Software CPU coolers

[mithrandir2001]

I just want to say I am amazed at the performance of a freeware CPU cooler I downloaded. It's called WinCooler...and it is probably very similar to Rain and Waterfall. Why am I impressed? It knocks down my idle CPU temps by a good 10C and I've run benchmarks both when it is active and inactive and they are almost precisely the same...NO performance hit. I'll come out of playing Quake for an hour and my CPU temp will drop from 44 to 34 in a matter of minutes. Really neat and I can't think of a single drawback whatsoever.

 

[TunaBoo]

You are not running win2k, right?

 

[bacillus]

that sounds cool!

 

[McCarthy]

Yeah, 2k has processor cooling built in, right?

Just replied to another thread on this topic, used to run RAIN on a P150 overclocked to 200...could run it without a fan and it'd stay room temp. Just barely got warm web browsing and stuff. Of course put the fan back on, was just a curiosity, but it was sure a drastic difference then.

Tried with my Athlon, few degrees, but nothing like then. Kinda odd.

Only downside - you may think your system is stable at X speed with X cooling until you play Quake or whatever and bypass the software cooling, then crash. And certain cpu intensive things you use to test might not heat it up the same (example: a test heavy on integer, FPU is still software cooled, 100%, stable, think it's ok, use something which is using both and crash).

Not a biggie, but there is a wee little downside

--Mc