Early, pure aluminum heatsinks were the most common, using aluminum extrusion technology to increase the heat dissipation area. Pure copper heatsinks emerged due to their high thermal conductivity, but were limited by high cost, difficult manufacturing, and heavy weight.
With the rise of heat pipe technology, pure copper heatsinks have been gradually replaced. Copper-aluminum hybrid heatsinks, using copper inlay and filling processes, combine the advantages of copper's rapid heat absorption and aluminum's rapid heat dissipation, gradually becoming the mainstream in the low-to-mid-range market.
Currently, mainstream and high-end CPU/GPU heatsinks generally adopt a copper-aluminum hybrid structure, combining a copper base with aluminum fins or heat pipes to achieve a balance between performance and cost.
