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Tower heatsinks

S

suszterpatt

Senior member
I'm planning to buy a new CPU cooler, because my Zalman CNPS-7000B AlCu is having trouble keeping temps just below 60 °C without overclocking, which I plan to get into later.


I know this isn't telling much without pics (and I'll try to post some when I get around to it), but the copper fins of the Zalman are already very close to my video card (one of its heatsinks, to be more precise). This could be explaining the random crashes I occasionally get.

Point is, there's not enough room for an XP120 or even a 90, as in my observation they are rather bulky. Instead, I've decided to buy a tower heatsink that will allow for some airflow between it and the vid card.

I was looking to get the Aerocool High Tower and install two 80mm GlacialTech fans on it for a total of 22dB of noise and 50cfm airflow. I've read good reviews about it, except for the fact that it's not very well finished, and it can be difficult to install. Never having installed an HSF before, I'm not quite sold on this, but the overall cooling performance seemed to be swell. It also has a cover on the sides that would prevent hot air from getting to the vid card.


My questions are:

1) Do I really need a tower heatsink? Are there smaller, regular coolers that could get me better temps?

2) If I do need a tower, is the HT right? I'd prefer a dual-fan solution.
 
Before you go spending money (which is very tempting to do I know) have you tried to reseat the heatsink? Is your 60C ceiling taken with the side panel on or off? What are the ambient temperatures? What thermal paste are you using?

A bit more information is needed before we can help you a lot.
 
those big Zalmans are not supposed to be used on the Neo 2. Update your BIOS to 1.80 as it fixes high temp readings. XP-90 is the best cooling solution for you, there is plenty of room for it on a Neo. It kept my 3500+ under 35 at idle.
 
Yeah you really wanna stick with either Zalman and Thermalright. I don't think it's the cooler itself...make sure you have it seated correctly and make sure your BIOS are up to date.
 
BIOS version is 6.00, dated this february. And the Zalman's been seated by professionals, so I don't think there's a problem with that.



My main beef with the xp90 is its noise. I'd rather take the HT and spare that 8 dB if it can provide sufficient cooling. Can it?
 
Originally posted by: suszterpatt
BIOS version is 6.00, dated this february. And the Zalman's been seated by professionals, so I don't think there's a problem with that.



My main beef with the xp90 is its noise. I'd rather take the HT and spare that 8 dB if it can provide sufficient cooling. Can it?
Click to expand...

You can choose the fan you put on top of the XP-90. You can have the noisest 92mm fan going or the most silent, or even one in between.
 
Well yeah, but I can't find a fairly silent 92mm fan that doesn't have drastically lower airflow (not surprisingly), and even those are a good bit louder than the two 80mm fans I would place on the HT. How much flow is needed to move enough air away from the heatsink on the xp90?


Btw... idiotic question I know, but can you choose the alignment of the cooler on the socket, or does it fit in only one position? It's possible that it won't fit if the 116mm side reaches towards the vid card. (The Zalman has a span of 109mm and almost touches it). Even if it does, I'd rather not have the two hottest pieces of hardware so close to each other.
 
First, what is BIOS version 6.00? They come in increments of 1.x0, for example I have 1.80 (which is the latest).

Also, I highly recommend that you stick with Thermalright or that Zalman you have now. The problem with your train of thought is that you think that those two 80mm fans, each with a cfm of, say, 20 each, add up to 40cfm. Well, that's not the case.
 
I dont know those fans, however there are very few fans that can obtain a true 22db rating. AFAIK, Panaflo, Nexus, are 2 of the few select brands that can.

The only tower heatsink that I have seen a convincingly ok review of is the Scythe Ninja as recently reviewed by Silentpcreview. They compared it to the XP120!!

Otherwise, tower heatsinks look deadly for normal tower computers as they apply torque to the cpu socket. May or may not be a concern for you.

XP-90 is also a great heatsink (and quiet soln) when paired with low flow 92mm panaflo or nexus fans.
 
Originally posted by: Mrvile
First, what is BIOS version 6.00? They come in increments of 1.x0, for example I have 1.80 (which is the latest).

Also, I highly recommend that you stick with Thermalright or that Zalman you have now. The problem with your train of thought is that you think that those two 80mm fans, each with a cfm of, say, 20 each, add up to 40cfm. Well, that's not the case.
Click to expand...
Both CPU-Z and MVPCInfo list BIOS as being 6.00. Otherwise it's dated 02/17/2005, which was around the last time I flashed it. I'll flash it again tomorrow and see if it makes any difference.


