SilverStone SG02 CPU heatsink NH-L12, Big Shuriken 2 or is there somethine better?

Hi,

I have a Silverstone SG02-F and a Core i5-3570K. The stock intel cooler is both noisy and pretty rubbish at keeping the CPU cool in this case.
So much so that I've disabled turbo completely but it's still too noisy.
Motherboard is an Asus P8Z77-M PRO.
The case has an 80mm clearance for CPU coolers but that is directly below the intake fan for the PSU.
I'm looking at the Noctua NH-L12 and the Scythe Big Shuriken 2 Rev.B
It looks like the NH-L12 will only be able to operate in single fan mode however if it can fit in dual fan mode and have enough clearance that it doesn't cause turbulance between it and the PSU I'll do that.

Does anyone know if these fans can fit on this heatsink upside down so they are sucking air from underneath the heatsink and blowing upwards?

Looking at this page of the silent PC review http://www.silentpcreview.com/article1270-page7.html the NH-L12 has better cooling and acoustics with both fans but worse with just the 92MM fan.
I know the NH-L12 is 66mm tall without the top fan but how high is it with both?

Thanks :)

If I may make an alternative suggestion?

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/zalma...lim-cpu-cooler

Zalman cnps 8900 Extreme. I have one on my HTPC (A6-3670k) and it's basically silent. There's an update to my review thread: http://forums.hexus.net/hexus-reader...ml#post2634089 from when I originally swapped out the stock cooler to the Zalman. The last post in that thread also gives details of a length gaming workload I pushed the APU with under the new cooler.

It's a fantastic piece of kit, only 60mm tall, and cheaper than either of the options you're looking at. I reckon it'll suit your purposes perfectly...

EDIT: the other obvious option id the Scythe Kozuti: http://www.scan.co.uk/products/scyth...ler-sckzt-1000 - it's good up to 95W but they reckon it won't be silent over 65W (however your i5 is only really likely to generate that much heat under full hammer). It should easily be quieter and cooler than the Intel stock cooler though...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by scaryjim

If I may make an alternative suggestion?

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/zalma...lim-cpu-cooler

Zalman cnps 8900 Extreme. I have one on my HTPC (A6-3670k) and it's basically silent. There's an update to my review thread: http://forums.hexus.net/hexus-reader...ml#post2634089 from when I originally swapped out the stock cooler to the Zalman. The last post in that thread also gives details of a length gaming workload I pushed the APU with under the new cooler.

It's a fantastic piece of kit, only 60mm tall, and cheaper than either of the options you're looking at. I reckon it'll suit your purposes perfectly...

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My PC has 32GB RAM through necessity. I looked at your thread and you say it blocks your RAM slots so I can't use that cooler.

Quote:

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EDIT: the other obvious option id the Scythe Kozuti: http://www.scan.co.uk/products/scyth...ler-sckzt-1000 - it's good up to 95W but they reckon it won't be silent over 65W (however your i5 is only really likely to generate that much heat under full hammer). It should easily be quieter and cooler than the Intel stock cooler though...

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I'll look for comparisons between the Scythe Big Shuriken 2 Rev.B and the Kozuti online. Thanks :)

I've had a look at the comparisons:
The Zalman 8900 Extreme cannot fit my motherboard with 32GB RAM so it's a no unfortunately.

I've compared the Scythe Kozuti to the Scythe Big Shuriken 2 Rev.B performance wise and the Big Shruiken has much better cooling capacity and looks like it will fit my motherboard with all RAM slots populated and a GFX card installed.
The Noctua NH-L12 is 93mm tall with both fans so it's a no.
I'll get the Scythe and post experiences. However it won't be soon as it looks like a motherboard and PSU out, new backplate then back in with much fiddliness and I can't spare the downtime right now. In the meantime, I will be on the lookout for quiet 80mm fans.
I'll post pics and info once done.

Just installed a "Cooler Master GeminII M4" in my wife's PC, with a 120mm fan it seemed about the largest I could squeeze in there. Case is an SG01, so same internal layout as an SG02 (I also have one of those).

Was a right pain to install, the motherboard only just fits in the case and these Sugo cases aren't the easiest to work on, but the heatsink requires a new back plate so out everything came.

You get a choice of which way around the cooler goes, not all orientations cleared the closest RAM sockets but found one that did.

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/coole...3plus-am3-am2p