Looking for a great athlon xp cpu cooler for under $18

[Naruto]

Ever since the extinction of the SK-7, I have been looking for a subsititute. It needs to be quiet and copper. I would hate to spend $25+ on a cooler.

 

[mechBgon]

Here's a good one that you don't hear a lot about: Taisol 760-series for $10. It's sort of like a cross between an Alpha PEP66 and PAL6035.

 

[Cerb]

All copper for that price ain't gonna happen . Really, I wish I could get the 2500+ retail cooler.

 

[mechBgon]

Cerb, which one? The one with the bolted-on copper heatspreader, or the one with the nickel-plated copper base and soldered fins? I'm betting I can find variants of both, or else I'm sure you can buy one in FS/T

 

[Cerb]

Originally posted by: mechBgon
Cerb, which one? The one with the bolted-on copper heatspreader, or the one with the nickel-plated copper base and soldered fins? I'm betting I can find variants of both, or else I'm sure you can buy one in FS/T

The one with the bolted on heatspreader is the annoying one, because I do have a variant of it . Coolermaster with a single-lug clip and very loud, thin fan. Otherwise exactly the same.
Nickel-plated copper base...haven't seen that one, unless you mean q newer version of the Dynatron they used for most of the TBreds for awhile.

Edit: I checked Newegg LAST WEEK, I swear it wasn't there. I looked, thinking, "I have this heatsink, but crappified." If this has the copper base, then all is not lost (the clip is almost as good as Thermalright's). Since spare Socket A heatsinks seem to get used up, I'll tack it on my next order and see.

 

[mechBgon]

The nickel-plated copper-based one is featured in my SocketA heatsink-installation guide in my sig. I'd guess its noise level is around ?30-32dB?... pleasant enough, but not utterly silent. AMD's Thornton-core 2200+'s come with an impressively-quiet new unit, btw, I had a couple pass through about 2 months ago.

 

[Corporate Thug]

frys has the aeroflow 7 lite for $15.99

 

[Cerb]

Yes, the one in the installation guide there looks like a bit heavier version of the dynatron coolers the high-end palominos and early Tbreds used.
Afraid that with the 2500+ at or under $90 and the 2600+ barton just over $100 retail, I'll have to pass on the Thornton. If I need to go lower, the 1700+ is fine.

...then I just half to hope HL2 and Doom3 aren't so strenuous that I'll need to upgrade before the A64 comes down to reasonable prices.

 

[Johnbear007]

Originally posted by: Cerb
All copper for that price ain't gonna happen . Really, I wish I could get the 2500+ retail cooler.

I didnt realized the 2500+ retail cooler was that good. I have one, should I stick with it over a different cooler? I wouldnt spend more than 25$ on one, so should I keep mine?

 

[Johnbear007]

Originally posted by: Cerb
Yes, the one in the installation guide there looks like a bit heavier version of the dynatron coolers the high-end palominos and early Tbreds used.
Afraid that with the 2500+ at or under $90 and the 2600+ barton just over $100 retail, I'll have to pass on the Thornton. If I need to go lower, the 1700+ is fine.

...then I just half to hope HL2 and Doom3 aren't so strenuous that I'll need to upgrade before the A64 comes down to reasonable prices.

LOL. No game in the next year is going to be unplayable on current processors. Most people do not have 2.0ghz+ CPUS at this point, and if they do it's a celeron

One thing that the enthusiasts around here seem to forget, is that really high end systems are the minority, and these game companies work hard at making an enjoyable playing experience for users that don't have the latest and greatest.

 

[Cerb]

To answer your question on the 2500+ cooler, it will give similar temps to a SK-7 w/ a Panaflo L1A. However, if you want to overclock or want something quieter, it could be worth it to buy a better one (it is tolerable, but still not near as quiet as an L1A). However, the TBreds and bartons have excellent coolers, unlike the old TBirds and early Palominos.
I say it could be worth it, as I know very well I could have gotten a $12 solution for my own machine...but I got a SK-7 and then AX-7. I like the AX-7 better, but even not using the SK-7 I consider both having been worth it, because I'm now almost at silent. When next I upgrade my HD and CDRW, I should make it to my goal of silence.
The 2500+ cooler won't let your CPU burn up even in a good Georgia summer, but there are other options out there because many of us want them.

