best heatsink?

[Pandamonium]

I know I just asked something similar, but, of these three:
Thermalright SLK800
Alpha PAL 8025
Zalman 6000Cu
Which is best at cooling? (AMD XP 2000+)

 

[Dundain]

The alpha is probably the best cooler of the bunch but you might also want to look at Thermalright's AX-7 cooler. From most of the benchmarks Ive seen it beats the Alpha by 1-2c generally

 

[CubicZirconia]

I have to make a plug for the hhc-001. It's great too.

 

[Zap]

I'll second the Coolermaster HHC-001, if it fits on your mobo. Good performance.

 

[Salvador]

If you've got room for it on your mobo, the Alpha 8045 is excellent! I'm in the process of building my first pc and this thing couldn't have gone on any easier. Chipped cores? Pfffft. Besides, I hear that it's a great cooler as well..

Sal

 

[Shaorinor]

AX-7...almost as good as a Swiftech and like $40 cheaper...beats out the Alpha generally as well and it's cheaper than the alpha too =).

 

[BarMan]

can anybody give some benchmark links on these coolers???

 

[Witchfinder]

Heatsink roundup

Really it`s between the Swiftech 462, Thermaright AX-7, Thermaltake Volcano-7+, Alpha PAL8045

I went for the AX-7 because the Swifty is too expensive, the Volcano takes a non-standard 70MM fan (difficult to replace) and fits by using just one plastic lug on the socket (though ity`s a great solution for P4 owners) --- I couldn`t find Alpha readily available at a sensible price in the UK and Iv'e heard horror stories about mounting probs..

The AX-7 for me offered the best bang for buck, uses all three of the socket lugs and doesn`t come with a fan so I can add something nice`n`quiet

 

[Don66]

The Vocano 7+ is awsome it's got my vote.

 

[HardwareAddicted]

I REALLY get tired of seeing reviews like that cause the front runners ALWAYS have insane freakin fans on them.

I can throw a loud fan on any ol heatsink and make it perform.....

How about a review with ALL THE SAME FAN so we can tell which HEATSINK is best.

I can always decide on a fan later...

Sorry...just had to say it.

~ Me

 

[JMichna]

My Happy Experience with Thermalright AX-7... I just wanted to let anyone interested in a good CPU cooler know about the Thermalright AX-7. I just installed that puppy a few hours ago (Thursday, 4/11) and it does a really good job.

My pc is a T-Bird 1.2gHz/200 mHz fsb OC'd to 1.4gHz/266mHz fsb, vcore at 1.80v, Asus A7V133, bios at 1008. Last year, I started with a PAL6035/YS Tech fan combo (little brother and precursor to the PAL8045), and found that anytime I ran at 100% cpu utilization I quickly (within about 10 minutes) got temps beyond 56°C, and then a BSOD (running WinXP Pro).

The next HS/Fan I tried was the Thermalright SK-6 with the Black Delta 60mm 6800rpm screamer, and Arctic Silver 2. Using this combo my temps improved to around 52°C at 100% cpu output (with the temp difference between mobo temp -- 26°C -- and cpu temp -- 52°C -- of about 26°C). Unfortunately, I couldn't put up with the "hair drier/jet engine" whine, so I replaced the Delta fan with an 80mm Sunon 2950rpm/39cfm and an 80mm-->60mm adapter. Again, Arctic Silver 2.

With this setup, I got a difference between mobo and cpu temps of around 29°C (for example, mobo at 25°C, CPU at 54°C) at 100% cpu output.

Still not good enough, so....

Thermalright AX-7 with 80mm Sunon 3900rpm/50cfm fan!
Running within a difference of 20°C between mobo and CPU (CPU at 100% utilization, mobo at 28°C and CPU at 48°C). Used Arctic Siver 3 this time, too. I expect the temps to drop a little more after a day or two of "run-in" of the Arctic Silver. At idle, the difference between mobo temp and CPU temp is 15°C (mobo at 26°C and CPU at 41°C).

Noise is very tolerable, really no louder than the 2900rpm Sunon with funnel... and a HECK of a lot more quiet than the Black Delta.

If anybody wants an SK-6/Black Delta screamer, let me know! PS: I lapped the SK-6, so you wouldn't need to do much more than touch it up to restore to better than "as new" surface.

This AX-7 is the best cooler I've personally seen... at a reasonable noise level... without going to water cooled.

Keep cool,
jmichna

 

[Bucksnort]

Coolermaster HHC-001