Best high-end air for 775?

[The Sauce]

It's just awful how these review articles just dont compare apples to apples. Firing squad does not compare the top coolers and only has two of them in the roundup - the Scythe Infinity and the Hyper 6+. Where's the Ultra-120? or the Suniq? Instead they compare these two to lower end coolers. No one needs that information! There really is no definitive air cooling comparison out there now.

Anyhoo, I wound up buying the Infinity anyway.

 

[DrMrLordX]

Hey, just so you know, some folks have had a lot of luck with a pair of 25mm thick fans mounted on the Infinity:

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=129237

You can even do well with two 1200rpm fans. Might take some fancy zip-tie work but . . .

 

[orion23]

Don't trust those review sites since testing a CPU Cooler is very difficult and many factors can make the results vary.

Most overclockers will tell you that the Tuniq Tower 120 is the best cooler ever.

I have tested both the Tuniq Tower 120 and the Thermalright Ultra 120.

In one system the Thermalright Ultra 120 performed better than the Tuniq Tower so I kept the Thermalright.

In the other system, the Tuniq did better, so I kept the Tuniq!

Go figure!

 

[WoodButcher]

All these opinions and no one posts temps to back their claim???

Here is my rig with the Thermalright U120

 

[thilanliyan]

I've used the Big Typhoon and my current Ultra-120. The U-120 runs about 6-7C cooler when the case cover is on. I was getting tired of the noise with the case open so I had to switch. I switched to the U-120 because it's not monstrously huge and cools very well.

 

[DrMrLordX]

Originally posted by: WoodButcher
All these opinions and no one posts temps to back their claim???

Here is my rig with the Thermalright U120

That doesn't help much because

a). We don't know what kind of case/airflow scenario you've set up and
b). We don't know what kind of fan you used with the Ultra-120

Contrary to what some have said (in this thread and elsewhere), good HSF reviews are the only objective means by which to compare HSFs and HSF/fan combos. Sadly, many available reviews are not terribly good.

Even with the best reviews, one still must factor in the operating environment before deciding which HSF would work best.

Originally posted by: thilan29
I've used the Big Typhoon and my current Ultra-120. The U-120 runs about 6-7C cooler when the case cover is on. I was getting tired of the noise with the case open so I had to switch. I switched to the U-120 because it's not monstrously huge and cools very well.

I don't doubt that at all. Does your case have a side air vent/duct or a side fan blowing down onto the heatsink? Also, what fan do you use with the Ultra-120?

 

[WoodButcher]

Originally posted by: DrMrLordX

Originally posted by: WoodButcher
All these opinions and no one posts temps to back their claim???

Here is my rig with the Thermalright U120

That doesn't help much because

a). We don't know what kind of case/airflow scenario you've set up and
b). We don't know what kind of fan you used with the Ultra-120

Contrary to what some have said (in this thread and elsewhere), good HSF reviews are the only objective means by which to compare HSFs and HSF/fan combos. Sadly, many available reviews are not terribly good.

Even with the best reviews, one still must factor in the operating environment before deciding which HSF would work best.

Originally posted by: thilan29
I've used the Big Typhoon and my current Ultra-120. The U-120 runs about 6-7C cooler when the case cover is on. I was getting tired of the noise with the case open so I had to switch. I switched to the U-120 because it's not monstrously huge and cools very well.

I don't doubt that at all. Does your case have a side air vent/duct or a side fan blowing down onto the heatsink? Also, what fan do you use with the Ultra-120?

So sorry,
For a fan I used the Silenx 120 x 38mm
And here and here are pics of my rig.
I know many of you bash or flame the silenx fans but as you can see my temps are good and I must be able to sleep with this beast. I leave all my pcs on 24/7.

 

[bleeble]

The world's greatest CPU aircooling roundup: http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=106971

I bought my Ultra-120 based on that ("One of the best cpu coolers only a hair behind the Tuniq") and I'm pretty happy. But that won't stop me from getting a D-TEK Fuzion and PA120.3 now will it?

 

[DrMrLordX]

Originally posted by: WoodButcher

So sorry,
For a fan I used the Silenx 120 x 38mm
And here and here are pics of my rig.

Nice rig. That's one of the few setups out there I've seen that might yield objectively useful HSF results due to the obviously-good airflow. In fact, it seems a bit like the rig used in this benchmark here of which I am rather fond:

http://forum.abit-usa.com/showthread.php?t=103462

I know many of you bash or flame the silenx fans but as you can see my temps are good and I must be able to sleep with this beast. I leave all my pcs on 24/7.

I've never really paid them much mind one way or the other. Silence just doesn't do it for me . . . but then, I've had tinnitus since I was a kid so it makes no difference. For the money, I like the Silverstone FM-121. Still, if you like silenx fans then good for you.

 

[WoodButcher]

Originally posted by: DrMrLordX

Originally posted by: WoodButcher

So sorry,
For a fan I used the Silenx 120 x 38mm
And here and here are pics of my rig.

Nice rig. That's one of the few setups out there I've seen that might yield objectively useful HSF results due to the obviously-good airflow. In fact, it seems a bit like the rig used in this benchmark here of which I am rather fond:

http://forum.abit-usa.com/showthread.php?t=103462

I know many of you bash or flame the silenx fans but as you can see my temps are good and I must be able to sleep with this beast. I leave all my pcs on 24/7.

I've never really paid them much mind one way or the other. Silence just doesn't do it for me . . . but then, I've had tinnitus since I was a kid so it makes no difference. For the money, I like the Silverstone FM-121. Still, if you like silenx fans then good for you.

Thanks for the comment on my rig, I do have excelent air flow but unlike this one mt case is completely enclosed, the two 120mm fans in front draw air up from the bottom to be run out back by a pair of 80's (low volts) and the PSU,

BTW, I've a couple of Silverstone fans that I like also, they are quiet but don't seem to push as much air as the silenx. not sure what model number but the came in the "mid tower" TJ-O7 maybe?

 

[mgutz]

The HSF depends on your motherboard. I used to go for the best CPU cooling HSF which used to be the original Scythe Ninja but then someone pointed out with the air flow parallel and above the motherboard it doesn't help cool your ram and chipset. I thought about it and it makes a lot of sense. I now use the Big Typhoon which blows downward. Yes my CPU is a few degrees warmer than when using something like the Tuniq Tower or Ninja but the average temperature is cooler (ram is cooler, bridges are cooler). Average temperature will allow you to overclock better. What's the point of having a cool CPU if the rest of your system is cooking? Your PSU fan also aids in cooling. I have a Corsair 520W PSU with a low RPM 120mm fan on the bottom sucking out the hot air immediately from the CPU area. It made a few C degrees difference when I replaced the Antec 450W Power supply that had the exhaust fan at the end. My computer is near silent and I'm able to overlock an E6300 safely at 3.0Ghz (33C-65C). Look at whole picture not just the CPU.

 

[lopri]

You should carefully read the testing environment when you read HSF reviews. A lot of time your case airflow as well as other components (video card, anyone?), and most importantly ambient temperature will have bigger effects than the HSF's efficiency. Your target OC frequency also matters. If you want mild to mid overclock, I'd recommend against those heavy HSFs. They're quite stressful in the long term. (Just look at your motherboard on a flat surface, after mounting the HSF) Another thing I'd suggest is - if you decide to go with one of the L-shaped HSF (Infinity, Ultra-120, etc.), make sure to have some kind of airflow over the board components. Especially CPU socket area where lots of things get very hot. (VRMs, memory, chipset, etc.)