Processor delidding is not 100% guaranteed. We all remember the good old days of removing IHS from Intel CPUs (unsoldered) with a razor blade. But since then, tools have been developed to facilitate this process, even though it’s still not 100% guaranteed. Proof of this is Tony Yu’s attempt with the new Ryzen 9000s, which ended in abject failure.
Ryzen 9000: a delid that went wrong!
Broadly speaking, there are two types of CPU: those that use thermal paste between the die and the IHS, and the others. The latter often benefit from indium soldering for improved heat transfer and lower temperatures than conventional thermal paste. However, this type of processor is generally more complicated to uncap.
Unsurprisingly, Ryzen CPUs based on the Zen 5 architecture exploit a soldered IHS, and this is where the problem lies. The uncapping attempt therefore ended in failure, with an I/O die being ripped off during the procedure. So, even with experience, you can’t get it right every time.
Finally, delidding is a recurrent practice in overclocking circles. The aim is to reduce processor temperatures by removing the IHS intermediary and installing the cooling system on a direct die. The heat emitted by the processor is transferred directly to the heatsink, enabling you to scrape off the last few MHz to set a new record.
