Liqourice

My old CNPS9500AM2 isn't doing a very good job for my Phenom 9850 so I need a new cooler.

Though, I really don't know what cooler I should get. Obviously one that is more effective but I wonder if just about any cooler fits considering that the mems are so close and they are quite high.

Here's some pics of how it looks right now.





I worry that some of the coolers out there just won't work well with the memory coolers on those Corsair sticks.

Anyone have a good suggestion?

GigaWatt

i'm not not much into cooling, i don't like to keep my rig freezing (it should disipate heat, it's a machine after all ), but what seems to be the problem with your current cooler, it seems to be an nVidia model... as far as i know, they are pritty good...?

btw, nice rig...

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Judas

i doubt it's your cpu cooler.. looks like your case is preventing your current cooler to work to it's full capabilities.

i mean it's forced to recycle most of all the air if all you got is a 92mm or 80mm fan at the back and that's it.


I would suggest a coolermaster RC-690 before a new cpu cooler....

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mkk

Yeah the case doesn't quite look like it's up to the task. But try dusting off the system using a can of compressed air and see what load temps you get afterwards.

A Desire to Game

Dude, that CPU cooler should be more than sufficient! What temps are you getting? I would suggest what all these guys are saying:

1) Dust out your case. Dust in your fans and on your components decreases air flow and their ability to cool.

2) Replace that 80mm fan in the rear with something with some girth. 120mm will do you nicely. If noise is a problem go with a Scythe fan. They are pricey for a fan, but are efficient and QUIET. Maybe add another fan for intake.

3) What kind of thermal paste are you using? When was the last time you changed it? I try to reapply mine annually. Arctic Silver 5 or MX-2 compound works a little better I hear.

4) If all else fails, replace that case dude. Those components look a little TOO nice for the case they are sittin in...no offense. Do your rig the justice it deserves. CM 690 is a very reliable case. So is the good ole' ANTEC 900 which is a cooling machine.

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DJShamrock

Have you thought about mt AC2PC mod?
How to cool your PC for under $20

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Tipstaff

Liqourice, have you run the system with the side panel off, and if so, are the temps lower?

As it is I have to go with everyone else on this one, and say that you should look to a new case first.

As for a cooler, Mark (MoonWalker) from Yoyo-Tech posted up a review from Benchmarkreviews.com he read on CPU coolers in their part of the forums HERE. Seeing how the Xigmatek HDT-S1283 did in the tests I decided to grab it along with the Crossbow bolt-through kit (not needed for AMD CPUs due to their direct socket clamp design). Best buy I've made all year for my computer, and it only cost me $40 in the end to get both parts ($30 for the cooler, $10 for the Crossbow).

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Liqourice

I AM running with the side panel off because I know the case isn't very good. I don't dare to run with the case closed. I have no idea what the temps would be with the panel on. I even use a small table fan to push some extra air in there.

So, it's safe to say that it's not the case, even though I know I need to get a better one. I know, it has a bit to do with airflow and thermodynamics but still, if the cooler was enough it would be at least a little bit lower in temp. Right now I doubt a bigger fan in the back will help since the case is open.

Idle temp right now, with the cpu @ stock speed and the case open is 42 degrees. When I OC to 3.2GHz load temps goes up to 67-68 on all cores.

As for the dust. It's not as dusty as it looks. Using the flash on the camera just makes it look like a lot. BLowing compressed air on it doesn't help as it is now, I've used q-tips and compressed air to try and remove as much as I possibly can.

And I'm using Arctic Silver 5.

GigaWatt

well... that's not too high, mine goes up to 60 at stock clock speed... but that's just me... i don't bother with cooling too much... as long as it doesn't go over 80...

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Judas

um..


it's not exactly efficient cooling with the side panel off and blowing air into it either...

the whole point of a god cooling system is flow. And right now, your basically blasting air at something without having anywhere for it to go properly. It's likely still recirculating what you've got.

