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Are aftermarket heatsinks a must? Just for OCers?

T

Tpain

Junior Member
Obviously I am a complete noob. What I know is that if you OC you must have above par cooling. At the sametime I understand good tempatures equal longer life of hardware. The heatsink/fan reviews I have read on newegg seem to infer with thier huge size, caution of your towers' room to facilitate them. With only a week of research I hope you all don't bash my pic of processor and MB. These are just what I think is appropriate for my budget gaming needs at this point (Burning Crusade and next years Wraith of the Lich King). Also my case.


http://www.newegg.com/product/...p?item=N82E16811129021


http://www.newegg.com/product/...p?item=N82E16813131013


http://www.newegg.com/product/...p?item=N82E16819103771


 
I have a reputation around here -- with definite opinions and experiences about cases.

I don't like many midtower cases because they often don't seem to provide enough intake air, or even the exhaust ports are restricted. But this Antec model you linked has some real potential both ways.
 
If you're not overclocking and the stock heatsink doesn't sound too noisy to you, and if your system isn't overheating... then stick with the stock heatsink. Aftermarket units are when:

1) You don't have a stock heatsink.
2) You feel stock heatsink is too noisy.
3) Stock heatsink doesn't keep CPU as cool as you need to (mostly for overclocking).
 
The OEM HSFs are adequate to keep the CPUs within a safe temp range at standard clock speeds. If you want better, you can try changing the heatsink grease, replace the standard fan or go with an aftermarket HSF upgrade.

.bh.
 
I agree with Zep' and Zap.

I'll share my personal experience on this. Building systems in 2002 and 2003, I was only on the verge -- the edge -- of an inclination to over-clock. But I still wanted better cooling, and I think I picked up some ThermalTake Spark 7+ coolers. I think I waded into heatpipe-cooler territory in 2003.

I've concluded that if you build systems yourself, neither the case-manufacturer nor the motherboard manufacturer are somehow "working together" to obtain optimal cooling. If you look at OEM systems like Dell, they mass-produce systems based on a set of common motherboards and thoughtfully-chosen cases, and they also mass-produce plastic cooling ducts to fit both components. But case-makers and mobo-makers do not independently do anything to facilitate DIY'ers in this regard.

Also, at some point, I was bothered by 4,000 to 5,000-rpm fan-whine -- even on the aftermarket SPark coolers.

And somehow, every system I've built since 2003 has seen me, without exception, throw out the stock heatsink and fan from the beginning. I don't even want to bother with them.

But again, I agree with our friends. If you're just building a computer and don't plan on over-clocking, you need not bother with an after-market cooler or cooling-enhancement. Just be mindful about what I said concerning OEM systems as compared to your DIY system.
 
The problem I had with the stock hsf on my previous p4 3.2 was the design. It's not shaped like my new TR Ultima 90, with fins running horizontaly with air space in between.

The stock hsf is shaped like the spokes of a wheel. I was getting overheating errors with no overclock at all when I looked under the fan to see that dust accumulated in between all the fins at least halfway out. I blew it out, but it's a pain to do with the fan in the way.

It's a very poor design and the same stock unit came with my new e6850. This is the first time I bought an aftermarket hsf, and it's so much better. My system runs about 15 degrees C cooler. Some may be that the C2D runs cooler than a Prescot, but still, I love how the Thermalright works.
Dave
 
Like they've said - OEM is fine for most users. By "most" I mean normal people that don't freak out when their CPU gets above room temperature.

If you read forums much you will eventually think that colder is better. Well, it's not (to a point). Personally, I've never killed a CPU with anything but physical force (bent pins, etc.). I've also never kept a CPU longer than about 2 years. I can run any CPU at 60C or higher for 2 years on the stock heatsink and it will never complain. The stock Intel and AMD heatsinks these days are surprisingly good for free coolers.

Stock heatsink = warm but not hot = maybe noisier than a $75 unit = cheaper (i.e. free) = fine for most users. Stay innocent - dont let these crazy people talk you into a $50+ cooler that will change nothing! 😛
 
I could only suggest a new cooler to someone who is overclocking or if they needed/wanted to have less noise.

so... overclock or quieter=aftermarket cooler...other wise it isn't necessary.
 
