Heatsink help

[The Sly Syl]

I'm getting tired of my heatsink being the loudest thing in my system, I have a Gigabyte Rocket Cooler Pro at the moment, but i no longer have the ability to change its fan speed.

I know it's not the best cooler in the world in the first place, so i'd like some idea's on a new one.

I don't need one that impressive, just something that'll cool better than a a basic 939pin cooler. I'm using a 3500+ newcastle, so it runs a little hotter than most 939pins.

My case is an Antec Super Lanboy, my motherboard is an Asus A8n SLi-Deluxe, and i have a 120x38 panaflo as my rear exhaust. Space is somewhat limited.

I do not want a cooler that i'd have to remove the motherboard to install a bracket. That is pretty much entirely out of the question. I want a cooler that I can quickly install - and I want it to have a fan that I can control with my fan speed controller (A typical 3-pin or 4pin connecter)
I would also prefer this fan to glow blue, like the rest of my case.

Any reccomendations?

Also - I want to get a cooler for my videocard while i'm at it. (XFX 6800GT) I'm leaning towards a HIS cooler due to the exhaust fan and blue glow, but are there any other options besides a Zalman?

I still have some Artic Silver 5 for the paste.

Edit: Wait, i've been reading reviews..

Does the XP90 require a rear mounting bracket? If not, I think I have my heatsink!

 

[RallyMaster]

Arctic Silencer 64 Ultra TC L has LEDs... http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16835186123 but that one requires you to remove mobo and install the bracket

I don't think HIS coolers work on NV chips (even though they ARE made by Arctic Cooling) so I think you'll end up getting a Zalman with LED or an Arctic Cooling NV Silencer 5 (but it has no LED lights)

if you're getting the XP90, just buy yourself a decent LED fan and screw it in

 

[The Sly Syl]

Yeah, i was noticing that, I meant Artic Cooling - I was just thinking HIS.

Currently I'm looking at an XP-90 (how difficult would this thing be to install in a full case? I really don't want to remove my motherboard again [I already had to replace my chipset fan])

Also, i need something light, as i LAN all the time and can't have my motherboard breaking on me with a little bit of roughness (up and down stairs...)

and the Artic Cooling NV silencer 5 (revision 3.0 is the best?)

Fan wise - Are there any specific blue LED fans that would be considered decent? I have a Vantec Nexus multi-fan speed controller...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813999505
^That thing.

Are there any high quality (pushes enough air - even if loud at full load) blue LED fans around? I love my rear panaflo, but i really like the blue glow that my processer fan gives my entire window, and i don't want to lose that.

The Zalman GPU coolers have LED's? Are they dual slot, and how do they look/compare to the Artic Cooler silencers?

 

[RallyMaster]

http://www.xoxide.com/zalman-vf700culed-vga-cooler.html that one has LED and is dual slot but I'm not too sure about performance. probably a difference of a few degrees
as for 120 mm, I really don't know. I'm guessing you could try a Thermaltake Thunderblade considering you don't care about loudness.

i would go for the latest revision of the NV Silencer 5 (rev 3) because it has memory cooling pads and from what I read, is more compatible with cards.

pretty much, you're in the same situation I am, looking for sinks and fans.

 

[The Sly Syl]

The XP-90 can hold a 120mm fan? (I don't think I have room for that in my case)
It doesn't seem like many 92mm blue glowy fans exist, i've been searching.

The weight of a Zalman pure copper VGA cooler scares me, so I think i'll stick with the NV silencer for that.

The XP90 is better than the SI-97, right?

Likewise - this appears to be the only blue 92mm fan that i have discovered, and its a "quiet" fan:
http://www.xoxide.com/quadbluled92.html However, i don't trust those numbers.

 

[RallyMaster]

ick. that's a bad 92 mm. 34 dBA is definitely not silent and it's a no name brand.... I'm scared by the Zalman cooler as well. I don't want to crack my 6800GS or rip it out of my PCI-Express slot.

i don't have the answer to the XP90 vs SI-97 question though

 

[The Sly Syl]

The reason i don't care much for sound is, considering that my fan speed controller managed to turn my 108cfm pushing panaflo beast into a low murmur (probably case vibrating) when i turned it down, i'm sure it can do the same for some sort of excessively powerful fan on my heatsink.

That, and i like the power, because during a LAN party - the sound your computer makes is absolutely unimportant and drowned out by everything else, and thats when cooling is at its absolute most important. (a bunch of computers and guys in a room makes the room temp ramp up considerably)

Has anyone here installed an XP-90 without removing the motherboard from a case?
Edit: How about this thing -
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811999121
Would it work with my fan speed controller?

 

[potato28]

The weight of the Zalman is tested so that it wont destroy the mobo or card... Instead of the XP-90, buy the Scythe SCNJ-1000 Ninja or the SI-120. Both fit 120mm fans, and a good company is CoolerMaster. Very good fans....

 

[The Sly Syl]

Originally posted by: potato28
The weight of the Zalman is tested so that it wont destroy the mobo or card... Instead of the XP-90, buy the Scythe SCNJ-1000 Ninja or the SI-120. Both fit 120mm fans, and a good company is CoolerMaster. Very good fans....

