT for INTEL processors and a silicone protection pad.
Installing the AM5 Contact Sealing Frame :
The installation will be done on a ROG Crosshair X670E GENE motherboard, but we could also have installed it on a motherboard with an X870E chipset. The principle is to use an AM5 socket. The first step is to remove the locking mechanism using a Torx T20 tool. It is best to unlock the mechanism so that it is not under tension during disassembly and does not risk blowing up in your face.
When the mechanism is removed, the back plate must of course be kept, which will be used for our Contact Sealing Frame. As a reminder, the four outer holes are for your cooling system, which in this case will be an Optimus Signature V3 waterblock.
The socket is now on its own and we’re going to install the Ryzen 9 9950X straight away to avoid damaging the pins. Take care to position the processor correctly, as you no longer have any indication of its position! Look carefully at the position of the small triangle on the PCB. Once this is in place, you need to slide the silicone foam protection around the IHS, which will protect the various resistors on the PCB. This will prevent thermal paste or liquid metal from spreading over the PCB.
All you need to do now is place the black anodised aluminium frame on the processor. The four screws and Allen key supplied in the bundle should be used to tighten the frame and ensure optimum contact pressure of the CPU in the bracket. Thanks to the notch on the inside of the frame, it’s impossible to go the wrong way, and there’s also a small triangle on the frame.
Now that our AM5 Contact Sealing Frame is in place, all we need to do is install our cooling system, having first spread some thermal paste on the processor.
For a price of 19.90 euros, this little accessory could quickly become indispensable, especially if, like us, you regularly test cooling systems, 
for example. Several members of our Discord or overclocking buddies use it and are perfectly happy with it. Of course, it can also be used for cold, dice or LN2 sessions. From our point of view, it’s also a faultless product that we highly recommend. The only downside, as Thermal Grizzly points out, is that this manipulation could cause you to lose the motherboard manufacturer’s warranty, but we don’t see that being a problem. Thanks to Thermal Grizzly for making this AM5 Contact Sealing Frame available.