Extra air cooling for an OCed system. Advice.

[Kaeishiwaza]

I have a Prescott 3.4 that was OCed up to 4.08 and rock stable. I was using the two stock Antec fans and two Panaflos for air in the main chamber but I thought it was too loud. I grabbed 4 Nexus fans and it's now inaudible. The CPU temperature didn't change using a Nexus on my Si-120. However, my mobo temperature has gone up by about 3 degrees and the OC is now not Prime95 stable. I'm guessing it's heat related, most likely related to the graphics card's position relative the my ram.

I have a couple of options:
1. get an aftermarket Northbridge cooler, like the Swifttech one.
2. Put a fan in the GPU cooling fan duct included in the P-180
3. Replace the Nexus on my CPU with something stronger
4. Keep the lower OC (ugh)

I'm looking for advice on which path is going to get me the most bang here for mobo cooling. The Nb cooler is the most expensive path, but it puts a fan right where I need it. The 80mm fan in the duct looks like it's in a good spot too, but the reviews at SPR said it was kinda pointless and noisy. Thanks in advance

 

[suszterpatt]

If it's really the mobo, then the faster fan on the SI-120 will help you the most.

 

[zagood]

Originally posted by: suszterpatt
If it's really the mobo, then the faster fan on the SI-120 will help you the most.

Agreed. Just put one of your Panaflos back on the SI-120. Use something like SpeedFan or a front bay controller to keep the cpu fan slower (more quiet) when you're just browsing the web, etc.

-z

 

[Meuge]

The Swiftech chipset HSF is amazing. My NF4 was doing about 41/58 on stock HSD... after I installed it, it's 32/37... not to mention absolutely inaudible.

 

[Kaeishiwaza]

Well I put the Panaflo back on the SI-120 and it knocked off two degrees, but only at max speed so it sounds like a vacuum cleaner. Also, only at idle. Under load my mobo temp was the same with the max Panaflo as it was with the Nexus.

I'm still thinking about the Swiftech cooler although it would be a tight squeeze. It would actually sit partially under the SI-120. I'd also have to flip the SI-120 around so the heatpipes are in the rear instead of in the front. I don't think that would cause any problems, but if someone knows if it would, let me know.

Finally, is there anyone who actually uses the 80mm VGA duct? It got pretty panned in the SPCR review that everyone uses as a guide for setting up a P-180. Has anyone had success with it? If so, what 80mm fan would be recommended?

*update* Well maybe not with the VGA duct. The duct won't fit in the case with the SI-120. Wow, what was Antec thinking?