A good case would be your wisest investment i think still... one in which all the air comes from the front and bottom and out the back and top.... a consistant single directional flow of new air.

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Liqourice

Trust me, I know that. I'm not just randomly blowing air in with that table fan. It only makes a 1-2 degree difference. Honestly, I don't think a new case will make more difference than that. Perhaps a new cooler won't either but that means something else is wrong. I had the same kind of temps with the Gigabyte 790FX board, with the temporary Asrock nforce3 board the temps were about 10 degrees lower. Only difference there was the lower HT frequency

I am getting a new case but not right now, a new cooler is cheaper to begin with. Can't afford the case atm.

Oh well.. we'll see what happens. I reseated it yesterday with new cooling paste so I have to let it be for a few days until I have the final result.

blibbax

You could get a much better case for less than the price of a significantly better CPU cooler. Maybe an Antec 300?

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Liqourice

I'm not so sure about that. I don't want to buy a case that's not significally better.

I don't know, I've been looking at this case.

http://www.nanopoint.co.uk/en/produc...e_objectID=945

Not so sure about the fan on the side though but that can always be disconnected. But, it costs twice of the prices for the best coolers.

I checked that case but it just doesn't feel right to have the PSU at the bottom, and it costs just as much as a good cooler.

Mousey

I've got the CNPS9700, the only differences as far as i know are the fan sizes and it does a fantastic job of cooling my E4500. Down in the low 20's at stock and even under load it doesn't top 30 most of the time.
Try a new case first with more exhaust fans at the back, Zalmans rely on there being a lot of ventilation as far as im' aware and your case just doesn't seem to have the capacity to move enough air through it.

Just incase you want an example to work around - i've got 1x cool air intake at front, 2x rear exhausts and sometimes use a top exhaust.

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x.clay

I have a Zalman CNPS 9500 running on an Intel C2D E8500 in a CM 690 case and it does a good job keeping things cool. I have a similar set-up with 2 sticks of Corsair dominator RAM (with memory fan) in front on my CPU fan and the case is tucked in cubby in my desk. My normal CPU temps at idle are around 37 C (a little high, probably because of where I keep my case). The highest temps I get on my CPU after an extended burn test is about 50 C. My case is well ventilated with 2 120mm intake fans (bottom and front) and 2 120mm exhaust fans (back and top).

You might also want to check your BIOS to see if you have a speed control for your CPU fan. You might be able to turn it up a bit an get a little better cooling without having to pay for a new CPU heatsink/fan. I have a Gigabyte board and it has options to allow motherboard monitor the speed or I can manually change the speed.

Liqourice

No, it's running at full speed, I've made sure of that.

We'll see what I'll do.. as it is right now I can't afford a decent case so I guess I'll live with this for now.

Mousey

Anything with more fan ports will do the job mate, see what you can find cheap as a temporary thing or an experiment perhaps?

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Liqourice

I've bought "temporary" stuff before, that's what I did when I got this cheap case... that tends to end up being a bad choise so I'd better stop eating for a few weeks and buy a decent case instead!

OldBuzzard

For a new case with excellent cooling, you should sheck out the Coolermaster CM690 and RC590. Both are very good. The 590 is a bit cheaper than the 690. I have a 690 and love it. I like the exterior design of the 590 better, but like the internals of the 690 best. I prefer the slide in HDD mounting system of the 690 as opposed to the 'modual' system of the 590.

I have no idea what their reputation is, or how their pricing compares to others. But after stumbling around on a few Swedish sites I found these:

http://www.microstore.se/ItemInfo?it...ion+590,+Svart

http://www.dustin.se/pd_5010114623.aspx

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Liqourice

I don't know. It still feels wrong to have the psu at the bottom.

x.clay

CM 690 is a great case. Not sure how prices are in Europe but I managed to get mine for around $60 including taxes and delivery with a rebate offer. I have read some good things about the Antec 300 case as well. I have seen it listed for under $40 and have read several reviews stating it is a great budget gaming case with a price that is hard to beat.

