Socket 939 CPU Cooler

[elendil850]

I need help purchasing a cooler for my AMD 64 3200+

I'm currently using a HUGE Chieftec aluminum "matrix" case, but will most likely be upgrading to a P150 or a P180. (Most likely the P150)

What would be the best cooler for this case?

I've been looking at:

XP-120

Scythe Ninja Pro

Sonic Tower

Zalman 9500

Please help!

 

[scrawnypaleguy]

If you're going for the P150 or P180, I'd assume that you're going for silence. In that case, the ninja is your best bet. You could easily run it passively in a P180.

 

[UMfanatic]

oh know this is a bit extreme, bit I use a Tt Big Typhoon and it is amazing, it doesnt even give off much noise, I mean my PC makes alot of noise but thats because in total I have 3 120mm and 2 90mm fans running although its a bit chilly inside my case (Tt Armor VA8000BWS)

 

[elendil850]

I was thinking some about the Big Typhoon, do you use it with the stock fan, or have you changed it out for a more silent fan?

 

[Fullmetal Chocobo]

My vote = Thermalright SI-120. Ease of installation is wonderful, impressive performance. A good 120mm fan (yeah Sanyo Denki 120x38mm) cools the surrounding chips & RAM as well... And it's good looking....

 

[RallyMaster]

Sunbeam Tuniq Tower

 

[letdown427]

Ninja Pro.

In a P180, you could almost definately run it passively (unless you're running a large overclock, which is quite likely witha 3200+ ) and if you've got a fan controller too, the fan it comes with is silent at <950rpm, so you could consider that a freebie, and could use it to directly cool whatever you fancy...

 

[UMfanatic]

yeah the typhoon is a pain in the you know what to install but even with the stock fan it is really quiet, its the 4 case fans I have that make the noise

 

[LOUISSSSS]

second the ninja. get the passive one without the fan included. if u do need a fan later on get a nexus

 

[Pens1566]

My vote is also for the SI-120. Improved version of the XP. EZ install.

 

[Cruise51]

All of the coolers listed are top-knotch, the best of the best, but from what I've heard...
-XP-120 is lighter but performance is slightly lower compared to the others.
-Ninja is a good blend, performs great in all aspects.
-9500 is also a great blend.
-Sonic tower is king of the hill when equiped with 2 or 3 low-rpm 120mm fans but is simply MASSIVE! It can also be used passive if your not overclocking.
Be sure to get a cooler that will mount blowing from the front of the case to back, since some motherboards mount 90 degrees rotated from off normal. One of my rigs has the same case as yours, airflow direction is very important to keep temps down.

 

[zagood]

Good suggestions from all the posters. As far as the case goes, I have the P150 (chose it over the P180 for size reasons) and I love it. Paired with the 9500. Unfortunately, my 9500 has a little too much vibration to it, so once I find the right fan I'm going to mod it with a plate fabricated by Galvanized Yankee.

Here's a thread where I've discussed how I've set it up, and some plans:
http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...atid=37&threadid=1835809&enterthread=y

-z

 

[Operandi]

SI-120 + this Delta

 

[Arkane13131]

go with the ninja.

 

[WT]

Gigabyte G-Power Pro (dare to be different !!)

Review

 

[Bobthelost]

Originally posted by: WT
Gigabyte G-Power Pro (dare to be different !!)

Review

It's an undersized SI 120 with a crap translucent blue fan strapped to it. How different is that?

 

[WT]

Gee Bob, thanks for your clear and concise (but so eloquently worded) informational blurb on the cooler. I'm sure you read the review, or either needed to bump the postcount. Either way, thanks for playing, we have a lovely parting gift for you.

 

[elendil850]

Well, regardless of "a crap translucent blue fan" and "a lovely parting gift", the Gigabyte G-Power Pro (while being a very good product I'm sure) is much to noisy for me, as I'm trying to build a quiet computing system.

Thanks anyways for your input WT, I didn't know the G-Power existed and now I do! =)

 

[Starbuck1975]

This may seem like an odd question, but it seems like the appropriate thread...is an aftermarket CPU cooler really necessary for someone who does not overclock? Or is it advisable to get an aftermarket CPU cooler?

I have always used the retail stock CPU coolers that come packaged with AMD chips, and have never had an issue.

I am probably going to get the Athlon X2 3800+.

 

[potato28]

SI-120 and a good 120mm fan gets my vote.

 

[nycdude]

I have the 9500 on my Opteron and it keeps it nice and cool. I could not recommend it more.

 

[vlad4]

My choice would depend on the case that your going to be putting the cooler in. If you're using a mid-tower, I'd recommend the Thermalright XP-90c. The smaller footprint will give you room to work inside the case and it cools as well as the XP-120.

If it's a full tower, any that you have picked would be great, but I would still choose Thermalright XP-120 or XP-90c since the fan orientation also assists in cooling mosfets, etc. on the motherboard.

 

[alilxmas]

yea, I would also have to say the XP-120 - I had stuck in of these on mine and noticed a great drop in tempature, from the stock . . . I first stuck one of these on my P4 478 3.4GHz CPU, and temps dropped from 39/58 to 28/40, I run the fan on about halfway, its connected to my fan controller up front so If Im doing something intensive I just crank it up.

I really like how easy it is to remove the fan to blow out the bunnies that get into the fins.

 

[PSUPef2k]

I'm also looking for some increased air cooling for y new opteron 170. I was considering the AF64 Pro until I read it doesn't cover the entire surface of the opteron chips. Now I am looking at the Thermaltake Big typhoon and the Zalman 9500. Both, of which, worry me because of installation. Do they both require that the motherboard HSF mounting bracket be changed? Are there instructions anywhere for how to do this? If it is just a couple screws, that is fine, but I don't want to break the mobo prying off the stock mounting brackets.

 

[UMfanatic]

heatsink retension socket is easy to get off actually and if you want I can email you the instructions for the big typhoon, I own one and love the results it has provided me with. It is relatively simple, it just requires some patiences about sometime because you have to go slow as to not smudge the thermal paste, other than that your home free if your case will handle the bad boy as it is a big one.