CPU heatsink clearance

[Queelis]

Hello,

I've been thinking of changing my stock CPU heatsink and fan to something quieter, but I've some doubts about what I can fit and what I can not. So maybe someone with the same hardware out there will share their experiences: I've an Antec Sonata Plus (a.k.a. Antec Sonata Designer, Antec Solo and Antec P150). If it's relevant the MoBo is a Gigabyte MA790X-UD4.

I'm thinking something along the lines of Scythe Ninja II Rev. B, maybe Kama Angle Rev. B or Mugen 2. I'd like something with linear airflow towards the back, since the PSU doesn't have a fan in the bottom, so nothing to extract the air if the fan blows air upwards.

Thanks for replies.

Regards,
Queelis

[Blaineoliver]

Very few face the right way to blow the air linearly, due to the mounting on amd chips, if you find one that does, your lucky. i have the gigabyte MA 790XT UD4P, which is pretty similar, almost anything will fit, i have a TRUE black with push pull fans, that fitted easily.

[Domestic_Ginger]

Checkout the coolermaster 212 on play for 18. You can download the instruction from the CM website but I'm 99% sure it does both orientations.

Frostytech has a review so you check it's effectiveness. Pob found it the other month.

EDIT:if your case is 20cm wide it should fit! Missed that important bit in your first post. Your's is 20.6 cm.

[Pob255]

Yep the CM 212 hyper+ is very nice, however as Blaineoliver pointed ou you're limited be dirictional fitting on AMD motherboards due to the shape of the cooler bracket and it's holes in the motherboard.
This is one area Intel have a big advantage over AMD, the square arangement of holes in the motherboard alow for any cooler rotation.

Also Play might nopt be that useful to Queelis in Location: Vilnius, Lithuania.

The Scythe Ninja II Rev. B would be ideal for you, as the cooler is square and a fan can be fitted to any side of it.
Yes it will fit in the Antec Sonata Plus as will almost all other coolers, the key measurement here is at least 165mm from the top of the cpu to the side panel, as most 120mm fan based tower coolers are 160mm tall.

[Queelis]

Great, will pick up a Ninja some time before summer, then. For the record, I've looked around in spcr forums, there are many people with Antec Solos fitted with with Ninjas, so I should be ok.

Will also try to run that on passive, since I've undervolted Will let you all know what the results are.

Thank you all for replies

[Domestic_Ginger]

Did this last time too; I'll try not to take for granted you're Uk based. Thanks for the thanks!

I know most AM2+/AM3 coolers are direction limited but checking out the 212's instructions it does seem to be able to do both orientations or have I got it completely wrong?

[Pob255]

not for am2+/am3 no, while it doesn't use the original plastic cpu cooler bracket it does use the mounting holes in the motherboard and they are in a rectangle not a square like on intel motherboards, which means the retention arm can only go in one direction and hense the cooler.

There are some coolers that can be mounted in any direction on an am2+/am3 board, however the hyper 212+ is not one of them.
Although with lower psu layout cases becoming more common this is less of an issue.

[Domestic_Ginger]

I thought the retention arm had two possible orientations. For the intel sockets it looks as though it only has one.