New Heatsink for Q6600 B3 in Wavemaster

[moforles]

Hi Everyone,

I need help choosing a new heatsink to replace the Intel stock HSF currently cooling my Q6600 B3 stepping quad core processor. I know that the stock HSF has sufficed for some, but the Wavemaster case housing my CPU has notoriously bad airflow (I'm working on that too), and I need something to bring the temps down (reseating and Arctic Silver 5 alone don't help).

I know from other posts that the Tuniq Tower and Thermalright Ultra 120/120 Extreme are too tall for this case, so the criteria are

• Fits in a Wavemaster (Tuniq Tower and TRUE don't)

• No push pins (I hate those things!)

• Quiet (if possible)

• Best cooling available given the above criteria

Thanks for your help!

 

[Ika]

A ThermalTake Big Typhoon {VX} should fit your needs - because it's a top-down solution, it cools your motherboard components as well, and it comes with a backplate install method. If you don't have some sort of air intake on your side panel, though, it might not be able to breathe well enough. If that's the case, an Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro or Cooler Master Hyper TX2 (though I believe both use push pins, but you should be able to buy another third-party backplate install method) are both great value, especially if you don't plan on overclocking.

 

[DerwenArtos12]

Have you checked if the Thermalright Ultima 90 will fit with a 92mm fan? Notably smaller than the Ultra120Extreme, a little less expensive and more than adequate cooling for most overclockers.

 

[Midnight Rambler]

The CM Wavemasters have the same basic inner case structure as the CM Praetorian series, so I know a Zalman 9500LED will fit and do an excellent job. Some claim they are difficult to install but only if you don't follow the directions. Secret is to just barely start both screws of the holddown (bracket) ... start the first screw only a thread or two, same then for the second screw. Once you have them both started, then alternately & evenly tighten. Excellent cooler and very quiet. Copper fins are sharp, so handle with care.

Zerotherm has their BTF90 model (reviewed here at AT) which you might look at. Very nice/easy mounting system for S775. I thinking of trying one of these.

The Ultima 90 will fit as noted, but they're somewhat notorious for poor finish quality on their bases.

 

[moforles]

Thanks for all of your suggestions.

Everyone: which of Thermalright Ultima 90, Zalman 9700/9500, Zerotherm BTF90, and ThermalTake Big Typhoon provides the best cooling (note, I don't have a side fan so Big Typhoon might not be the best option)?

Also, what do you all think of the Enzotech Ultra-X and the Thermaltake V1?

Derwen: I suspect that anything even a few millimeters shorter than the Tuniq Tower would fit. The Tuniq Tower is 153mm tall, so I think (but don't know for sure) that under 150mm would work.

Midnight: I was looking at the Zalman coolers. Do you think the 9700LED would still fit in the Praetorian/Wavemaster case (apparently the 9700 is 142mm tall, while the 9500 is 125mm)? The larger fan may make for a quieter cooling experience.

 

[moforles]

Nevermind the Thermaltake V1: that's also pushpin apparently.

 

[DerwenArtos12]

Originally posted by: moforles
Thanks for all of your suggestions.

Everyone: which of Thermalright Ultima 90, Zalman 9700/9500, Zerotherm BTF90, and ThermalTake Big Typhoon provides the best cooling (note, I don't have a side fan so Big Typhoon might not be the best option)?

Also, what do you all think of the Enzotech Ultra-X and the Thermaltake V1?

Derwen: I suspect that anything even a few millimeters shorter than the Tuniq Tower would fit. The Tuniq Tower is 153mm tall, so I think (but don't know for sure) that under 150mm would work.

Midnight: I was looking at the Zalman coolers. Do you think the 9700LED would still fit in the Praetorian/Wavemaster case (apparently the 9700 is 142mm tall, while the 9500 is 125mm)? The larger fan may make for a quieter cooling experience.

From that bunch the Ultima 90 will give you best performance and with your size constraints being as high as they are you may actually be able to put a 120mm fan on the Ultima 90 as there is a degree of adjustability with the mounting method Tr uses. I hesitate very much to reccomend the Enzotech, especially with it's price in the $60 range and the V1 is very good but, the new HR series really are that much better.

