Modelled thermal performance and sustained processor power of the fanless Thinvent Micro 5 Wifi Thin Client

Will the fanless Micro 5 Wifi run on your desk, behind a monitor or on a digital sign?

  • The Micro 5 Wifi has a closed powder-coated black aluminium case (110 × 106 × 21 mm) with no fan or vents.
  • It uses a four-core ARM Cortex-A53 processor with an 85 °C temperature limit.
  • The rest of the board adds 1.5 W of heat, making 4.5 W in all under a heavy 3 W full processor load.
  • In still air, the processor runs a heavy 3 W full load continuously in rooms up to 45 °C within its 85 °C limit.
  • Under a 3 W full load in still air, the hottest outer surface point reaches 41 °C in a 25 °C room.
  • At 3 W in a 35 °C room, the outer surface reaches 50 °C and the base peaks at 48 °C.
  • At that 3 W load in a 35 °C room, the processor reaches 74 °C.
  • At 3 W in a 45 °C room, the hottest point on the outer surface reaches 60 °C.
  • Lighter everyday thin-client work (1 to 2 W on the processor) keeps the outer surface between 34 and 37 °C in a 25 °C room.
  • Behind a display or inside a digital-signage enclosure, leave clear space around the case so warm air does not stay trapped.
  • The air temperature right around the device determines its operating temperature.
  • In a 50 °C space, the processor lowers its power consumption to 2.7 W to stay within its 85 °C limit.

Heat the case can dissipate across room temperatures

Heat the case can dissipate across room temperatures
The unit stands on a desk in still air with 1.5 W of heat from the rest of the board. Before the processor reaches its 85 °C limit, the case can dissipate 5.9 W of processor heat in a 15 °C room and 2.7 W in a 50 °C room. The processor runs a heavy 3 W full load continuously in rooms up to 45 °C.

Outer surface temperature against processor power

Outer surface temperature against processor power
In still air for 45, 35 and 25 °C rooms, the hottest outer surface temperature rises linearly with processor power. At the 85 °C processor limit, continuous power reaches 3.2 W at 45 °C, 4.1 W at 35 °C and 5.0 W at 25 °C.

Hottest outer surface by processor power and room temperature

Hottest outer surface by processor power and room temperature
Steady temperatures at the hottest point on the outer surface across 25 to 45 °C rooms for 1 to 5 W processor loads. Under a load that needs more power than the 85 °C limit allows, the processor lowers its power consumption. In a 35 °C room, maximum continuous power is 4.1 W.

Top cover and base surface temperatures in a 35 °C room

Top cover and base surface temperatures in a 35 °C room
Surface temperatures across the top cover and base under a heavy 3 W full load in a 35 °C room. With the processor at 74 °C, the hottest point reaches 50 °C in the centre of the top cover over the processor. The base reaches 48 °C.