XPS 8940, Better 3rd party cooler

Here's my odyssey with cooling.  I received my XPS 8940 with i9-10900 and RTX 2060 Super a little over a week ago.  Because I had heard about overheating issues and plan to use it for video editing, I ran Cinebench (results shown in first picture below).  Needless to say, I wasn't a happy camper.  I tried to order Dell's cooler for K-model CPUs (VWD01), but they were out of stock.  I hadn't heard about the Voodoo at that point, so I ordered the Noctua NH-U9s and installed it with no problem (Lowes is just a couple blocks away for the screws).  The temps on CineBench dropped 21-22 degrees, plus the CineBench score improved from 12,783 to 13,669 because there was no more thermal throttling.  I'm a happy camper now.

The really irritating part was when I removed the stock cooler and looked at the thermal paste which had been applied at the factory.  You can see in photos 2 and 3 below that there was no paste at all in the center of the CPU!  No wonder it was running so hot.  I pity the poor folks who buy this pc and don't know to check the temps.  I can't imagine it would last very long.Right from the factory like this!Bottom side of stock coolerTop of CPU

@Richmond Dan - wow, I thought mine was bad until I saw yours !  

Here's a picture of the thermal paste on my cpu .

And here's a picture of the thermal paste on the cooler . 

And some links to the different hardware I used to mount the NH-U9S ... This one is using m3 screws with captivated flat & lock washer . And then I wanted to do one trying to get closer to the original intent of Noctua by being able to use their included thumbscrews. So I found a kit intended for an RC car that included some m3 x 25 set screws relatively cheap on Amazon. Here's my post for that installation using the set screws... NH-U9S installed with Noctua thumbscrews.

First off, choose a cooler that will fit in your Dell XPS case. Next, make sure that cooler supports the LGA1200 socket and make sure that it uses the Intel cooler mounting system (the screws with springs). Other than that, buy from a good brand and you should be able to install it into your XPS motherboard.

Yeah, the Vetroo v5 fits all that criteria.  I like that it uses the spring loaded mounting screws and fits the LGA1200 socket 100%.  And it's widely available at $25.  I don't use the ARGB lighting, but I understand it works well if you have the right connector for it.

Spring loaded screws on a top heavy CPU cooler can be tricky when you have the computer upright.    The heatsink can sag and lose contact with the CPU. 

Seen this happen and had to remove the springs on a Zalman Cooler in a different machine.   Typically you tighten opposite corners until the cooler feels secure.........def trial and error.  Check the cooler when the machine is upright and see it still looks okay.  If you see any sag then you can loosen the bottom screws and tighten the top ones a little to counter gravity..  That sometimes solves the problem. 

Thumbscrews on double sided pins is the best system, can't overtighten.  Screws hardmounting into the backplate would be also be more secure.

@SteveK318  To edit your post, click on the three vertical dots at the top right and select 'Edit Reply', it's the top option.

@SteveK318  I always buy small quantities of fasteners from one of the retailers on Ebay here in UK.  I can get 10 off M3x25mm stainless steel socket set/grub screws for £1.39 posted.

@Richmond Dan , @SteveK318 what can you expect when even their official service manual shows a mess of thermal paste on the CPU ?   

@bertro514 & @Richmond Dan - yeah, that's a mess !

@Jon-62 - looks like 'edit reply' is only there for a short time after it's posted.

@Jon-62 - that's a good deal. Maybe someone on the forum with an ebay account want's to buy a boxful and sell them cheap in quantities of 5 to other members !!! 

Yeah, I've tried that, no luck.

I'll check the vetroo after it's been in a while, but I doubt it will be an issue.  Tightening down the cooler per the instructions  (corners rotation) worked well and resulted in what feels like a rock solid attachment.  Probably because the screws tighten directly into the back-plate that is already part of the case.

The force of the attachment seems more than a match for any weight the cooler seems to have (i.e. solid, but not a brick).   Time will tell I guess...

@SomeCaliGuy 

Don't think the installation is a problem with your machine....your temps looks solid.

If you ever want to check this, just run a test with the machine flat and then another upright.

That 120mm fan CPU cooler would be a great alternative to the stock cooler.