AM5 copper guard stops you from making a mess on your Ryzen CPU — also improves heat dissipation

PC parts and accessories manufacturer Ainex, based in Japan, just launched the MK-04C AM5 CPU guard plate. This device, made using copper, fits around the heat spreader of AM5 chips, allowing users to cleanly apply thermal paste without a considerable chunk falling off the edge. Ainex said on its X (formerly Twitter) account that the device will go live on February 12, and it’s expected to cost around JPY750 to JPY880, or about $5 to $6.

A few drops of thermal goo are still expected to seep in between the tiny gap between the plate and the heat spreader, but it ensures that only a tiny amount will fall through. This allows you to liberally slather thermal paste on your processor without making a mess.

In addition, you can leave the plate after applying the thermal paste and, if it fits, put your cooler on top of it. The plate’s copper material allows it to conduct heat away from the processor, and the company says it reduced the CPU temperature for their system by about one to two degrees Celsius.

Ainex said that they did not thoroughly test this temperature reduction and that it might be due to a margin of error. But if you want to squeeze every drop of performance from your CPU, this might be a good enough reason to get this plate.

However, the company also says this is a general-purpose product and cannot guarantee that it will work with every cooler on the market. It also said on its website, “We are not responsible for any direct or indirect damage caused by the failure of this product or its use.”

Of course, these are just the usual caveats that any company would give to protect itself when releasing a product. Nevertheless, you should always be careful when modifying your PC, as its components are often fragile.

We don’t know if the company will sell this in the U.S. through Micro Center, Newegg, or Amazon, but some alternatives are available on Alibaba and Amazon. We’ve seen a couple of copper AM5 thermal paste guards on the former priced between $2.74 and $5.69 from unfamiliar brands. On the other hand, we found a Thermalright listing on Amazon that offers a relatively large anti-bending AM5 CPU frame holder made using aluminum for $8.39.