[artimaeis]

Intel hasn't spoken about why they use the thermal interface material (TIM) they continue to use. Best guess anyone has is that there's a higher cost somehow with a soldered lid. I'm not completely sold on that, but Intel hasn't defended their practice in any way so it's open to interpretation.

[bittermang]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't the use of solder the central issue to first generation Xbox 360's famous Red Ring of Death? The solder would fail and the machine would refuse to boot.

[arielweisberg]

That wasn't for interfacing with the heat spreader it was soldering the actual data pins.