Gelid Unveils AM4 CPU Protector Bracket – Practical or Pointless?

As you may be aware, modern Intel and AMD processors are quite different in terms of how they fit into motherboards. Namely, while Intel has the pins located on the socket, AMD prefers to put theirs directly onto the CPU. While the jury is out on which system is better, there is always something of an inherent risk for AMD Ryzen owners when it comes to removing the processor. Namely, that sometimes, if the cooler is particularly well attached, removing it can sometimes take the CPU with it. You can, quite literally, rip it out of the motherboard and I know this for a fact as it once happened to me with it bending around a dozen pins in the process (don’t worry, I got it working again).

However, it seems that Gelid may be one of the first cooler manufacturers to actually take this into consideration as following a new product launch on their website, they have confirmed the release of an AM4 socket CPU protector.

Gelid AM4 CPU Protector Bracket

The bracket is designed to work with all of their current AM4 compatible coolers and, quite frankly, it’s sole job is to provide some pressure on the CPU so that when a cooler is removed, there is absolutely no risk of the CPU coming with it.

Retailing for only $1.50, it’s certainly not expensive. However, it does beg the question as to whether this is a practical product, or whether such a retro-fitted design is, ultimately, just a bit pointless.

What Do We Think?

Gelid has yet to comment as to whether this AM4 bracket will be included (or added) as standard to their current or upcoming cooler releases. On the plus side though, the price certainly seems to make it worth considering as an ‘adjoining’ purchase. Particularly if you yourselves have ever encountered bent pin problems in the past.

More than anything, though, this issue can largely be entirely avoided in the vast majority of cases if you’re just a bit more delicate in your cooler removal process. As above though, even with all my experience, this has still happened to me and I can tell you first hand that it was a very nervous 30 minutes where I painstaking got all those pins back in a straight line. Maybe it should just be considered something like life insurance, you get it hoping you never need it!

For more information on this new release though, you can check out the official Gelid product website via the link here!

What do you think? Would you consider this a useful or useless addition to all AM4 coolers? – Let us know in the comments!