Thermalright Ultra-120 Heatsink

[Cortexian]

I'm thinking of buying one of these so that I can get rid of my oh-so-awesome Intel Core 2 stock heatsink/fan... I should be able to run at 3.0-3.2GHz without having to worry about CPU temps then. Does anyone have a suggestion for a 120mm fan to go with it (doesn't come with one, leaves the option up to you)?

I'm looking for a FAIRLY quite 120mm that still puts out enough power to cool the tower off...

If anyone has any experience with this cooler, please post your comments on it here.

Buy list so far:

Thermalright Ultra-120 Heatsink
http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/PID-MX17339(ME).aspx

ANTEC 120mm Blue LED Fan
http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/PID-MX2604(ME).aspx

I'd suggest you look for any other components you may want to mention on that site (Memory Express), I'll be buying from them REGARDLESS.

[alby]

That Antec fan won't cool shit with the TRUE. You'll need a fan that does at least 100 CFM to get good results with the TRUE. Get this (http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/PID-MX19092(ME).aspx) instead.

Also stock this cooler blows. You will need to lap it to get the results that you are looking for.

[Cortexian]

Well, I got the ones I listed (went out to purchase before you posted), I don't think I'd like the one you mentioned due to it's 37 dBA noise rating... The one I picked up is 28 dBA and I think it's a tad loud.

Either way, the cooler is keeping my CPU at about 60°C when it's under full load at 2.8GHz, that's like what the stock processor was doing at the stock speed of 2.4GHz... It's idling around 45°C-50°C at 2.8GHz

I'm really happy with the cooler, only problem was that I had to move my window fan from the inside of my case to the outside of the case, due to the fact that the cooler almost touches the window where the fan mounts...

What do you mean when you say "You will need to lap it"?

[The_Wraith]

I don't want to derail the thread but it has to do with the rig I'm putting together. Do I really need a fan for my cpu? I mean a separate one since it comes with one.

[Cortexian]

Short answer:
No.

Longer answer:
Not unless you're going to be overclocking. Most of the stock coolers (heatsinks/fans) that ship with your processor are able to handle anything that your processor can put out at it's default/factory/stock settings.

The only time you need a better cooler than the one shipped with your processor, is when you're overclocking, thus making the processor run hotter than it's normal temperature.

[Amit]

Short answer:
No.

Longer answer:
Not unless you're going to be overclocking. Most of the stock coolers (heatsinks/fans) that ship with your processor are able to handle anything that your processor can put out at it's default/factory/stock settings.

The only time you need a better cooler than the one shipped with your processor, is when you're overclocking, thus making the processor run hotter than it's normal temperature.

And when your current one is a loud motherfucker!


The thermalright cooler is damn heavy and big, you sure you want that one?

[Cortexian]

The thermalright cooler is damn heavy and big, you sure you want that one?
I already picked it up, as I stated above.

Anyway, every single review I read on it stated that it was an awesome cooler. It was always in the top 5 on comparison charts, based on temperature. I agree that it's a huge heatsink though, I had to move my window/side fan to the OUTSIDE of my case so that it would fit, there wasn't enough room in there for both the CPU cooler and the side fan, lol.

EDIT: Lapping, fuck that, to much effort, if I run into issues, then maybe...

[Amit]

I had to move my window/side fan to the OUTSIDE of my case so that it would fit, there wasn't enough room in there for both the CPU cooler and the side fan, lol.


ROFL, outside? I wanna see some pics. How do you get the fan to stay on the other side?

[Cortexian]

ROFL, outside? I wanna see some pics. How do you get the fan to stay on the other side?
I just put a fan cover on the inside of my case so that the screws could have something to attach to (washers or something would be better), then used some other screws (the ones that came with the 120mm fan) to attach the dust filter and main fan cover on the other side of the fan, like so:

|Fan Cover| - |Dust Filter| - |80mm Fan| - |Case Window| - |Fan Cover|
-----------Screws------------>|Fan|<------------Screws---------------

Pics:

http://lancersedge.exofire.net/pics/Computer/Augest-17-08_Bigass_Cooler01.JPG

http://lancersedge.exofire.net/pics/Computer/Augest-17-08_Bigass_Cooler02.JPG

http://lancersedge.exofire.net/pics/Computer/Augest-17-08_Bigass_Cooler03.JPG

http://lancersedge.exofire.net/pics/Computer/Augest-17-08_Bigass_Cooler04.JPG

http://lancersedge.exofire.net/pics/Computer/Augest-17-08_Dark01.JPG

http://lancersedge.exofire.net/pics/Computer/Augest-17-08_Dark02.JPG

http://lancersedge.exofire.net/pics/Computer/Augest-17-08_Dark03.JPG

http://lancersedge.exofire.net/pics/Computer/Augest-17-08_Dark04.JPG

[Rob Oplawar]

Nice. Lucky bastard. I bought exactly the same heatsink, only to discover that the fucker didn't fit on my motherboard even though the heatsink website listed it as compatible with that motherboard. In fact, one of the FAQs on the heatsink manufacturer website is "The compatibility list says this heatsink fits on this motherboard, but it doesn't; what gives?", to which the answer is "Oh, it actually isn't compatible."

