I don’t know if I’m the only one but my Cioks DC7, which (only) powers my QC via the 4-cable method, gets very hot. Because it’s mounted directly under the QC it heats it as well (see pic below). So I decided to order a Cioks Crux to see if this would improve thermal behavior.
I measured the surface temperatures of the Quad Cortex, DC7, and Crux using an infrared thermometer. For each device, I scanned the entire top surface and recorded the maximum temperature observed. I used the same preset for both scenarios and let the board sit for about 2 hours (with a several hour cool down period in between) before taking measurements.
The obligatory shot of the underside of my board (Crux installation not shown)*
Measurements
Room temperature: 22 °C (72 °F)
Using 4-Cable Method:
- Quad Cortex: 39 °C (102 °F)
- Cioks DC7: 47 °C (117 °F)
Using Crux:
- Quad Cortex: 37 °C (99 °F)
- Cioks DC7: 43 °C (109 °F)
- Crux: 44 °C (111 °F)
Conclusion
My takeaway is that the Crux doesn’t really seem to make a noticeable difference in terms of heat generation. I’m honestly surprised by how hot both the Cioks DC7 and the Crux get, given what they do. I would have expected them to stay significantly cooler.
I would have preferred it to run cooler, but I don’t think the heat is in reality problematic for my use case. It might be for you, if you are on a stage in the blaking sun. That said, I’ve decided to return the Crux because it is no solution to the heat issue and I don’t need the extra power outputs from the DC7…
PS: I already tried another Cioks (wanted to ensure mine was not an anomaly)
PS2: QC CPU usage for this preset 58%, screen brightness at 12
