Originally posted by: AyashiKaibutsu
I have a zalman 7000 alcu and now wish I got one of those tower hsf like:
http://www.svc.com/hyper6-19.html With the zalman on my 3400+ with AS5 it's only keeping it at 43 idle.
You do realize that your processor will be just as stable and work for just as long even at 60*C. People are simply obsessed about temperature. Think of this, I read a review which said that X800Pro runs MUCH MUCH cooler than 6800GT on the core (56*C), but at the same time, the case temperature is 10*C hotter with the X800Pro because it helps to dissipate heat much faster; thus more hot air leaves the card and ends up inside the case. 6800GT was running at something like 72*C on the core. But think about it, if both cards are stable, what is teh difference what temperature the core is running it?
When I have my P4 running at 43*C and 50*C on load I don't really care. Sometimes I dont clean the Zalman fan and after dust builds up, my cpu can get to 68*C, do I care, nope, because it still remains perfectly stable. If you kindly explain how paying 3x more money for that Hyper 6 cooler has any affect on real life performance and why running your processor at 30*C vs. 60*C is better (a good reason), then i'll probably change my mind about cooling. The only time lower temperatures are beneficial is with overclocking. But if the processor reaches the same ceiling on air cooling at 60*C vs. 30*C with 2 different coolers, but it is stable with both coolers, why pay more $$$$ for the same "real-world performance?"
When I first entered these forums, I just tried to learn many many things by reading reviews and opinions of other people. Over time I've realized 3 things: CPU or videocard temperatures have no real world impact for 99% of users (as long as they don't impede overclocking - in which case Zalman will be fine) ; a videocard is about 10x more important for a gamer than a cpu; and finally, low latency for RAM is not worth the $100+ dollar premium that memory carries and that money should be put towards a videocard or processor instead.
I do realize you are making a good point here:
"It is a well known fact that component longevity is inversely related to operating temperature. In short, the hotter something runs, the less time it will spend running. With the high temperatures seen with this latest generation of GPUs, and the higher overall system temperatures that we are seeing today, even a few degrees of cooling can act like a shield to protect your considerable investment. IE. By replacing the aluminum core with copper, you substantially reduce the operating temperature of the GPU, and add increased stability and longevity to protect your 3D investment." - EVGA.COM
Of course I doubt hardware components will fail within 4-5 years even with higher temperatures, which probably means that by then you'll probably replace them for higher performance anyway.