ARG!

but I'm not bitter.

[Cortexian]

What motherboard was it? You're profile just lists it as an nVidia 680i, any particular model?

My Striker Extreme has a tight fit due to the fact that there are an insane amount of heat pipes surrounding the processor. See:

http://techreport.com/r.x/asus-6x0i-mobos/money.jpg
and
http://techreport.com/r.x/asus-6x0i-mobos/striker-board.jpg
and
http://techreport.com/r.x/asus-6x0i-mobos/striker-socket.jpg

[Rob Oplawar]

heh, nice. here's mine:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813188013&Tpk=evga%2b680i
I didn't do my homework well enough when buying my mobo, and I got one that was good, but not great. Actively cooled chipset ftl.

[Cortexian]

It looks like it should fit, did you try both vertical and horizontal configurations?

[Rob Oplawar]

yeah that's what I thought...
the problem is on the back side of the mobo. it's got some very small fragile chips on the back of it, directly underneath the CPU socket. That heatsink has a big metal bracket that goes on the backside of the mobo, to prevent warping. The short of it is it would take serious modification to the bracket to make it fit, and I didn't have the skill or the tools required, so I returned the heatsink. I still have the stock intel heatsink, cause I haven't gotten around to replacing it. :fail:

[Xetsuei]

heh, nice. here's mine:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813188013&Tpk=evga%2b680i
I didn't do my homework well enough when buying my mobo, and I got one that was good, but not great. Actively cooled chipset ftl.

That's the best 680i there is. :raise:

[Cortexian]

yeah that's what I thought...
the problem is on the back side of the mobo. it's got some very small fragile chips on the back of it, directly underneath the CPU socket. That heatsink has a big metal bracket that goes on the backside of the mobo, to prevent warping. The short of it is it would take serious modification to the bracket to make it fit, and I didn't have the skill or the tools required, so I returned the heatsink. I still have the stock intel heatsink, cause I haven't gotten around to replacing it. :fail:
Ah yes, I remember reading about that in a review, some motherboards with similar components on the backside have issues, Thermalright says that they're working on a solution though.


Xetsuei™;291192']That's the best 680i there is. :raise:
680i motherboard? Or 680i chipset motherboard? Because the Striker Extreme is based on the 680i, and it's pretty bitchin.

[Xetsuei]

If it has the 680i chipset, then it is a 680i motherboard. Check out some reviews on comparisons of different 680i's.

[Cortexian]

Xetsuei™;291306']If it has the 680i chipset, then it is a 680i motherboard. Check out some reviews on comparisons of different 680i's.
Yea, basically the Striker Extreme is a 680i with every bell and whistle they could fit on it.

[Rob Oplawar]

Yeah, it's a good mobo except for the crap on the back of the board which prevents me from using pretty much any large heatsink, as the large ones all need a way to prevent warping, and then the chipset fan. I can (and do) run it without the chipset fan, but it runs very hot and in order to overclock anything I'd be forced to stick it on there, and that little high RPM 4 cm fan sounds like a fucking jet engine.

I like the look of that Striker Extreme- lots of heatsinks and heat pipes, and no fans.

[Cortexian]

Yea, there's no fans for the Striker Extreme, it comes with one to add additional cooling if you're using water-cooling... I really don't get the theory behind that, "Yea you should add this fan when you're using water-cooling, it makes sense".

:gonk:

[Rob Oplawar]

a bit ot, but meh:

You know, for a long time I assumed that water cooling meant that the PC would be quieter because you wouldn't have to have all those fans, but a friend of mine got a pretty serious water cooling system for his PC, and it has a cooling tower with two giant fans which are noisy as fuck. Now I know that the point is that tiny extra bit of cooling performance.

Fuck it, I'm just gonna buy one of those heatsink cases. And a solid state hard drive. And no optical drives. Computer with no moving parts ftw!

[Cortexian]

a bit ot, but meh:

You know, for a long time I assumed that water cooling meant that the PC would be quieter because you wouldn't have to have all those fans, but a friend of mine got a pretty serious water cooling system for his PC, and it has a cooling tower with two giant fans which are noisy as fuck. Now I know that the point is that tiny extra bit of cooling performance.

Fuck it, I'm just gonna buy one of those heatsink cases. And a solid state hard drive. And no optical drives. Computer with no moving parts ftw!
Well, depends on what you're going for with watercooling. You've basically got two paths, 1) Serious cooling, and 2) Quite cooling. It all depends on what setup you get, and how you configure it.

I've seen both types, silent cooling kits with big external heatsink heat dissipation towers are usually more bulky (do to the external parts). The performance ones can REALLY chill your setup if you're doing it right though.

Bottom line is what you want.