In its stock configuration the CPU and GPU have a nice copper heatpipe design. This worked well for the various GPU's that have been utilized in the different chassis. In November '06 the 7900 GTX was replaced with the 7950 GTX. After the first Executioner unit we built was done, it was clear the GPU was generating some major heat, far more than a 7900 GTX.

It was at that time that we started developing heatsink modifications. After 5 revisions we are at the current production model. If you would like to follow the various stages of heatsink design and production, there is a thread at the GuruOfGaming forum that chronicles it.

This is a image of an Executioner SR for demonstration purposes showing the stock configuration.

This is an image of the same system with the proprietary heatsink mods applied. This is an early developmental photograph and is actually a 5a revision with aluminum heatsinks, the current 5b iteration uses a copper coated sink which is at the bottom of the page.

The amount of surface area added is in the neighborhood of 10 inches! That is each heatsink mod, so the GPU is 10" and the CPU is another 10". That is a lot of surface area to add to a notebook cooling solution.
The GPU heatsink mod is standard and included on every system.
The CPU heatsink modification is standard on x7800 & x7900 CPU's.

So, does it work? www.TechWareLabs.com did an independent review on the Executioner SR model with heatsink mods and this is what they had to say, "They [Killer Notebooks] have modified the internal cpu heatsink giving it both more surface area, more fins, and a copper finish. The result is a laptop that runs games and heavy duty applications without breaking a sweat. We tested the Executioner-SR using 3DMark06 running in a loop for 4 hours and the laptop never experienced a glitch, in fact it never hit more than 121F during the entire testing with a room temperature of 79F. These results are measurements taken after 4 hours of benchmark loops. We took the bottom of the chassis off and measured the temperature at 7 different occasions directly on the video card and CPU. Weather these are hand picked cards and CPU's or just awesome modifications its clear that the Killer Notebook line lives up to its name.

Our Alienware test system the M9700 crashed twice during testing and during gameplay it would lock up due to heat. We were forced to use a laptop cooler and directed air from a fan to keep it from shutting down. On the other hand the Executioner-SR seemed to take applications with ease and gameplay as normal use. We attribute much of this level of performance to the extensive modifications that Killer Notebooks has performed on both the chassis and internals."

We can assure you that these were not hand picked cards and CPU's, this was as stock as they come. We would gladly send in a hand picked/overclocked GPU for testing, but it is not our policy to have systems reviewed that are not indicative of regular systems you, as a gamer are going to get if you order a system today.

Getting heat off the GPU and CPU in such a small area is one thing, but you have to put it somewhere. That is where the case mod's come in that allow the heat to escape and not simply fill the case with ever increasing recirculated heat.

To give you an idea as to the enormity of the CPU heatsink modification to this notebook, here is the underside showing where the stock cooling ends and the Killer Notebooks exclusive CPU heatsink takes over...

Current revision: Copper coated 5b that is shipping with current systems.

Current 5c revision bottom case mod to increase airflow.