In the search for a quiet CPU cooler, any suggestions??

[jachristie79]

I have a FOP 38 right now, but want something a little more quiet. I currently have a 1Ghz athlon, but am looking at getting either a 1600+ or a 1800+. should those run more cool than the older athlon chips. From what I understand they run cooler. I want something that when i have the case closed it is barely audible.

Also, if you guys could link me to some reviews that would be very helpful!!!

thanks

 

[mechBgon]

Check out the Sticky Threads at the top of the Cases & Cooling Forum for some helpful leads.

The heat output of your 1GHz Thunderbird is about 49W maximum. The 1600+ and 1800+ are 56W and 59W respectively with the Palomino core. AMD will begin switching the 1700+ and higher to the Thoroughbred core, so if you get something above a 1600+ there is an increasing chance that you'll get a Thoroughbred. Because the Thoroughbreds have such a high wattage-to-surface-area ratio due to their small core, you would be wise to get a heatsink with a copper base to allow for this possibility if you're buying a 1700+ or higher, since that's what AMD reportedly recommends (copper-based coolers for Thoroughbreds).

In general, a heatsink that takes an 80mm fan is desirable for a low-noise setup that cools ok. If you were getting a 1600+ then an SVC GC-68 would be hard to pass up at only $5.99. Since the GC68 doesn't have the copper base that you'd want for a Thoroughbred, it might be better to get a Thermalright AX-7 in that situation, along with a low-noise fan like a Panaflo L1A ,or maybe an adjustable-rpm fan from YS Tech or Enermax.

If cost is no object, Alpha PAL8045 or Swiftech MCX462 would be slick. PAL8045's don't fit all motherboards, fit list is here.

 

[Packy]

My vote is for the GC-68. Like mechBgon mentioned, 80mm fans tend to put out less noise than a 60mm, and the GC-68 has an extremely quiet 80mm fan. I was originally going to get it and replace the fan w/ a Panaflo L1A, but it ended up being nearly as quiet. I'm running a 1600+ @ 1900+ speed (1.4ghz @ 1.6) and my idle temp is always around 41c and load is around 55c at most. Depends on how hot it is outside 😉

So considering the price/noise/performance ratio, the GC-68 is an amazing deal.

I'm not sure about shipping, but Case-Mod has it for a little cheaper than SVC.

 

[JamesM3M5]

I have an Athlon 1800+ OCed from 1.53 to 1.7GHz. I currently have an Evercool CUD-715 on it, but it's NOISY. 32dB? My butt! I have a Thermalright AX-7 on order from SVC Compucycle and a generic thermocouple-controlled fan. Hotter = faster fan speed.

That Evercool keeps the CPU temps under 45C at all times, even running SETI 24/7 or HotCPU for hours on end. But it's fricking noisy! It's not Delta high-speed noisy, but it sure as hell is annoying. I ordered the Thermalright because you can fit a quieter 80mm fan that flows more CFM than a smaller, louder 60mm or 70mm fan.

I have also placed carpet padding inside the case on the larger panels to absorb noise. Hey, it was free! It helped a little. I may try some Dynamat or something else like it if the 80mm fan is still too loud.

I have 2 Panaflo L1A's in the case. They are rated at 21dB (VERY quiet!) and flow 24CFM. 24CFM may not be enough when stressing an OCed Athlon, but we'll see....

JamesM