I'm purchasing a C2D E6420 next week and, obviously, the first thing I'd like to do with it is overclock. I'm not looking to break any overclocking records with it but would like to get a decent OC out of it. As far as a new heatsink goes, I'm looking for something that is a combination of good overclocking/cooling performance while maintaining a low noise level. Any suggestions?
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New heatsink suggestion
- Thread starter outlaw88
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I have a E6400 and had it OC'd to 3.2ghz with an Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro. Its a decent cooler and good for low noise and kept my system stable. However, I recently replaced it for the Enzotech Ultra-X and saw a huge drop in temps but am sacrificing with a little more noise.
D
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2nd the recomendation on the ultra-x
can't speak to the noise being a problem, even cranked to max the ultra-x makes less noise than the fans in my antec 900
guess it's a good thing i use headphones
can't speak to the noise being a problem, even cranked to max the ultra-x makes less noise than the fans in my antec 900
guess it's a good thing i use headphones
sabregen
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i'd say zalman 9700, or NT series (the 110mm flavor), a Sunbeam Tuniq Tower 120, Thermalright Ultra 120, or 120 Extreme, ThermalTake Big Typhoon VX, or Max orb, Freezer Pro 7
any of those would do just fine
any of those would do just fine
That's a huge range and I don't want outlaw to get the idea that all those offer comparable performance/noise. The thing we're missing is what price range or what kind of cooling performance is desired here.
The Freezer 7 would be in the ~$30 range and is often recommended as the "cheapest decent cooler," in that it is by no means crappy and is a good solution if you aren't willing to spend any more. The Thermalright Ultra 120/Ultra 120 eXtreme are at the opposite end of the spectrum, offering top cooling performance for top dollar.
sabregen
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it wasn't my intent to give the impression that these are all comparable. He asked for a list of "I'm looking for something that is a combination of good overclocking/cooling performance while maintaining a low noise level" since the specs were a bit vague, I threw out a bunch of suggestions. I do not disagree with your concern, I share it as well. We do need more specifics from the OP, if we are to narrow the list. How about some ideas from you? Help fill in the list?
filthysanchez
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Scythe Mine's a good cooler, I have one cooling my 3500+
I get about 35C under orthos load at stock speeds
WintersFury
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I'd say go for the Thermalright Ultra-120 or the extreme version of it. Very good cooling and a very low delta of idle to load temps as well. And since you can put any 120mm fan on it (Some need modding if they have closed areas where it would normally be screwed in) so you can pick your noise to airflow ratio to be whatever you want.
Scythe Mine looks like an excellent choice for performance at low noise levels and can be found at bargain prices.
Not really true... have a look at the review linked in my previous post... the Ultra 120/120X are geared for high-speed fans and don't perform well with low-speed (quiet) fans.
This is not true @ all.
The best Heastinks to date are the Ultra and Xtreme 120. And the best pard is that any fan can be used. I use mine with a fan spinning @ 1500 RPM's (Ultra quiet) and it works wonders!
Another vote for Thermalright Ultra-120 Extreme...
No more worry on CPU dept.
When you get the FAN, make sure it will be easily snapped-tied..
Otherwise you may need a tiny mode..
Check the following post.
[http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1197451]
No more worry on CPU dept.
When you get the FAN, make sure it will be easily snapped-tied..
Otherwise you may need a tiny mode..
Check the following post.
[http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1197451]
If you look at the link I posted, the Ultra 120 performs well under par with a ~1200rpm fan (the Scythe Mine betters it by 10C at that fan speed). I'm sure that the extra heatpipe on the Extreme will let it perform better (not 10C though) and the higher fan speed you're using (~1500) will also make a difference.
I also like to stay clear of terms like "Ultra Quiet".. quiet for one person is loud to another.
I also like to stay clear of generalities like "The best Heatsink". Best is relative. Best fitting? Best mb mounting mechanism? Best looks? Best weight? Best price? Best fan mounting mechanism? Best performance with a 2000rpm fan? Best performance with a 1000rpm fan? Best performance with no fan? I'm pretty sure that you what you meant by that was "best cooling performance", but you have to qualify that with the fan speed and other test-conditions.
