Will the ZEROtherm Zen CPU cooler block first RAM slot on Gigabyte GA-MA790X-UD4?

[TuxedoBond]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16813128387]Gigabyte GA-MA790X-UD4P[/url]

Any help ASAP would be appreciated as I need to buy the RAM tonight.

I'd like to get this motherboard Over the MSI DKA790GX and the Foxconn A7DA-S, but from the pictures it looks like it will block my first RAM slot when using the http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16835887016]ZEROtherm FZ120 ZEN 120mm CPU Cooler[/url] which is 61mm + 25mm fan = 86mm and any RAM in the first slot with heat spreaders.

I have a http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16813138143]Biostar TA790GXB A2+[/url] with OCZ Reaper RAM and it only fits in the first slot by bending the RAM slighty. The Gigabyte looks to be much closer to the RAM slots, and the Reaper RAM is only about an 1/8" wider at the bottom then the http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16820220369]Patriot Viper DDR3 1333[/url]. It's the bottom part of the Reaper RAM which presses against the fan of the heat sink, not the top part. So even with thinner heat spreaders the Gigabyte looks like it won't fit even this http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16820145247]Corsair XMS2[/url].

Does anyone have a measurement of the amount of space between the CPU socket and the RAM slots or experience with a cooler the same size on this board.

 

[lopri]

Originally posted by: TuxedoBond
Will the ZEROtherm Zen CPU cooler block first RAM slot on Gigabyte GA-MA790X-UD4?

Yes.

 

[TuxedoBond]

Originally posted by: lopri

Originally posted by: TuxedoBond
Will the ZEROtherm Zen CPU cooler block first RAM slot on Gigabyte GA-MA790X-UD4?

Yes.

Enough that bending the RAM slightly is not an option as it is on the Biostar TA790GXB A2+?

 

[lopri]

Not an option at all even if you can somehow 'bend' memory sticks. You shouldn't bend memory sticks..

Depending on mounting orientation, the heatsink can block even the 2nd memory slot. You're much safer with a non-fancy shaped sticks.

 

[TuxedoBond]

Originally posted by: lopri
Not an option at all even if you can somehow 'bend' memory sticks. You shouldn't bend memory sticks..

Depending on mounting orientation, the heatsink can block even the 2nd memory slot. You're much safer with a non-fancy shaped sticks.

Even the Patriot Viper series would block it. However if I move up the heat sink fan a half inch it will probably fit even the OCZ Reaper. I'm not sure how much that will be a detriment to the cooling of the CPU.

 

[heyheybooboo]

It will be close - but I think you will make it.

With the RAMs installed the fins of the Zerotherm are a 1/2 inch above the installed stick in the first slot(with no heat spreader). In the area of the fan the distance narrows to 5/16ths of an inch. On my board it looks like the second DIMM slot will just barely clear the HSF assembly but as you noted that may not be the case with the Gigabyte.

Here's a pic

If you go with the P-Viper it's a slam dunk. Take nippers, a dremel tool, hack saw blade or whatever and carefully trim the fins to fit. Probably want to do that away from the mobo

Touch up the shine on the cut aluminum with a blue magic marker.

I wouldn't try to 'move' the fan up on the assembly. The 'wire-bracket' retention between the fan and fins works pretty well (surprised me, in fact). Re-engineering that mount effectively would be tough.


edit: Here is a pic on the clearance of the second DIMM slot.

 

[TuxedoBond]

BUMP.

 

[TuxedoBond]

Originally posted by: heyheybooboo
It will be close - but I think you will make it.

With the RAMs installed the fins of the Zerotherm are a 1/2 inch above the installed stick in the first slot(with no heat spreader). In the area of the fan the distance narrows to 5/16ths of an inch. On my board it looks like the second DIMM slot will just barely clear the HSF assembly but as you noted that may not be the case with the Gigabyte.

Here's a pic

If you go with the P-Viper it's a slam dunk. Take nippers, a dremel tool, hack saw blade or whatever and carefully trim the fins to fit. Probably want to do that away from the mobo

Touch up the shine on the cut aluminum with a blue magic marker.

I wouldn't try to 'move' the fan up on the assembly. The 'wire-bracket' retention between the fan and fins works pretty well (surprised me, in fact). Re-engineering that mount effectively would be tough.


edit: Here is a pic on the clearance of the second DIMM slot.

Thanks. I would have my cooler oriented vertically. Making a new wire should be simple for me. I'd prefer not to have to move it in case it reduces efficiency, but the OCZ Reaper is the cheaper choice than other RAM with smaller heat sinks.

 

[heyheybooboo]

Originally posted by: TuxedoBond

Originally posted by: heyheybooboo
It will be close - but I think you will make it.