Originally posted by: BonzaiDuck
Also, at some point, I was bothered by 4,000 to 5,000-rpm fan-whine -- even on the aftermarket SPark coolers.
Click to expand...

OMG I had one of those 7+ units and the thing was f'king noisy as all heck... but back then I didn't care. It looked pretty rad with the skivved copper and chrome fan holder.

Originally posted by: dbrons
I was getting overheating errors with no overclock at all when I looked under the fan to see that dust accumulated in between all the fins at least halfway out.
Click to expand...

That happens to ALL heatsink designs. Wider spaced fins helps a bit, but really you should just keep your PC clean. If the CPU heatsink was that dirty, I'd imagine that your GPU or chipset fan is probably getting ready to die.
 
Lower temps in general do mean longer life, but if you don't overclock, you can be sure hardware manufacturers design their hardware to NOT die within months using the stock cooling.
 
Originally posted by: jmmtn4aj
Lower temps in general do mean longer life, but if you don't overclock, you can be sure hardware manufacturers design their hardware to NOT die within months using the stock cooling.
Click to expand...

Way to exaggerate through implication. A CPU will not die from months or years of use at stock speeds using the stock cooler. To use language that implies that you are only guaranteed months (not even years) of use from a CPU at stock speeds is a little absurd, don?t you think?
 
Originally posted by: Tpain
Obviously I am a complete noob. What I know is that if you OC you must have above par cooling. At the sametime I understand good tempatures equal longer life of hardware. The heatsink/fan reviews I have read on newegg seem to infer with thier huge size, caution of your towers' room to facilitate them. With only a week of research I hope you all don't bash my pic of processor and MB. These are just what I think is appropriate for my budget gaming needs at this point (Burning Crusade and next years Wraith of the Lich King). Also my case.


http://www.newegg.com/product/...p?item=N82E16811129021


http://www.newegg.com/product/...p?item=N82E16813131013


http://www.newegg.com/product/...p?item=N82E16819103771
Click to expand...

I'm running my new 2.4ghz C2D @ 3.2 according to the MSI proggy, that's with stock heatsink abd no AS5, just whatever came on it. Will my system die in a month? I don't know, but my cpu temp is generally under 40c and my system temp is less. Have a decent case with 1 added 120mm fan. Aside from that nada, not sure if I'm pushing shit running an 800mhz OC with a stock fan but it seems alright thus far.
 
Wider spaced fins helps a bit, but really you should just keep your PC clean
Click to expand...

Wider? The stock unit has zero space between the fins at the center, so any dust that is blown in by the fan can get wedged in there.

Also, the horizontal orientation, when mounted in a tower, means that the heat will not be able to naturaly rise through the fins it must be forced out with the fan which, as I said, tends to also force debris into the center. Just a bad design IMO, but yeah, I'm sure it works OK for most CPUs That Prescott I had was a hot one.

But beyond the question of whether the stock HSF works, I think some of us just like the elegance of some other designs. I mean I spent maybe $900 on this new computer, and I felt like putting real good quality parts in it.



 
Originally posted by: Binky
Originally posted by: jmmtn4aj
Lower temps in general do mean longer life, but if you don't overclock, you can be sure hardware manufacturers design their hardware to NOT die within months using the stock cooling.
Click to expand...

Way to exaggerate through implication. A CPU will not die from months or years of use at stock speeds using the stock cooler. To use language that implies that you are only guaranteed months (not even years) of use from a CPU at stock speeds is a little absurd, don?t you think?
Click to expand...

I agree. I don't know why he'd use the term "months" at all in lifespan for a processor. I don't think lifespan has really been measured at all. The only people that kill their processors are those that use them for LN2 cooling or worse.
 
Thank you all for the replys. I think I'll try to see if one of these big aftermarket fans will even fit in this case. The system I want to build will be for gaming (WARHAMMER 2nd Qrt. 08!). So even if I'm scared to over clock right now, I might get a pair later and try it.
 
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