YouTuber mryeester has once again pushed the boundaries of extreme PC experimentation, proving that dry ice cooling is actually possible—provided you own a very specific piece of hardware. Following previous attempts at building infinite ice-based CPU coolers and using edible thermal paste, the PC prankster has now turned his attention to the sub-zero capabilities of dry ice.
The Secret is in the "Cryo Chamber"
Attempting this experiment on a standard rig would be a recipe for disaster. Placing dry ice directly onto a top-mounted AIO (All-In-One) liquid cooler usually results in the ice melting through radiator vents and dripping onto expensive components. However, mryeester utilized an HP Omen Max 45L, a machine featuring a specialized "Cryo Chamber" cooling system.
This specific setup isolates the AIO radiator and fan assembly from the rest of the system. The chamber is designed with top-mounted vents and a large gap below, creating a dedicated zone for thermal management. This isolation makes it possible to experiment with extreme temperatures without risking a short circuit.
Testing Temperature Drops with Dry Ice
The experiment yielded some visually impressive results, particularly when the exhaust fans were set to blow upwards, creating ghostly vapor trails of CO2. However, the actual thermal impact depended heavily on where the ice was placed:
- Stock Idle Temperature: 43 °C
- Dry Ice on Top of AIO: 37 °C (matching the results of regular ice)
- Dry Ice in the "Cryo Chamber": 34 °C
By placing the dry ice within the handy chamber below the radiator, the AIO was able to pull ice-cold air up through the vents. This method successfully beat the standard ice-cooled scores by a few degrees and provided the lowest recorded temperatures of the test.
Does Dry Ice Cooling Boost Gaming Performance?
The big question is whether this dry ice cooling method leads to higher FPS during intense gameplay. While the temperature drop is measurable, the impact on actual frame rates appears to be negligible.
In a benchmark of Cyberpunk 2077, mryeester recorded 157 fps at stock settings. Using the dry ice setup, the result was 159 fps—a difference that could essentially be dismissed as a rounding error. Unless your CPU is heavily thermally limited, chilling a desktop processor by just a few degrees won't provide a massive performance leap.
While HP's Cryo Chamber proved itself capable of handling an unusual use case, players should stick to standard cooling solutions. As mryeester demonstrates, playing with dry ice requires professional-grade oven mitts and a very specific manufacturer's warranty disclaimer.
