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Mobile technology: Why we need liquid cooling in our smartphones

By Zia Askari

We all want our smartphones to do more for us—especially when we are playing games or are engaged in video calls for long durations. However, their small form factor clubbed with heavy usage of CPU/GPU intensive applications results in over-heating of smartphones.

Once the phone gets quite hot and it reaches a certain temperature, the operating system (OS) slows down the performance of the phone by 10-20%. This results in lag in performance for the device and user experience gets hampered. Liquid cooling is the answer to this problem.

Liquid cooling in a smartphone works on the basic principle of heat dissipation. Smartphones with this technology come with a pre-installed heat pipe that contains a cooling liquid. Whenever there is a need, this pipe absorbs the excessive heat generated from the processor and turns the liquid present in the pipe into vapor. This results in a considerable drop in device temperature. It also helps in increasing the lifespan of the SoC in the device.

Coming to the latest devices that have incorporated this liquid cooling technology feature, Samsung’s latest flagship device—Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra—is specifically designed to help the device stay cool during sustained heavy use, such as playing games or watching UHD videos. Galaxy S22 Ultra deploys a newly designed heat transfer technology called Gel-TIM. This is designed to help in heat dissipation in a more efficient manner than ever before and hence it results in better sustained performance. Samsung’s Gel-TIM is a thermal paste that is being used for the CPU. According to the company, this allows it to transfer heat 3.5x more efficiently than last year’s device.

Likewise, the iQOO Neo 6 series comes equipped with the newest Cascade Cooling System. With an unequal thickness of graphite structure, the 5-layer 3D graphite cooling plates of the Cascade Cooling System make better use of the internal space of the phone, fit closely with the heat source, and further accelerate heat transfer, creating a “cascading” effect. As per the company, this technology has achieved a vast cooling area of ​​up to 36,907mm and promises a good gaming experience anytime, anywhere.

Among others, the OnePlus 10 Pro comes equipped with a 3D passive cooling system which helps in dispersing heat effectively and ensures both casual and power users experience optimal performance for a long duration. The device’s 5-Layer 3D Passive Cooling System, for instance, provides a cooling area of ​​over 34,119,052mm and boasts a large, customized vapor chamber, copper foil, a new cooling film made of graphene material, and copper carbon on both sides of the motherboard.

In short, our smartphones too need to keep calm and cool.

WHEN HOT ISN’T HOT

— Heating issues can slow down a phone by 10-20%
— Liquid cooling in a mobile works on the basic principle of heat dissipation
— Liquid cooling feature helps in increasing the lifespan of the device’s SoC
— Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, iQOO Neo 6 series, OnePlus 10 Pro are among the devices that sport this technology

Askari writes on communications, technology and gadgets at TelecomDrive.com.

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