Originally posted by: Johnbear007

Originally posted by: Cerb
Yes, the one in the installation guide there looks like a bit heavier version of the dynatron coolers the high-end palominos and early Tbreds used.
Afraid that with the 2500+ at or under $90 and the 2600+ barton just over $100 retail, I'll have to pass on the Thornton. If I need to go lower, the 1700+ is fine.

...then I just half to hope HL2 and Doom3 aren't so strenuous that I'll need to upgrade before the A64 comes down to reasonable prices.

LOL. No game in the next year is going to be unplayable on current processors. Most people do not have 2.0ghz+ CPUS at this point, and if they do it's a celeron

One thing that the enthusiasts around here seem to forget, is that really high end systems are the minority, and these game companies work hard at making an enjoyable playing experience for users that don't have the latest and greatest.

Yeah, but also, I didn't desperately need to upgrade from my GF2 GTS. But I did, because I wanted better image quality overall, and I wanted to use AA and AF on everything. If I can't at least use Quincux and get playable rates, I won't play it (save Diablo II). As soon as I saw 1.5x FSAA on the GF2, I couldn't stand jaggies. I know very well I'm in the minority. My best friend is still quite happy with my GF2 GTS, upgrading from a V3.

 

[Johnbear007]

Originally posted by: Cerb
To answer your question on the 2500+ cooler, it will give similar temps to a SK-7 w/ a Panaflo L1A. However, if you want to overclock or want something quieter, it could be worth it to buy a better one (it is tolerable, but still not near as quiet as an L1A). However, the TBreds and bartons have excellent coolers, unlike the old TBirds and early Palominos.
I say it could be worth it, as I know very well I could have gotten a $12 solution for my own machine...but I got a SK-7 and then AX-7. I like the AX-7 better, but even not using the SK-7 I consider both having been worth it, because I'm now almost at silent. When next I upgrade my HD and CDRW, I should make it to my goal of silence.
The 2500+ cooler won't let your CPU burn up even in a good Georgia summer, but there are other options out there because many of us want them.

Originally posted by: Johnbear007

Originally posted by: Cerb
Yes, the one in the installation guide there looks like a bit heavier version of the dynatron coolers the high-end palominos and early Tbreds used.
Afraid that with the 2500+ at or under $90 and the 2600+ barton just over $100 retail, I'll have to pass on the Thornton. If I need to go lower, the 1700+ is fine.


A geforce 2 is like 3 generations ago, so that's pretty low end. I think most people are somewhere in between a geforce 2 and a 9800pro


...then I just half to hope HL2 and Doom3 aren't so strenuous that I'll need to upgrade before the A64 comes down to reasonable prices.

LOL. No game in the next year is going to be unplayable on current processors. Most people do not have 2.0ghz+ CPUS at this point, and if they do it's a celeron

One thing that the enthusiasts around here seem to forget, is that really high end systems are the minority, and these game companies work hard at making an enjoyable playing experience for users that don't have the latest and greatest.

Yeah, but also, I didn't desperately need to upgrade from my GF2 GTS. But I did, because I wanted better image quality overall, and I wanted to use AA and AF on everything. If I can't at least use Quincux and get playable rates, I won't play it (save Diablo II). As soon as I saw 1.5x FSAA on the GF2, I couldn't stand jaggies. I know very well I'm in the minority. My best friend is still quite happy with my GF2 GTS, upgrading from a V3.

 

[TRUMPHENT]

Originally posted by: Cerb
All copper for that price ain't gonna happen . Really, I wish I could get the 2500+ retail cooler.

Here is the cooler that ships with the XP2400+. It is the same one that ships with the Bartons thru 2ghz.
http://www.ajigo-store.com/mf035-032.html

I currently have mine on a Duron 800mhz @866mhz while the DOA XP2400 gets rma'd. With the crappy fan, it blows the PAL6035 I was using out of the water on the same processor. I have to get new screws to use the 25mm thick fan I had on the PAL6035.

The stock XP heatsink definitely works. It does not accept an 80mm fan as is and the surface looked like it had been losing in a knife fight. I lapped it, used Ceramique and my 866mhz Duron went from 16 degrees F above chassis temp to 5 degrees F above chassis temp.

I didn't test it before lapping.:beer:

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: TRUMPHENT

Originally posted by: Cerb
All copper for that price ain't gonna happen . Really, I wish I could get the 2500+ retail cooler.

and the surface looked like it had been losing in a knife fight.