For high overclocks, running higher (louder) fan speeds, the Ultra 120 Extreme, Tuniq Tower and EnzoTech Ultra-X are probably the top coolers on the market (the Zalman 9700, Scythe Infinity, Scythe Ninja, Noctua NH-U12 and Thermaltake Big Typhoon VX might also be excellent choices, depending on your configuration and other requirements).
My point was/is, that at lower fan speeds, on hot cpus (the one used in that review was generating ~165W), there are better performing, less expensive, lighter weight HSFs than the Tuniq and Ultra 120 (to be fair, the Ultra 120 Extreme was not included in that review, so we don't have it's numbers with that fan, on that cpu, at that cpu speed/voltage in that case/air-flow environment).
...to get some idea of noise levels, take a look at this link. A recording of the Papst fan used in the review linked above can be found there, along with an mCubed X12 fan running at ~1600rpm (this is a re-branded Yate Loon fan, known for quietness). You can also hear the Scythe S-Flex SFF21F (1577rpm).
You are right about the different conditions that will affect the "best" concept.
AFAIK, with Core 2 Duo's, which is what the OP will be using, there is no better cooler than the Ultra 120 or Xtreme 120.
I personally have used a 9500 LED, 9700 LED, Tuniq Tower 120 and the Thermalright Ultra 120.
I kept the Thermalright ultra 120 since it performed better everywhere and it allowed me to use the quietest fan. I could even use that monster without a fan while overclocking.
In terms of mounting the HSF, it also wins there. The Zalman installation is good, but getting the second screw in is a tad complicated. The Tuniq Tower 120 is a pain to install with those retarded THUMB screws. The Ultra 120 is a pleasure to work with, and the fact that it allows a fan of choice that can be seen (LED's in my case) gives it another big +
"there is no better cooler than..." There you go again...
Actually, according to the chart in that review, the Tuniq performed considerably better than the Ultra 120 at it's lowest fan speed, compared to the Ultra 120 with a simlar fan speed (59C vs 68C)... of course you may be talking about a higher (louder) fan speed and different input temperatures could also make a difference.
There are scads of problem reports in various forums for the Ultra 120 eXtreme having to do with it's mounting mechansim, from un-even/un-smooth/warped base plates to 'weak' pressure (being able to easily rotate the HSF to and fro after mounting), though those two particular issues are probably related. Maybe it (or yours, at least) still works fine and performs well, but many feel like they need to lap the thing before use.
The EnzoTech Ultra-X gets extremely high marks on it's mounting mechanism, from all reports I've seen. I'd say that the Ultra-X "wins here"
.The Scythe Mine and CM Hyper Tx use the Intel push-pin mounting, which some hate, but some love (when used correctly) due to not having to remove the mb.
etc.
As for fan choice, many of the other heatsinks also allow you to use your fan of choice... the Tuniq Tower allows any 120x25mm fan and the Scythe Mine allows any 25mm thick fan (it comes with a quiet 100mm fan, but you can easily and securely mount a 120mm or even 140mm fan in there if you want and have the clearance). Just for completeness, the Ultra 120 fan clips are designed for 120mm fans (which can be thicker than 25mm), but you need to make sure the corners are 'open' (not a big deal to mod a close-cornered fan to fit, just noting it as an issue).
As for weight:
(a typical 120mm fan weighs anywhere from ~100g to ~170g, so let's say 120g for a fan for those that don't have/list one).
