I'm in the buying/planning stage of gethering parts for my next system. Unfortunately, now is the time of year where most of my free time and cash is spent on Christmas...one of the few disadvantages of coming from a large family. 
A plus, though, is that by the time my wallet has recuperated most of the parts will have come down in price a bit. Of all of the parts needed, the heatsink is the one giving me the most problems in making a decision. Go figure. After finally shaking the "gotta have the best" mentality, I've reached the following conclusions. Undoubtedly, some of you will think, "Duh...that's common knowledge dude." I had stop thinking that if it costs more it must be better for you to finally see the light.
Conclusion #1 - CPUs have reached speeds that make overclocking strictly something to do for bragging rights. Example: If one runs a 1.2ghz, other than the ability to brag to friends and family, overclocking has no real-world benefits.
Conclusion #2 - As long as the heatsink being used is capable of keeping the CPU cool enough to run stable, investing in one that cools a few degrees more isn't going to be beneficial to non-overclockers. (I'm not sure, but it might increase the lifespan of the CPU. I don't think I'm wrong, however, in thinking that any increase in CPU lifespan wouldn't be an advantage as most users would 'outgrow' the CPU and upgrade well before the end is near.)
Conclusion #3 - Generally speaking, larger heatsinks are more expensive than smaller ones and 80mm fans are more quiet than 60mm fans (with roughly the same amount of airflow). Therefore, for non-overclockers, it makes more sense to buy a smaller heatsink and attach an 80mm fan (Pabst, Panaflo, etc for noise-conscious users) via a 60->80 adapter...assuming the adapter doesn't inhibit airflow within the case to a problematic point.
Does this make sense? Am I missing anything that would make these conclusions false? I didn't want this to be another "What's the best/quietest heatsink?" thread...I'm sure I can make a pretty good decision on my own. I just want to make sure I'm not overlooking anything when I do make a decision. Iwas looking at either the 8045 or the Swiftech...then I saw the price for those bad boys :Q and, because I don't want to take out a second mortgage on my house, I'm looking at alternate cooling solutions.
A plus, though, is that by the time my wallet has recuperated most of the parts will have come down in price a bit. Of all of the parts needed, the heatsink is the one giving me the most problems in making a decision. Go figure. After finally shaking the "gotta have the best" mentality, I've reached the following conclusions. Undoubtedly, some of you will think, "Duh...that's common knowledge dude." I had stop thinking that if it costs more it must be better for you to finally see the light.Conclusion #1 - CPUs have reached speeds that make overclocking strictly something to do for bragging rights. Example: If one runs a 1.2ghz, other than the ability to brag to friends and family, overclocking has no real-world benefits.
Conclusion #2 - As long as the heatsink being used is capable of keeping the CPU cool enough to run stable, investing in one that cools a few degrees more isn't going to be beneficial to non-overclockers. (I'm not sure, but it might increase the lifespan of the CPU. I don't think I'm wrong, however, in thinking that any increase in CPU lifespan wouldn't be an advantage as most users would 'outgrow' the CPU and upgrade well before the end is near.)
Conclusion #3 - Generally speaking, larger heatsinks are more expensive than smaller ones and 80mm fans are more quiet than 60mm fans (with roughly the same amount of airflow). Therefore, for non-overclockers, it makes more sense to buy a smaller heatsink and attach an 80mm fan (Pabst, Panaflo, etc for noise-conscious users) via a 60->80 adapter...assuming the adapter doesn't inhibit airflow within the case to a problematic point.
Does this make sense? Am I missing anything that would make these conclusions false? I didn't want this to be another "What's the best/quietest heatsink?" thread...I'm sure I can make a pretty good decision on my own. I just want to make sure I'm not overlooking anything when I do make a decision. Iwas looking at either the 8045 or the Swiftech...then I saw the price for those bad boys :Q and, because I don't want to take out a second mortgage on my house, I'm looking at alternate cooling solutions.
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