R O F L ! ! But it's true the base looks like someone surfaced it with a bench grinder, sorry to say!

 

[beatle]

Sidewinder Computers still has the AX-7 for $13.95 plus honest shipping. You can get free Arctic Alumina to boot if you're still using radio shack goop.

 

[Cerb]

Originally posted by: mechBgon

Originally posted by: TRUMPHENT

Originally posted by: Cerb
All copper for that price ain't gonna happen . Really, I wish I could get the 2500+ retail cooler.

and the surface looked like it had been losing in a knife fight.

R O F L ! ! But it's true the base looks like someone surfaced it with a bench grinder, sorry to say!

While I can't deny that, it does an admirable job, particularly with AMD's dark history (the TBird and early palomino coolers) in heatsinks.

 

[Johnbear007]

Originally posted by: TRUMPHENT

Originally posted by: Cerb
All copper for that price ain't gonna happen . Really, I wish I could get the 2500+ retail cooler.

Here is the cooler that ships with the XP2400+. It is the same one that ships with the Bartons thru 2ghz.
http://www.ajigo-store.com/mf035-032.html

I currently have mine on a Duron 800mhz @866mhz while the DOA XP2400 gets rma'd. With the crappy fan, it blows the PAL6035 I was using out of the water on the same processor. I have to get new screws to use the 25mm thick fan I had on the PAL6035.

The stock XP heatsink definitely works. It does not accept an 80mm fan as is and the surface looked like it had been losing in a knife fight. I lapped it, used Ceramique and my 866mhz Duron went from 16 degrees F above chassis temp to 5 degrees F above chassis temp.

I didn't test it before lapping.:beer:

that is NOT the cooler that came with my barton 2500+

 

[Johnbear007]

I have one of those coolers. AMD sent it to me to replace the heatsink for my 1700+.. but my 2500+ came with something else.

how does that cooler compare to an SK 7 or an AX 7?

 

[Cerb]

The coolermaster 2500+, with the bolted on copper plate, is about as good as an SK-7 with a Panaflo L1A, but not quite as quiet (though acceptable). For overclocking, I imagine the SK-7 to be far superior, particularly with even a slightly more powerful fan. However, I'm running my CPU at stock speed and undervolted, so you can guess my priorites .
I'm currently getting slightly better temps w/ my AX-7, and the edges of it feel hotter than the fins or base edges of the SK-7 did (which gave me the same temps as the crappy version of the coolermaster 2500+ cooler--albeit much quieter and the temps were far more stable).
The Dynatron one with thin fins vary based on the ambient temp, moreso than the coolermaster one, unless the newer ones are very different. Also, they die quickly in old buildings with lots of dust, with that low profile super fast fan. Had to replace one now, and have a feeling another is on the way within two or three months.

 

[Johnbear007]

Originally posted by: Cerb
The coolermaster 2500+, with the bolted on copper plate, is about as good as an SK-7 with a Panaflo L1A, but not quite as quiet (though acceptable). For overclocking, I imagine the SK-7 to be far superior, particularly with even a slightly more powerful fan. However, I'm running my CPU at stock speed and undervolted, so you can guess my priorites .
I'm currently getting slightly better temps w/ my AX-7, and the edges of it feel hotter than the fins or base edges of the SK-7 did (which gave me the same temps as the crappy version of the coolermaster 2500+ cooler--albeit much quieter and the temps were far more stable).
The Dynatron one with thin fins vary based on the ambient temp, moreso than the coolermaster one, unless the newer ones are very different. Also, they die quickly in old buildings with lots of dust, with that low profile super fast fan. Had to replace one now, and have a feeling another is on the way within two or three months.

Hmmmm

I have the bolted on copper bottom, and it seems to work great, and i'm at 2250 with my barton 2500+ I have the stock 60MM fan that comes with it.

Dust is not much of an issue for me, because my Antec 1080 AMG has a built in filter in the front, and I installed one myself on the side (which by the way gets filthy almost immediatley. (yuck!) so it must be prety dusty in here. I should probbly get an air filter for this room to cut down on the dust.

I was going to spring for an SK-7 but it seems like it may not be a very good investment, considering how well this stock cooler is doing, and that's whithout even premium thermal paste, im using the stock phase change pad.

This Barton I got is one monster of a little overclocker