Ultra 120 (no fan): 745g + 120g = 865g
Ultra 120X (no fan): 790g + 120g = 910g
Tuniq T120 (no fan): 798g + 120g = 918g
Scythe Mine (w/fan): 560g
CM Hyper Tx (w/fan): 482g
As for size, noone would (seriously) call the Tuniq 'compact'
. And the Ultra 120s are well... ~120mm wide. The Scythe Mine has an advantage here, with it's 100mm fan, but room to grow with a larger fan if you have room. The Hyper Tx is fairly svelt, with it's 92mm fan (the blades are actually about the same size as a 100mm fan, but the frame is still smaller overall than 100mm fan).As for cost,
- I saw a recent link for the Ultra 120X on sale for $46.25 (but shipping costs from CAD may be prohibitive).. it's normally found in the ~$60 range.
- The Tuniq can be found as low as $45.33 (be sure to check shipping), but is normally in the $50-$55 range.
- The Scythe Mine can be found for $28.99, but is normally found for low $30s to low $40s range.
- The CM Hyper Tx can be found for $24.21 to $26.99 and a bit higher at other places (and shipping costs from each site will vary).
Anyway, the "best" choice for any particular setup (core 2 duo or any other) will depend on many of the above variables, as well as others (availability, case air-flow setup, aesthetics, surrounding component clearances, etc).
The OP was looking for a quiet cooler for a decent overclock on an E6420. The truth is, any of the above (as well as many others) will do that, so that's where some of the other factors start weighing in more heavily... is cost a factor? size? weight? best-performing at lowest noise levels?
You sir, have done your homework!
Many valid points there!
BTW, my Ultra 120 moves a bit from side to side, and so did all Zalman CPU coolers I've owned ( I used to be a Zalman freak). And so does my brother's Tuniq Tower 120 which I have installed about 5 times already.
Never had to lap a CPU or a Heatsink. However, that has become a trend around every forum lately. People running crappy cases with no air flow or hot ambient temperatures, have to blame the heatsink or CPU and become trigger happy about lapping.
I mean, was the word lap used as much before the release of Conroe?
WTH!
Many valid points there!
BTW, my Ultra 120 moves a bit from side to side, and so did all Zalman CPU coolers I've owned ( I used to be a Zalman freak). And so does my brother's Tuniq Tower 120 which I have installed about 5 times already.
Never had to lap a CPU or a Heatsink. However, that has become a trend around every forum lately. People running crappy cases with no air flow or hot ambient temperatures, have to blame the heatsink or CPU and become trigger happy about lapping.
I mean, was the word lap used as much before the release of Conroe?
WTH!
@orion23,
Go check out the link on post #14... one person showed how he tied it up, and got better temp reading after all...
So far i have seen no benchmarks that say that the Ultra 120X is ALOT better than your tuniq tower maybe a degree difference....either way you get a really nice cooler
Zalman doesnt let you replace the fan on it so that might suffer long term
one way or the other if you stay with the top from thermaltake or thermalright you cant go wrong
Zalman doesnt let you replace the fan on it so that might suffer long term
one way or the other if you stay with the top from thermaltake or thermalright you cant go wrong
You sir, have done your homework!
Many valid points there!
Thanks
. Actually, I had been out of shopping mode for several years and just recently ended up replacing most of my old gear. I spent about 3.5 months researching and reading everything I could find on current heatsinks and fans. So (just to be clear), most of what I'm saying is not from direct experience with all those heatsinks, just a summary of what I've learned from my research over that time.BTW, on the subject of the Intel push-pins... as I recently posted in another thread, I think a problem that some/many people (apparently not only me, at least
) have with them is not operating them correctly.If you asked me, I'd swear that I read the instructions and everything, but maybe I read what I wanted to see or something... anyway, what I thought you did was:
1. push pins until they click in place
2. rotate pin counter-clockwise into a 'locked' position.
...turns out that rotating the knob counter-clockwise (direction of arrows) is how you 'unlock' the thing for removal (!). So I'd get two of them pushed in and then twist them. I'd then move to the other two and the first two would pop out - frustrating!
I don't mind looking stupid, if it helps someone else, so.. don't do that ^^.
Just make sure the knobs are rotated clockwise and push them in until they click and you're done - takes about 30 seconds to install the thing.
