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Best Cooling Solution I Can Do?

ttechf

ttechf

Senior member
Hey,

So Im pretty sure after weeks of figuring out what I can do for the case I want and cooling solution, I've came to the best solution I can do.

Note - I am NOT changing cases.

What I have to work with is 85mm in height.


This is a HTPC. This will be my everyday computer as well since I am not made of money so I am not throwing some i3 in it and calling it a day. I'd like to preferably have an i7-2700k or i7-3770k in it and to overclock a bit.


SO, according to frostytech.com [maybe this is a good site to use, maybe not but it seemed very good to me for heatsink ratings], the best cooling solution at #1 for 110mm or less was the Noctua NH-L12. It has dual fans, one on the top and one on the bottom. NOW, you can take the top fan off and use it that way incase of clearance issues which I do have because this heatsink is 93mm in height. I have 85mm to work with.

SO, what I thought and don't see the problem with is taking that top fan off, the 120mm and buying a new fan to replace it that is thin profile which Scythe makes. It's only 12mm in thickness. The fan that is on it when you get it is 25mm. So I figure 93mm - 25mm + 12mm = 80mm which would be under my 85mm threshold.

Here is the link to frostytech - http://www.frostytech.com/top5_lowprofile_heatsinks.cfm

here is the link to newegg - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...octua%20NH-L12

The other heatsink I had in mind since Coolermaster seems to make pretty decent ones was this one since the heatpipes are in direct contact with the base - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103177


I really think this is the best I can do considering the case and I can't liquid cool. If anyone can agree with me, or throw some comments out, I'd appreciate it. Thank you. : )
 
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The thing is, over clock is going to be hard with an ivy bridge chip since it gets hot as .... so you won't get very far. Since you can't have an all in one solution I presume, just go with a shrikan
Edit: that cooler master looks perfect
 
T_Yamamoto said:
The thing is, over clock is going to be hard with an ivy bridge chip since it gets hot as .... so you won't get very far. Since you can't have an all in one solution I presume, just go with a shrikan
Edit: that cooler master looks perfect
Click to expand...

Thanks. Anyone else can comment on this so I have more than one view?
 
Probably it is as good as it gets for a down draft low profile heatsink. Can't expect it to improve overclockability by a large margin over the stock cooler unless you're living in an igloo.
 
dma0991 said:
Probably it is as good as it gets for a down draft low profile heatsink. Can't expect it to improve overclockability by a large margin over the stock cooler unless you're living in an igloo.
Click to expand...

Well if thats true would the coolermaster I linked up in my first post be just as good for less money rather than spending it on the Noctua or no?


Thanks.
 
ttechf said:
Well if thats true would the coolermaster I linked up in my first post be just as good for less money rather than spending it on the Noctua or no?


Thanks.
Click to expand...
Basically anything you do with a HTPC, you're limited by the amount of cooling options available due to space constraint. For double the price, 5C improvement is pretty much a generous assumption. This makes overclocking an even harder task in a small case unless you have sealed liquid cooling units that draw cool air in. The only reason I could think of going with the Noctua is the fan, which is better in terms of silence and longevity compared to the CM.
 
If this is an HTPC why are you using an i7 in a 85mm case? Your best option would be a) get a bigger case... b)get a lower powered CPU
 
ttechf said:
Thanks. Anyone else can comment on this so I have more than one view?
Click to expand...
Go with the second one of their list: Tuniq Tower 120 Extreme

I'm still running an original Tuniq Tower 120. They were on serious backorder, when I got mine.

I got this Intel P4EE to run a hair-shy of 4GHz on air, using the TT.

I have no idea how Frostytech classifies a Tuniq as a "low profile heatsink". These things are brutes -- kinda like bringing a machine gun to a knife fight -- but, whatever.

Anyway, that's the way I would go... 😉

EDIT

N/M

I went back to Frostytech. They classify it as a "154mm tall or less (4U)" Low Profile Heatsink.

Hello?!?!?!? What are those guys smoking? LoL!

Revised recommendation: Buy a new case and a Tuniq. 🙂
 
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ttechf said:
I really think this is the best I can do considering the case and I can't liquid cool.
Click to expand...
Why is it you can't liquid cool, again? How big are the fans on your case? If they're less than 120mm, could you just stick the pipes of a pre-filled, self-contained liquid cooler out an expansion slot or something?
 
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