The dangers of liquid metal

A recent incident has highlighted the potential risks of using liquid metal as a thermal paste in GPUs. A technician specializing in video card repair documented a case where a liquid metal leak caused irreparable damage to an RTX 5070 Ti.

Failure details

The liquid metal, when applied incorrectly, spread across the entire board, reaching every crevice of the PCB. This caused short circuits and physical damage to the GPU core, rendering the card completely unusable. The incident serves as a warning about the importance of proper application and handling of these materials, especially in high-density systems such as GPUs.

General considerations

The use of liquid metal to improve the cooling of electronic components is a widespread practice, but it requires extreme caution. Its conductive nature makes it dangerous if not applied correctly, with the risk of irreparably damaging surrounding components. This episode underscores the need to carefully weigh the pros and cons before opting for this solution, considering less risky alternatives for heat dissipation.