Retsam
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Im actually in the same situation. Looking for a decent heatsink. I wanted to go budget and went with an Ultra90 but for my high room temps, it seems that was a mistake.
I think ive narrowed it down to Scythe Ninja, Scythe Mine, Cooler master hyper tx or ultra120. I have no clue on that cooler master tx, because I havnt seen too many people with those nor have checked any reviews yet. Im trying to not buy the ultra 120 because I dont want to spend over $35-$40.
The only thing im unsure on is if I should care about which mounting system the heatsinks have. Im not convinced that those damn pushpins are the best method of mounting those heavy heatsinks.
I think ive narrowed it down to Scythe Ninja, Scythe Mine, Cooler master hyper tx or ultra120. I have no clue on that cooler master tx, because I havnt seen too many people with those nor have checked any reviews yet. Im trying to not buy the ultra 120 because I dont want to spend over $35-$40.
The only thing im unsure on is if I should care about which mounting system the heatsinks have. Im not convinced that those damn pushpins are the best method of mounting those heavy heatsinks.
For some Hyper Tx review info, check the bottom of this thread. I actually ended up going with the Hyper Tx, because it suited my particular needs well - low noise (I can't hear it), low price, light weight, easy-install, small foot-print, helps cool vrm/pwm and nice cooling for a modest-to-moderate overclock without cranking up the cpu voltage on my E6400.
When I was ready to make my purchase, the Scythe Mine really hadn't grabbed my attention (I hadn't found it for sub-$30 pricing at the time)... I'm perfectly happy with the CM Hyper Tx, but if I was doing it again today, I think it would be a tough choice between the Tx and the Mine.
Re: push-pins... I love the ease-of-use, now that I know how they work
. I wouldn't have any problem with them on something like the Scythe Mine, but I'd certainly want a bolt-through setup on something as heavy as the Scythe Infinity.Just to clarify, I have an Antec P182 case, with the 3 Tri-Cool fans set to 'low'. I also added a Sharkoon 'Golfball' 1000 to the upper bay as an intake and I have a 60mm Vantec Stealth fan on the NB (using a 40-60mm adapter).
I have all PWM control turned off on the heatsink and have it running at 100% (~1800rpm) all the time. With the stock Intel heatsink, I could use SpeedFan to run the speed up and down and definately hear it changing. With the Hyper Tx, when I run the speed up and down, I see the rpms change, but I can't hear any difference at all... same thing for the 60mm NB fan... I can't hear it either (the little 40mm screamer it replaced could be heard from another room
).I think the loudest fan left in my rig now is the one on my XFX 7900 GS. I know I can hear it when it speeds up, so it may also be the high-water mark when it's running slower... either that or the Tri-Cools on low.
Retsam
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My problem is this. I have an Ultra90 right now. Right now, its fairly warm out, and my room ambience is 80F. Ok, my idle temps right now with stock speed/volts on E6400 is 50C.................... Needless to say wtf? I am using a 120mm fan which is apparently not the best idea, since its made for a 92mm fan but.....
From what ive seen in the majority of reviews, the Ultra90 is a better performer over than Freezer 7 pro right? Ok, I just read a few reviews last night on the Cooler master hyper Tx. One specially compared the Hyper Tx to the Freezer 7 and the results were almost identical. Freezer 7 was actually slightly better. Ok, the freezer 7 is $20 shipped and the hyper tx would end up being around $30 shipped. So basically if the Ultra90 is supposed to perform better than both of those two heatsinks, I have to rule those out and go for the bigger sluggers like the Mine, Ultra 120, etc.... These obviously cost more. Not the mine so much but.....
At this point in time, I am considering the Scythe Mine, Scythe Ninja, Freezer7 or Hyper tx, or Zalman 9500. I got an offer for a zalman 9500 for $35 shipped so maybe I should go with that.