The Scythe Ninja and the SI-120 require installing a backplate, are huge and are excessively heavy.

The exact opposite of what I want.

Likewise, as i said, i'm a little rough with this case, so while the zalman is "tested" to not destroy the card - the default heatsink is relatively heavy and i wouldn't want anything heavier than that. Also -i just sort of prefer the exhaust idea of the NV silencer, due to the fact that my GPU is considerably hotter than my CPU. So, without the air having a place to go, and the heat rising and all that good stuff....

 

[lifeguard1999]

Scythe Ninja for $39
SI-120 for $45
XP-90 for $28

Panaflow L1B 92mm fan for $9
Panaflow L1A 120mm fan for $16

Personally, I would go for the XP-90. Lightweight, performs just slightly worse than the best heatsinks, and is cheap.

 

[RallyMaster]

Originally posted by: The Sly SylAlso -i just sort of prefer the exhaust idea of the NV silencer, due to the fact that my GPU is considerably hotter than my CPU. So, without the air having a place to go, and the heat rising and all that good stuff....

Exactly what I was thinking. I say we both jump for a Silencer 5 Rev 3, keep me posted on how it goes because I'm going to China in a week and won't be back for another 2. After that, I'll order the stuff.

 

[The Sly Syl]

I've pretty much decided on what to get.

I'm thinking that if i turn this "smart fan"
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811999121
on it's constant "strong" setting, and then i regulate all the voltage to the fan through my fan-speed controller, it should behave exactly as planned.

Lets see.

I can get the XP-90 and the NV silencer 5 for $65 (including shipping) off of www.heatsinkfactory.com (best prices i've seen) - I'm pretty much certain i want those two.
Unless someone can give me some major assurance that the Zalman GPU product will not:
Heat up the rest of my case.
Possibly add more stress to my card - even in rough conditions.

From the reviews, it doesn't seem like its going too be that difficult to install the XP-90 with my motherboard still in the computer, i hope thats right.

I just need to find that thermaltake blue "smart case fan" for cheaper, if possible....

Edit: www.svc.com seems to have all of them for comparable prices and extremely cheap shipping.

Before I order, can i have some confirmations on the GPU fan choice?

 

[JEDIYoda]

Originally posted by: The Sly Syl

Originally posted by: potato28
The weight of the Zalman is tested so that it wont destroy the mobo or card... Instead of the XP-90, buy the Scythe SCNJ-1000 Ninja or the SI-120. Both fit 120mm fans, and a good company is CoolerMaster. Very good fans....

The Scythe Ninja and the SI-120 require installing a backplate, are huge and are excessively heavy.

The exact opposite of what I want.

Likewise, as i said, i'm a little rough with this case, so while the zalman is "tested" to not destroy the card - the default heatsink is relatively heavy and i wouldn't want anything heavier than that. Also -i just sort of prefer the exhaust idea of the NV silencer, due to the fact that my GPU is considerably hotter than my CPU. So, without the air having a place to go, and the heat rising and all that good stuff....

The Si 120 does not require a backplate on all mobo`s.....

also the zalman VGA cooler works just fine and I would not be worried about the weight.

Good Luck!!

 

[The Sly Syl]

On doing a little more research, the zalman fan is actually much lighter than the NV silencer. Likewise, it appears to be far easier to install.

Thank you for repeatedly reccomending the Zalman. I'll stick with the XP90 though for heatsink, and i just like the ridiculous airflow of that thermaltake Blue smartfan. I'm aware that the panaflo would be a better idea, but i really want that blue glow.

Does anyone have any idea what a generic 6800GT factory heatsink weighs? I'm curious.

Total cost: roughly $70 at SVC.. not bad.

 

[JEDIYoda]

The thermaltake Blue smartfan is very loud. Much louder than the specs say it is!!

 

[The Sly Syl]

Originally posted by: JEDIYoda
The thermaltake Blue smartfan is very loud. Much louder than the specs say it is!!

I was expecting it to be loud.

When fully powered, do you think it will be louder than a Panaflo 120x38 "high" fan?

 

[The Sly Syl]

Well, I ordered it all. Should be here in a couple of days.

I have a feeling that removing that gigabyte 3d rocket cooler pro is going to be an absolute BITCH, as will be removing the heatsink from my videocard.

Any idea how to help with these?

 

[JEDIYoda]

YES - I do expect it to be alot louder....

This low speed 120x38 mm has an output of about 69 CFM at a low 30 dB

thermaltake smart fan - 38.6 ~93.7CFM

Both of these are at maximum cfm and db...but...

You really need to understand that Thermaltake does not record there specs even close to being accurately!!

Yet the bottom line is that you are happy with your choice!!

Good Luck!!

 

[The Sly Syl]

I have the "high" speed panaflo 120x38, its max output is a scary 108cfm at roughly 42 DBM
Of course, this is the "highest" setting for that fan as well, and its rather loud. Considering the thermaltake is inside the case, some of the sound will be dampened. As long as i can find a combination that will allow me to set it to pump a lot of air, as well as modify the voltage so low that it doesn't make much sound when i'm not doing anything that impressive, i think that i'll be fine.

I'll mention how these things go when I install it, if it is too loud, i'll figure something out.