And why wouldn't 2x25 cfm, installed on the two opposite sides of the HS not add up to at least 40cfm?
 
Originally posted by: Tiamat
I dont know those fans, however there are very few fans that can obtain a true 22db rating. AFAIK, Panaflo, Nexus, are 2 of the few select brands that can.

The only tower heatsink that I have seen a convincingly ok review of is the Scythe Ninja as recently reviewed by Silentpcreview. They compared it to the XP120!!

Otherwise, tower heatsinks look deadly for normal tower computers as they apply torque to the cpu socket. May or may not be a concern for you.

XP-90 is also a great heatsink (and quiet soln) when paired with low flow 92mm panaflo or nexus fans.
Click to expand...
The two 120mm SilentBlades I have in my case are rated at 19 dB too, and I could not tell the noise difference when I installed them.


And just how much of a concern is torque supposed to be? Is there any real chance it will cause damage to the socket?
 
I have the 7000A AlCu on my 3000+ @ 2.5GHz and it stays under 45C load even on hot summer days. There's something wonky with your setup.
 
Originally posted by: suszterpatt
Originally posted by: Tiamat
I dont know those fans, however there are very few fans that can obtain a true 22db rating. AFAIK, Panaflo, Nexus, are 2 of the few select brands that can.

The only tower heatsink that I have seen a convincingly ok review of is the Scythe Ninja as recently reviewed by Silentpcreview. They compared it to the XP120!!

Otherwise, tower heatsinks look deadly for normal tower computers as they apply torque to the cpu socket. May or may not be a concern for you.

XP-90 is also a great heatsink (and quiet soln) when paired with low flow 92mm panaflo or nexus fans.
Click to expand...
The two 120mm SilentBlades I have in my case are rated at 19 dB too, and I could not tell the noise difference when I installed them.


And just how much of a concern is torque supposed to be? Is there any real chance it will cause damage to the socket?
Click to expand...

Enough that they recommend you remove the heatsink tower when you move your computer (like from home to school).

2 fans in series do not add airflow. 2 fans in paralel add airflow.

Think of it this way, the exhaust fan limits what total airflow leaves the system. You will get increased static pressure however. Increased pressure is good when you are trying to force air through restrictions - like water cooling radiators.

 
Interesting. After half a day of internet detective work, I came across the Papst 3412NGLE (german .pdf). It's supposedly pushing 36 cfm at 23dB (as opposed to the Panaflow's 48 cfm at 30dB). Would be a nice fit on the XP90. Anyone have any experience with this company?
 
Originally posted by: suszterpatt
Interesting. After half a day of internet detective work, I came across the Papst 3412NGLE (german .pdf). It's supposedly pushing 36 cfm at 23dB (as opposed to the Panaflow's 48 cfm at 30dB). Would be a nice fit on the XP90. Anyone have any experience with this company?
Click to expand...

pabst has qual control issues. If you buy 10 of those fans, you will likely be able to notice that 6 of them are all different sounding.

You should be fine with the panaflo 92mm l1BX found at jab-tech
 
That makes me very upset. I do not like to be upset.


Anyway, even if it's 26dB, it beats everything I found so far. I can't find any decent 92mm fans in this damned city.
 
Originally posted by: MDE
I have the 7000A AlCu on my 3000+ @ 2.5GHz and it stays under 45C load even on hot summer days. There's something wonky with your setup.
Click to expand...

QFT.

A Zalman 7000 should be more then enough for that proc. My 3400+ never breaks 50C and it's like 37C ambient in my room these days.
 
Weird.



Well, since I can't seem to find any decent 92mm fans, I may just try to reset the cooler for now. Could the temps be so high because the thermal paste didn't have enough time to set in?
 
Originally posted by: suszterpatt
Interesting. After half a day of internet detective work, I came across the Papst 3412NGLE (german .pdf). It's supposedly pushing 36 cfm at 23dB (as opposed to the Panaflow's 48 cfm at 30dB). Would be a nice fit on the XP90. Anyone have any experience with this company?
Click to expand...

The Panaflo 92mm L1A pushes 42.7 cfm @ 27.0 dB. I doubt you are going to get much better than a Panaflo fan. They are just so hard to beat.
 
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