TIMBER 4.0: Complete tool for GPU, GDDR7 & TIM analysis

This document provides an in-depth description of TIMBER, a tool designed for detailed thermal and performance analysis, particularly focusing on GPU and memory components. It outlines what the software measures, its capabilities, limitations, security considerations, and distribution methods.

Here is a structured summary of the key information:

—

1. Core Function and Data Scope

TIMBER is a tool that correlates various hardware metrics to provide context for thermal assessments. It utilizes data from sources like GPU sensors, memory modules, load states, and fan speeds.

Data tracked includes:
GPU/VRAM utilization, clock speeds (Takt).
CPU load and RAM occupancy.
FPS and 1-%-Low metrics.
Specific temperature readings (GPU Temperature, Hotspot, Coldspot, VRAM temperatures).
Power consumption (Board Power, Vcore).
Fan speeds and thermal spread ($\text{Spreizung}$).

The data allows users to see thermal distribution by reporting the temperature-dependent spread between hot and cold zones.

2. Capabilities: Overlay and Long-Term Analysis

Overlay Feature:
TIMBER allows users to customize which metrics are displayed in a local window overlay (and via RTSS), enabling real-time visualization of critical data.

Long-Term Statistics (Baseline Tracking):
A key advantage of TIMBER is its ability to store a card-specific baseline profile. It compares subsequent measurements against this historical baseline, allowing users to track long-term trends in heat transfer, such as changes due to material aging, pump-out, or mechanical settling. Monthly, temperature-adjusted trend analysis is also generated over weeks and months.

Logging:
TIMBER can log live values into an extended CSV file, clearly identifying whether the evaluation came from the spatial sensor profile or hotspot compatibility mode, ensuring measurement integrity for later review.

3. Limitations and Disclaimer (What TIMBER Does Not Promise)

The documentation strongly emphasizes that TIMBER is a diagnostic tool, not a magical sensor translator.

No Absolute Proof: It cannot determine with certainty from a temperature curve alone whether thermal paste has dried out, if pump-out is present, or if a cooler has mechanically settled.
Context is Key: It presents trends and prepares measurements; the user must interpret these results within the broader context provided by other telemetry (gaming data, system load).
No Absolute Guarantee: The software explicitly states it is experimental and that all displayed values should be treated as technical measurements or estimates. Liability for application use rests entirely with the user.

4. Comparison with HWiNFO

The text distinguishes TIMBER‘s focus from HWiNFO:
HWiNFO: A universal monitoring tool with extremely broad hardware support.
TIMBER: Pursues a much more specific objective, focusing intensely on individual GDDR7 modules, thermal delta, and the correlation of temperatures with specific loads and gaming data. They are presented as complementary tools rather than replacements.

5. Security, Distribution, and Usage Guidelines

The document includes crucial warnings regarding the software’s distribution and execution:

Administrator Privileges:
TIMBER requires elevated privileges for full sensor access. Its functionality (requesting rights, hardware telemetry, overlays, logging) places it in a category that might trigger heuristic alerts from security programs.

Malware Classification:
While some behaviors resemble malware (gathering hardware data, running overlays), the text advises that this behavior is inherent to the program’s function. Users should verify the source and checksum before execution, as the lack of a digital signature does not automatically confirm malicious intent.

Download Method (ZIP Archive):
The software is provided as a ZIP archive. This method is preferred for practical reasons:
Reliable transfer.
Easier publication of checksums ($\text{SHA-256}$).
Controlled delivery of all necessary components.

Security Best Practice:
Users are explicitly warned to only download the file from the official source and to compare the SHA-256 checksum against the published value before extraction or execution.