From what ive seen in the majority of reviews, the Ultra90 is a better performer over than Freezer 7 pro right? Ok, I just read a few reviews last night on the Cooler master hyper Tx. One specially compared the Hyper Tx to the Freezer 7 and the results were almost identical. Freezer 7 was actually slightly better. Ok, the freezer 7 is $20 shipped and the hyper tx would end up being around $30 shipped. So basically if the Ultra90 is supposed to perform better than both of those two heatsinks, I have to rule those out and go for the bigger sluggers like the Mine, Ultra 120, etc.... These obviously cost more. Not the mine so much but.....
At this point in time, I am considering the Scythe Mine, Scythe Ninja, Freezer7 or Hyper tx, or Zalman 9500. I got an offer for a zalman 9500 for $35 shipped so maybe I should go with that.
Scythe Mine with a 800RPM 120mm fan here, and it really does get the job done.
Right now though ambient temps are too high, around 80F, and I idle around 41C. I might try sicking a 120mm higher RPM fan later in this summer, but as of now, the ambient temps are too high that more "warm" air flowing through the heatsink, I'm afraid it will not do much.
Plus, it's also like the coolest looking heat sink ever
Just a warning to anyone considering this heat sink - as good as a value it is - pain in the ass to install. My DS3 has a nice bend because I had to put that much pressure down on the pins to get them secure.
Right now though ambient temps are too high, around 80F, and I idle around 41C. I might try sicking a 120mm higher RPM fan later in this summer, but as of now, the ambient temps are too high that more "warm" air flowing through the heatsink, I'm afraid it will not do much.
Plus, it's also like the coolest looking heat sink ever
Just a warning to anyone considering this heat sink - as good as a value it is - pain in the ass to install. My DS3 has a nice bend because I had to put that much pressure down on the pins to get them secure.
Retsam
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Hum. I see. It sounds like you have similar ambience temps. The mine is just pushpins right? Should be fairly easy to install. Why is it difficult?
One trick ive learned with the pushpins, is to put the pins in the "unlock" position first, push it down, which should be very minimal resistance, then turn the pin to the lock position while holding it down. I think that is far easier and you dont have to resort to pushing with all your might to get the thing clicked down.
Basically im trying to figure out now is which is better between the Mine and Ninja. Then ill decide if I should go with either of those or the Ultra120 or Zalman 9500. Process of elimination.
One trick ive learned with the pushpins, is to put the pins in the "unlock" position first, push it down, which should be very minimal resistance, then turn the pin to the lock position while holding it down. I think that is far easier and you dont have to resort to pushing with all your might to get the thing clicked down.
Basically im trying to figure out now is which is better between the Mine and Ninja. Then ill decide if I should go with either of those or the Ultra120 or Zalman 9500. Process of elimination.
filthysanchez
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I have a scythe mine, it keeps my 3500+ at 31C idle, and 35C orthos load.
24C ambient
24C ambient
One more vote for Ultra-X... The thumbscrews are a bit tricky to tighten - they're obstructed by the heatpipes and fins so you have to contort your hand in interesting ways, especially if you have a tall chipset cooler like on eVGA 680i's. Other than that I have no complaints about it. It WILL blow away the other coolers if you have a side intake for the CPU in the correct position. If not, get a tower cooler...
T. Andrew Garrett
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Purchase one of the solidstate portable sandwich/beverage coolers (the 12 v. kind for your auto) These utilize a thermionic solid state cooler plate ( voltage applied chills one side, and
emits heat on other)
Tear it apart, carefully, and mount the thermionic plate to your cpu, using lots of heat sink paste, apply a ducted (tunnel) type cooling fan to the heat side, connect to 12v.d.c. and this plate will chill your cpu to about 40 - 43 degrees f.
A direct source for solid state chill plates is: http://www.ferrotec.com
emits heat on other)
Tear it apart, carefully, and mount the thermionic plate to your cpu, using lots of heat sink paste, apply a ducted (tunnel) type cooling fan to the heat side, connect to 12v.d.c. and this plate will chill your cpu to about 40 - 43 degrees f.
A direct source for solid state chill plates is: http://www.ferrotec.com