Yes, over-tightening a cooler can harm MB pins.
Yes, over-tightening a cooler can harm MB pins.
I sent back a mobo recently with a 7700 and nh-d15 cooler installed. After it arrived, the seller provided photos of bent pins and mentioned they’d deduct from my refund for the damage. I didn’t inspect the board upon receipt, but it seems either it was damaged at shipment or I caused the issue. The only reason I suspect this is with the cooler is that the nh-d15 screws won’t hold much longer. Anyone have ideas?
Using chips with pins on them (common in most AMD sockets) means pressure doesn’t change the pins directly, but for chips that need pins pressed into the socket, a bit of downward force is necessary to properly connect them electrically. Modern Intel and some AMD chips require just enough pressure to lock them in place. Still, applying too much force can cause issues like bent or misaligned pins inside the socket.
I understand the context and made adjustments after reviewing the quote. Most AMD sockets don’t have pins on the chip, though some do. I added a note about that. Also, keep in mind the final line of your post, which applies to their AM5 build. You were corrected before I posted it. It might take a few minutes to get everything accurate.