CoolerMaster Athlon heatsink/fan...Anything better???

[Mattster]

I just setup my system last night. I got a CoolerMaster heatsink/fan, which came with the phase change thermal compound. I removed that and instead used Arctic Silver. When the system is running, if you put a finger on the heatsink, it is warm to the touch. Forgive me for sounding like a newbie here, but is this normal?? :Q My temps are 102F idling about 105F running with a light load (browser, TV, chat). Could these be any better with a better heatsink/fan?? Preferably one that doesn't cost an arm and a leg!

Also, of the fans that some of you may suggest, do any of the come without some sort of compound already applied?? It would make it much easier to use the Arctic Silver, instead of having to scrape the other crap off and clean it (then again you can never get all of it off)...

TIA

 

[Compellor]

Those temps a fine. My chip is currrently overclocked to 800 Mhz, and my temps hover between 112F - 114F idle, and 114F - 117F under full load. I've been running it like this for about a week straight without one lockup or BSOD. I bought a cheap Vantec heatsink/fan (this thing is BIG!) for my Duron, and it didn't have anything on the bottom of it. It even came with some thermal compound (white stuff).

 

[Vpham97]

I would just keep the phase change material. That way you don't have to wonder if you have put on too much or too little. But if you do scrape it off. Don't use anything sharp to scrape it. You can try to burn it off, then wipe off the residue cleanly.

 

[Mattster]

Well, last night I was amazed at my temps. I woke up this morning, and my CPU temp was 93F!! Case temp was in the 70's. Granted, I did have a window open right behind the computer and it was in the 50's outside last night (was probably about high 60's in my room).

I did scrape the PCTC off. Did it with the edge of an unused MCI phone card (MCI SUCKS! ). I did get the majority of it off, but there was still a little haze that wouldnt come off completely. The Arctic Silver is in place, and seems to be working quite well.

Hmmmmmm. Would replacing the fan on this heatsink make any difference I wonder?

 

[Rendus]

102 to 105 is fine, right now my system (T-Bird 900) at full load is running at 109 with a GlobalWin FOP38 heatsink/fan. You should be fine, and if you don't plan on OCing, I'd just leave it as is. It is normal for the heatsink to feel warm, that means it's doing it's job (getting the heat away from the core). The fan could probably be a bit better (transfering heat away from the heatsink), but it's not really worth worrying about at those temps.

But if you plan on overclocking, you'll probably buy a bigger heatsink anyway

As far as the thermal pad stuff, I think that's an AMD requirement for certification, so you'll probably find it on all AMD certified heatsinks. I just scraped mine off and put on some generic compound, no big deal.