Heatsink questions & advice needed!

[Eddd]

Hi,
I currently have the Q6600 and I want to get it up to 3.0GHz with the Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L. I'm using the stock cooler from Intel at the moment, but I'm planning on getting the Scythe Mine (judging by Blitzen's temperatures, it works pretty well in the Antec 900). Just a couple of questions:
1. Is the Scythe Mine a good choice? If not, what is a better choice? (£30 maximum - including a fan if needed; but the lower the better really)
2. Is it just a bare heatsink, or does it come with a fan? If not, would I have to buy a fan separately to attach it on?
3. I've just had a look at my Q6600 and Intel heatsink, and I've noticed that a grey-solid-type-substance has formed - I'm guessing this is the pre-applied thermal paste melting/reacting? Would I have to somehow remove this and clean it? How?
4. If I do need to remove this, I'm guess I also need to apply some thermal paste? Which one should I get? Should I just apply this to the Q6600 or the bottom of the Scythe Mine too?
5. I'm thinking of buying the Scythe Mine second hand to save a few quid, is this sensible? And would it be a good idea to clean the bottom of it and apply new thermal paste to it? ...As I'm presuming that it will have the same grey-solid-type-substance on it as I can see forming on my Intel heatsink...

Wow, I've just realised how many questions I've asked there. So sorry, but I would really appreciate answers.

[staffsMike]

1. yep it's a good cooler. Perfer the ninja myself which is £30 as it has a regular size fan and works nicely passive.

2. Comes with a fan (they both do)

3. You need to remove that really, I just do it with kitchen roll tbh but you can get TIM cleaner I believe it's called.

4. Arctic silver 5

5. Clean it off and start from scratch its the best way. Second hand is OK i'm sure, as long as it's in good order.

[TAKTAK]

4. Arctic silver 7

what is this substance? Surely you mean AS5?

as for everything else... i agree..

if your buying second hand just make sure that the base of the heatsink is nice and scratch free

for removing thermal paste i use arcticlean, but akasa TIM remover is supposed to be good aswell

[staffsMike]

whoops.. been a long day in the sun, yeah Arctic Silver 5 lol

[TAKTAK]

whoops.. been a long day in the sun, yeah Arctic Silver 5 lol

ahhh good, you did confuse me so

[schaffino]

i recomend the xigmatek s1283. H.D.T is were its at. Especially with a bigger core like the q6600. Also, to get the tim of i use the articlean two part system with lint free cloth. wipes of easily with no marks.

[staffsMike]

Keep forgetting about that one lol Yeah that is a good cooler and comes with a good fan I'm still a scythe fan at the moment though.

[Eddd]

1. yep it's a good cooler. Perfer the ninja myself which is £30 as it has a regular size fan and works nicely passive.

Do you know the sound level of the ninja? The mine is 22dB.

How much paste is recommended to put on? Every guide seems to recommend a different amount.

Also do you put anything on the kitchen paper? Or not?

[TAKTAK]

Do you know the sound level of the ninja? The mine is 22dB.

How much paste is recommended to put on? Every guide seems to recommend a different amount.

Also do you put anything on the kitchen paper? Or not?

as far as i am aware the ninja doesnt come with a fan so the sound level will depend on whatever fan you decide to put on it.

as for a general guide on applying thermal paste, i tend to put a blob about the size of a grain of rice, in the middle of the heatspreader (metal plate on cpu) and place the cooler ontop and clamp it down.

and just dry kitchen roll.

[Thorsson]

Ninja does come with a fan. First version didn't, but that was quite a while ago.

[TAKTAK]

Ninja does come with a fan. First version didn't, but that was quite a while ago.

Thanks

ahhh, yes, i thought it said w/o 120mm fan. DOH!

[staffsMike]

It's a pretty nice fan too, cant be heard in the antec P182 with the tri-cools on low, thus should be the same in the antec 900

I would use for this reason alone. It can passive cool a q6600 at stock and small overclocks and in that case the air flow enough should be enough to cool it for 3.0GHz overclock but I would use the fan to be safe.. and you wont hear it

[FifthFreedom]

Kinda off topic but in a Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme VS Scythe Ninja war on temps, who wins?

I hear the 120 extreme is better passively but with a fan...?

[staffsMike]

Extreme will best pretty much anything but with a decent fan you're talking £45.

Ninja is the best passive cooler I've heard of other than the all copper ninja with can passive cool a q6600 at 3.4GHz and a very new coolermaster jobbie which seems to euqal the ninja performance but looks too big to fit in most cases lol.

[Eddd]

I'm guessing this is a better cooler than the mine and original ninja, also it has half the sound level of the mine. Is spending the extra £10 on this worth it?

[TAKTAK]

I'm guessing this is a better cooler than the mine and original ninja, also it has half the sound level of the mine. Is spending the extra £10 on this worth it?

if you were going to get that then i would have to undermine it and say that a TRUE is better.. and it would work out around the same pricepoint...

like staffsmike says:

Extreme will best pretty much anything but with a decent fan you're talking £45.

and it also has the option to put 2 fans (with a little persuasion ) in a push pull alignment in order to cool it a little more (only slightly more tho)