With the RAMs installed the fins of the Zerotherm are a 1/2 inch above the installed stick in the first slot(with no heat spreader). In the area of the fan the distance narrows to 5/16ths of an inch. On my board it looks like the second DIMM slot will just barely clear the HSF assembly but as you noted that may not be the case with the Gigabyte.

Here's a pic

If you go with the P-Viper it's a slam dunk. Take nippers, a dremel tool, hack saw blade or whatever and carefully trim the fins to fit. Probably want to do that away from the mobo

Touch up the shine on the cut aluminum with a blue magic marker.

I wouldn't try to 'move' the fan up on the assembly. The 'wire-bracket' retention between the fan and fins works pretty well (surprised me, in fact). Re-engineering that mount effectively would be tough.


edit: Here is a pic on the clearance of the second DIMM slot.

Thanks. I would have my cooler oriented vertically. Making a new wire should be simple for me. I'd prefer not to have to move it in case it reduces efficiency, but the OCZ Reaper is the cheaper choice than other RAM with smaller heat sinks.

I'm not so sure you can orient the cooler that way.

IIRC I gave it some thought but it would require the latching mechanism to operate in parallel with the heat pipes on the HSF and I don't think that's going to happen.

Good luck with that if you give it a shot.

 

[WaitingForNehalem]

You could use this ram: http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16820144151

 

[TuxedoBond]

Originally posted by: heyheybooboo

Originally posted by: TuxedoBond

Originally posted by: heyheybooboo
It will be close - but I think you will make it.

With the RAMs installed the fins of the Zerotherm are a 1/2 inch above the installed stick in the first slot(with no heat spreader). In the area of the fan the distance narrows to 5/16ths of an inch. On my board it looks like the second DIMM slot will just barely clear the HSF assembly but as you noted that may not be the case with the Gigabyte.

Here's a pic

If you go with the P-Viper it's a slam dunk. Take nippers, a dremel tool, hack saw blade or whatever and carefully trim the fins to fit. Probably want to do that away from the mobo

Touch up the shine on the cut aluminum with a blue magic marker.

I wouldn't try to 'move' the fan up on the assembly. The 'wire-bracket' retention between the fan and fins works pretty well (surprised me, in fact). Re-engineering that mount effectively would be tough.


edit: Here is a pic on the clearance of the second DIMM slot.

Thanks. I would have my cooler oriented vertically. Making a new wire should be simple for me. I'd prefer not to have to move it in case it reduces efficiency, but the OCZ Reaper is the cheaper choice than other RAM with smaller heat sinks.

I'm not so sure you can orient the cooler that way.

IIRC I gave it some thought but it would require the latching mechanism to operate in parallel with the heat pipes on the HSF and I don't think that's going to happen.

Good luck with that if you give it a shot.

It can be mounted horizontally or vertically. The bracket screws onto the bottom in either orientation and doesn't get in the way. I have it vertically in another PC already.

 

[heyheybooboo]

Originally posted by: TuxedoBond

Originally posted by: heyheybooboo

Originally posted by: TuxedoBond

Originally posted by: heyheybooboo
It will be close - but I think you will make it.

With the RAMs installed the fins of the Zerotherm are a 1/2 inch above the installed stick in the first slot(with no heat spreader). In the area of the fan the distance narrows to 5/16ths of an inch. On my board it looks like the second DIMM slot will just barely clear the HSF assembly but as you noted that may not be the case with the Gigabyte.

Here's a pic

If you go with the P-Viper it's a slam dunk. Take nippers, a dremel tool, hack saw blade or whatever and carefully trim the fins to fit. Probably want to do that away from the mobo

Touch up the shine on the cut aluminum with a blue magic marker.

I wouldn't try to 'move' the fan up on the assembly. The 'wire-bracket' retention between the fan and fins works pretty well (surprised me, in fact). Re-engineering that mount effectively would be tough.


edit: Here is a pic on the clearance of the second DIMM slot.

Thanks. I would have my cooler oriented vertically. Making a new wire should be simple for me. I'd prefer not to have to move it in case it reduces efficiency, but the OCZ Reaper is the cheaper choice than other RAM with smaller heat sinks.

I'm not so sure you can orient the cooler that way.

IIRC I gave it some thought but it would require the latching mechanism to operate in parallel with the heat pipes on the HSF and I don't think that's going to happen.

Good luck with that if you give it a shot.

It can be mounted horizontally or vertically. The bracket screws onto the bottom in either orientation and doesn't get in the way. I have it vertically in another PC already.

Thanks. Good to know if I need to do it.

My mind might be going but if I recall in the 'vertical' I had around an 1/8-inch between the heat pipes on the cooler and the latch assembly and didn't want to mess with it. It made sense for me to blow 'north' out through the top chassis fan, anyway.