Possible to passive cool a Q6600?

[aceO07]

I'm just curious. It seems like the tuniq and some other heatsinks could handle some processors without the fan. Of course this is without overclocking or any long durations of intensive processing.

 

[ChronoReverse]

For all passive heatsinks, you still need airflow inside your case. However, I wouldn't be surprised if some Q6600's could be passively cooled.

 

[myocardia]

Nope, they run up to 65-70°C with the factory heatsink, when under load, and no overclocking.

 

[aceO07]

Originally posted by: myocardia
Nope, they run up to 65-70°C with the factory heatsink, when under load, and no overclocking.

I most likely won't ever put it under much load for all 4 cores as they do in the testing. I don't do anything besides basic email, web, tv, movies and some original counterstrike.

 

[ChronoReverse]

Originally posted by: myocardia
Nope, they run up to 65-70°C with the factory heatsink, when under load, and no overclocking.

And the stock HSF is poor enough that some of the best HSF's in passive mode almost matches the performance.

You still need case airflow in the end so it's not like the entire thing can be fanless...

I most likely won't ever put it under much load for all 4 cores as they do in the testing. I don't do anything besides basic email, web, tv, movies and some original counterstrike.

Why on earth would you need a quad then?

 

[aceO07]

Originally posted by: ChronoReverse

Originally posted by: myocardia
Nope, they run up to 65-70°C with the factory heatsink, when under load, and no overclocking.

And the stock HSF is poor enough that some of the best HSF's in passive mode almost matches the performance.

You still need case airflow in the end so it's not like the entire thing can be fanless...

I most likely won't ever put it under much load for all 4 cores as they do in the testing. I don't do anything besides basic email, web, tv, movies and some original counterstrike.

Why on earth would you need a quad then?

Future proofing. I don't upgrade for like 4 years. My last computer was a p4 1.6ghz.

 

[SniperDaws]

The q6600 can be passive cooled but only if you keep it at stock speeds and reduce the Vcore down to 1.000v, im using the stock cooler and when its idle ( 35c ) the fan stops spinning so its basically passive cooled, so i think with a decent heatsink you could passive cool at load aswell.

 

[aceO07]

Originally posted by: SniperDaws
The q6600 can be passive cooled but only if you keep it at stock speeds and reduce the Vcore down to 1.000v, im using the stock cooler and when its idle ( 35c ) the fan stops spinning so its basically passive cooled, so i think with a decent heatsink you could passive cool at load aswell.

Thanks for your observations.

I wasn't actually aware that the stock heatsink/fan stops spinning when it's cool enough.

 

[aka1nas]

How will you get any future-proofing out of it that way? When software that takes advantage of it comes out, you won't be able to get by with passive cooling even if your current workload allows you to.

You'd be better off getting a C2D now and upgrading it later if the noise/heat output is that big of a deal.

 

[aceO07]

Originally posted by: aka1nas
How will you get any future-proofing out of it that way? When software that takes advantage of it comes out, you won't be able to get by with passive cooling even if your current workload allows you to.

You'd be better off getting a C2D now and upgrading it later if the noise/heat output is that big of a deal.

The passive cooling was just something I've curious about. If it doesn't work out, I can add a fan to it or turn fan on later.

I'm just not a big fan of upgrading. I never really know what to do with the old parts. So I get pretty good hardware now and just enjoy it for the next few years.

 

[JAG87]

If you keep the processor at stock, a passive Ultra-120 Extreme will handle it no problem, even at full load on all cores. Just make sure you have good contact (lap if necessary), and that you apply the TIM properly. I wouldn't be surprised if you get the same or better temps then the active stock cooler.

 

[1ManArmY]

Originally posted by: myocardia
Nope, they run up to 65-70°C with the factory heatsink, when under load, and no overclocking.

WOW, I didn't realize that the QUADs ran that hot I was considering upgrading after the next intel product cycle/price drop do you see any real significant benefit going from an E6600 C2D OC'd to 3.3 to a Q6600?

 

[eelw]

I swapped out my B3 for a G0. At stock speeds, load temps dropped around 8C to 50C. Decided to undervolt to see how far it can just go. Got down to 0.96V stable. Load temps are now only 40C. It will idle at around 33C. Ambient is around 22. Now I have disconnected the fan on my ThermalTake V1. It idles at 44C. Been running at full load for the past 15 minutes or so, temps have only risen to 60C.

Will now see how well this new chip will OC to.

 

[aceO07]

That's not bad. My 1.6ghz at 2.4ghz used to idle at 40s while idling and the stock heatsink fan was ON.

 

[Acanthus]

G0, at stock speed, undervolted, and with good case airflow, you might be able to pull off 70C load.

 

[myocardia]

Originally posted by: ChronoReverse

Originally posted by: myocardia
Nope, they run up to 65-70°C with the factory heatsink, when under load, and no overclocking.

And the stock HSF is poor enough that some of the best HSF's in passive mode almost matches the performance.

You still need case airflow in the end so it's not like the entire thing can be fanless...

There's a huge problem with that argument, though. You'd need so much case airflow, to be able to run the processor passively, that it would be much louder than having lower airflow casefans, and a good heatsink, with a quiet fan on it. I'd personally suggest the Scythe Ninja heatsink, plus two "silent" 120mm casefans, for as close as is possible to a silent quad.

I most likely won't ever put it under much load for all 4 cores as they do in the testing. I don't do anything besides basic email, web, tv, movies and some original counterstrike.

Why on earth would you need a quad then?

I agree, but maybe he's planning on buying Windows Vista OEM for this system, and he's already heard about not being able to upgrade either the motherboard or processor, without having to buy another copy of it.

 

[SniperDaws]

Get the Tuniq Tower its slashed 15c-20c off my load temps im now running it at a higher Vcore and @ 3.2 with better temps than stock with the stock cooler.

Also dont read to much into this shite with Vista, ive got Vista Premium and i used it before and after my upgrade of mobo cpu and ram, all it takes is a phone call to activate it again.