 

[moforles]

Thanks Derwen. The reviews all seem to support what you say, so I think I'll go with the Ultima 90 (with a 120mm fan ).

 

[aigomorla]

Originally posted by: moforles
Thanks Derwen. The reviews all seem to support what you say, so I think I'll go with the Ultima 90 (with a 120mm fan ).

80mm rear exhaust..

yikes... i dont know if a 120mm fan will fit with that tight of a space...

Also your not going to be able to pull the mobo tray out. The ultima90 looks like its gonna get stuck.

 

[moforles]

Hmm, you're right. If the 120mm fan stands the full 28 mm above the top of the ultima then the combo might not fit inside. If that's the case, I suppose I could use a 92mm and bite the noise bullet.

 

[Midnight Rambler]

I made my recommendations for good reason (ie. well-familiar with case dimensions, own 2 Praetorian 730s). I should have noted the need for the smaller fan on the Ultima. In the end it was not my #1 recommendation due to the frequent need to lap the base, something some people may not want/be able to do ...

 

[DerwenArtos12]

Originally posted by: Midnight Rambler
I made my recommendations for good reason (ie. well-familiar with case dimensions, own 2 Praetorian 730s). I should have noted the need for the smaller fan on the Ultima. In the end it was not my #1 recommendation due to the frequent need to lap the base, something some people may not want/be able to do ...

I haven't seen but one or two cases of the ultima 90 being convex, unlike the TRU120E where they're hitting about 60% that need to be lapped.

 

[moforles]

Midnight: from your experience, is it safe to say that any heatsink with a 120mm fan will not fit in the Wavemaster/Praetorian?
Also, when you say "need" to lap, do you mean won't get good performance without lapping or just won't get the best performance without lapping?

 

[DerwenArtos12]

Originally posted by: moforles
Midnight: from your experience, is it safe to say that any heatsink with a 120mm fan will not fit in the Wavemaster/Praetorian?
Also, when you say "need" to lap, do you mean won't get good performance without lapping or just won't get the best performance without lapping?

In the case of the TRU120E, lapping is pretty close to a necessity, due to the convexity of the bases one core coudl be as much as 10C higher than the other and while both woudl be well within the exceptable range, lapping would bring teh temperatures withing the normal 2-3C of each other and down 2-3C from even the lowest temperature before lapping. To be totally honest with you lapping is a lot easier than it seems. It does however void any manufactureres waranty on teh heatsink.

 

[moforles]

Is the concavity considered a defect? Could you send back a concave heatsink for an exchange?

Also, Midnight, would you suggest the 9500LED even over the 9700LED and the 9500AT (which is exactly the same as the 9500LED, except the fan has no LED and instead of the FanMate you're given a PWM fan with 4 pin connector).

 

[Ika]

Originally posted by: moforles
Is the concavity considered a defect? Could you send back a concave heatsink for an exchange?

Also, Midnight, would you suggest the 9500LED even over the 9700LED and the 9500AT (which is exactly the same as the 9500LED, except the fan has no LED and instead of the FanMate you're given a PWM fan with 4 pin connector).

The concavity is somewhat of a sore point between TRUE advocates and TRUE haters. I'm not sure if anyone really knows if it's purposely designed that way or if Thermalright QC just messed up royally on this one. Then again, I haven't really been keeping up with TRUE-talk, so if someone knows differently, please contradict me.

 

[DerwenArtos12]

Originally posted by: Aflac

Originally posted by: moforles
Is the concavity considered a defect? Could you send back a concave heatsink for an exchange?

Also, Midnight, would you suggest the 9500LED even over the 9700LED and the 9500AT (which is exactly the same as the 9500LED, except the fan has no LED and instead of the FanMate you're given a PWM fan with 4 pin connector).

The concavity is somewhat of a sore point between TRUE advocates and TRUE haters. I'm not sure if anyone really knows if it's purposely designed that way or if Thermalright QC just messed up royally on this one. Then again, I haven't really been keeping up with TRUE-talk, so if someone knows differently, please contradict me.

Wished I could but as a TRUE advocate it looks like a big QC issue....