HSF orientation & Coolermaster TX2

[boatillo]

Long story short, I just got this hsf, it looks very nice but the 754/939/AM2 design sucks. If you have a non-standard motherboard layout (like my DFI nf4 ultra d) it mounts with the fan almost resting on the back of your video card and exhausting air over your ram and into your PSU.

How bad is this if I choose to install & use it?

Will it affect the heatpipe mechanics since they will be at a different position?

Should I just trash it ($9 total after rebate) and buy something else?

 

[Zepper]

Tx2 should be mounted with fan blowing towards the rear of the case in line with the normal case airflow. Unfortunately the mount isn't rotatable as some are, so you can't attain proper orientation on your mobo. As you say, may be able to unload on eBay - don't seem to be selling well tho - only saw one with bids of under $5.00. Need to research the ended listings for it to really tell if there's any market. At least twelve are listed under different variations on the name.

.bh.

 

[boatillo]

Will a 90º rotation really impact cooling though? The air is still coming from the bottom & front of case, and expelled through the rear. It will just have to go through the PSU first...which used to be the design of the original AT cases unless I am mistaken.

 

[Zepper]

Depends on the front to rear air velocity created by the case fans. If not that great then the CPU fan should be able to grab some air. Easiest way to tell is to mount it up and compare with previous temps. If it can keep your CPU around 60 deg. C or less, should be OK

.bh.

 

[imported_Kiwi]

I've just been down the s754 socket vs. crowded MB design route with an MSI K8N Neo3 (NF4). The TX2 does work for me so far -- exhausts out the back (blows into a 120 mm back panel exhaust fan on the Aspire X-Gamer box). I tried an Arctic Cooling Freezer64, no luck there. The clamping mechanism was too bulky and conflicted with various MB parts close to the socket. The next try was a Thermalright XP-120, which I really liked, but the angle on the heat pipes was too shallow, and they overhung the RAM slots too closely.

The only complaint I could have had with the TX2 is how "tall" it is. The particular PC it's in will be host to DOSbox and the old Wing Commander SF-Fantasy space fighter games, for which I'm told I need to push harder than a stock A64 3200 runs, so I had a Tornado fan in the access door window (35 mm thick case & CPU fan). I had to swap that for a standard 25 mm thick intake fan. So far, the setup seems fairly quiet in early observations.