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need upgraded heatsink and fan

Synon25

Member
Can anyone give me some suggestions on the best heatsink and fan for a pentium 4 2.8 ghz northwood processor?
 
The xp-120 is the best heatsinks there is, but its huge. Check thermalright's website to see if it will fit on your motherboard, if not, i'd just get the xp-90. Its a little smaller but still cools great. And just get the fan that thermalright recommends you use for either of those.
 
The Zalman CNPS-7000A (or B) AlCu is also very good and quiet to boot. Keeps my 3.2C @ 3.6 cool.
 
No dispute on the Zalman product line (CNPS-7000 and 7700, AlCu and Cu), but they are heavy. The 7000 weighs 775 grams and the 7700 weighs in at something like 930+ grams. The Intel guideline for HSF weight is 450 grams.

The ThermalRight XP series -- 120 and 90 -- weigh about 375 grams. Don't worry much about adding a beefy fan weighing 225 or even 325 grams. Obviiously, Zalman is confident that their product won't damage your motherboard from stress -- but be careful -- perhaps remove the heatsink -- when you take your computer for a drive in the country.

There are several heatpipe-cooler options in the market -- precursors of the XP120 and XP90. For some time, I used a ThermalTake PIPE101, which did almost as good a job for cooling as the XP120. I say "almost" -- and I mean it. The PIPE, like the Zalman and some ThermalRight heatpipe models preceding the XP series, is a heavy block of copper with copper pipes, weighing about 525 grams. (Fan not included.)

I would need to run some more rigorous tests in various machines and under certain controls, but it appears to me that the greater the heat-sink mass, the lower the idle temperature at lower room temperatures. Also, Copper is better at removing heat from the processor, given its thermal resistance, heat-capacity and conductivity -- than Aluminum, although aluminum is pretty decent, and lighter.

Some versions of the Zalman use copper where it counts -- in the heatsink base, and use some Aluminum for the fins. The XP series is a copper-aluminum combination, with nickel-plated copper in the base, and aluminum fins.

However, slight differences in idle temperature are not your primary concern. Performance is better defined by two factors, in my opinion -- peak load CPU temperature, and the spread or difference between idle and load temperatures. Generally, you can assume that an increase in room temperature will bring about a corresponding increase in both idle and load values, but heatpipes, which are filled with the manufacturer's choice of coolant, may through a curve into the linear predictability of temperatures given the liquid's phase-change characteristics.

Essentially, a heatpipe makes it possible to make a lighter heatsink which provides the same load-temperature performance.
 
PS

I need to review this a bit more, but it appears the XP120 and XP90 weigh the same, and further, the heatsink-fin total area is the same. The 120 is not as high, and it is wider to accommodate a 120mm fan. The 90 is taller, accommodates a 90-92mm fan (or even an 80mm fan), and is a choice which ThermalRight confidently asserts fits just about any motherboard. Some motherboards have an AGP card closer to the CPU than other boards, which is another reason to pick the XP90. Some motherboards require bending on-board components at their solder-wires to accommodate the XP120. ThermalRight has posted a motherboard compatibility list.
 
The CNPS7000B AlCu is 438g and the A version is 7g heavier. Both are within the weight limits from AMD and Intel IIRC. Any of the heatsinks mentioned are overkill and will easily cool a P4 2.8. I mentioned the Zalman because I have one (and love it) and you don't have to bother with a separate fan.
 
The CNPS7000B AlCu is 438g and the A version is 7g heavier. Both are within the weight limits from AMD and Intel IIRC.

. . . but the CNPS-7000-Cu weighs in at 775 grams with the fan. If you could make a heatsink with the thermal properties of copper and the weight of aluminum -- that would be the ultimate heat-sink.
 
Originally posted by: BonzaiDuck
The CNPS7000B AlCu is 438g and the A version is 7g heavier. Both are within the weight limits from AMD and Intel IIRC.

. . . but the CNPS-7000-Cu weighs in at 775 grams with the fan. If you could make a heatsink with the thermal properties of copper and the weight of aluminum -- that would be the ultimate heat-sink.
They did, it's the 7000 AlCu. The all copper version performs no better than the combination. Google for a couple reviews.
 
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