Liqourice

I wish those prices were realistic here but you have to double them to get what I have to pay.

x.clay

That stinks. I can understand your hesitation in getting a new case with prices like that. I don't have any experience with case mods but you could always pull out the power tools and make a better exhaust port in the back of you case. A 120 mm fan and fan grill wouldn't cost too much and would move a lot more air than what you have in there now. If you have unused drive bays you could look at rigging up an extra fan in the front to pull in cool air. I have one in my case basically held in with a couple of zip ties. I can't tell much from the pictures but you could also look a some cable management to make sure the cables aren't blocking air flow. Just a couple of ideas since it looks like you are going to have to make due with what you have for now. It doesn't sound like you are too attached to the case so it might be fun to take it into the shop and see what you can do with it.

Liqourice

The big problem with my case is that it's just to small, I just about barely get the 3870X2 in there.. Though, I've been thinking about putting a fan in the 5 1/4 drive bays.. but I'm a bit lazy too, hoping a new fan would make difference enough until I feel I can afford a good case.

x.clay

Well if you do get creative or adventurous, make sure to post a couple of pics

OldBuzzard

That right there could very well be the problem. With the 3870 X2 taking up all of that room, it's probably impeding airflow. It's like putting a wall across that area of the case, and now you probably have pockets of stagnant air where there isn't any air flow. At least the 3870 X2 exhausts outside the case. If it exhausted inside like most vid cards, it would be even worse.

I have the CM690 with a 3870 X2 in it, and I have a good 2+" (call it 6cm in metric) of clearance between it and the HDD bay. The CM690 is one of the better cooling cases on the market, and well worth the money. The RC590 is pretty much on par with the 690, but it will have less clearance between the 3870 X2 and the HDDs because of the way they are mounted. In you case, between those two, I'd recommend the 690 for better clearance.

It may seem "wrong" to put the PSU on the bottom of the case, but it really does make sense. With it on the bottom, it draws cool air in, and then exhausts it right back out , which keeps it cooler since it's not using hot air from inside the case.

The RC690 is a very popular case, and there's a reason for it. It cools extremely well, it has a lot of room inside, and is very easy to install hardware in it. I also think it's one of the nicest looking cases on the market. But then that's a matter of taste. I'm a fan of classy and understated, as opposed to a lot of "bling".

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Liqourice

We'll see what I'll do. I don't care much what it looks like so that's of no importance, my old case looks like crap so.. :P

Liqourice

Well, I caved in and got that MC690.

And I'm amazed with the result, it's incredible!

The idle temperature went down with ONE whole degree from 43 to 42.

Such a waste of money.....



That's not all of it. I had to make a temporary arrangement for my old IDE harddrive since the cable just wasn't long enough to connect both that and the DVD-RW. Maybe the IDE cable interrupts the airflow a bit but I don't think it's that much... I honesty feel like a friggin fool.

Judas

that looks far more efficient..

I dont think anything else out there would have solved your problem considering that it appears to be more of limitation of your cpu not the cooling you've got.


Now the orginal suggestion for the CM690 was valid, it has merit.... if it didn't none of us would have recommended it, instead nearly all of us did.

The cpu cooler you've got is more then adequate..... your likely not going to see any considerable improvement... what are you shooting for.... .38*C?

btw you haven't stated if your OCing results had improved.

i would also suggest doing a little bit better cable management... and also stickin a 120mm fan in the bottom throwing air up... and another 120mm fan at the very top back of the case blowing air out of the case.

oh and one other thing i just noticed..

you shouldn't need that analog Audio cable running from the Optical drive to the sound card.....since windows XP, i've never see a machine NEED that cable as it's all done digitally.

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blibbax

I'm really surprised your idle temps are still so high. Are you sure the case fan is working properly? Is there an intake?

As for the IDE HDD, try putting it in the bottom 5.25 inch bay and seeing if any of the screw holes on the bottom (of the HDD) line up. They probably won't, but it's worth a try.

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