CPU Coolers...choices, choices, choices!

[Pob255]

It made it quieter but of course, it's all relative! Once you start trying to silence everything then things can easily get out of hand. I found the swap a good compromise for me but YMMV. The original fan was not exactly loud compared to others I have had.

Can I just say there must be a problem with your PWM settings because the fan on the hyper 212 plus is very quiet when running at low rpm.
Mine is running at 860rpm on my i5 at idle (32c temp) and it is the quietest fan in my case.
You can actually buy these fans seperately, they are called Blademasters and cost around £10
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/221740

As with all PWM fans, at full speed they are not so quiet, that's just down to the rpm they run at and the amount of air they move, a PWM fan normally has a relatively high base rpm because it's designed to be slowed down by the PWM function so it can run slow and quiet but still be able to run fast if far higher volumes of air is required.
The 120mm Blademaster runs at 2000rpm at full speed, so yes it's loud, but at 2000rpm any fan is loud and it'll move a heck of a lot of air.

RPM is the key factor in noise of fans of a simular size, untill you go below about 1100rpm on a 120mm fan, then motor & bareing noise is often louder than the fan it self and there's almost no motor/bareing noise on my hyper 212 plus fan.

[nibbler]

I owned a xigmatek for a while, it's a good cooler and quiet. I would say it's the best deal as it's only £20 (I got mine new on ebay for £15 don't know if they are still going for that price).

[Attila the Bun]

One more question...what is the best method of removing old TIM from the CPU?

Should I remove the cpu? Is there a recommended cleaning solution?

[Phage]

I've seen mixed reports on the Fenrir. Apparently the base plate / exposed heatpipe joins need filling with paste. If you get the fitting wrong the cooler is pants.
Seen this ?
http://www.frostytech.com/top5heatsinks.cfm

EDIT: Use propoer TIM cleaner. Widely available. I didn't dismount mine, but YMMV.

[Attila the Bun]

AHHA...TIM Clean! What a greatly descriptive name for a product

Hmmm...not seen anything about the base / heatpipe / paste issue previously. I've only ever found glowing reviews for the Fenrir.

Thanks for the link, definitely worth a browse.

Edit: what does YMMV mean? I can't work it out...Ok. Sorted on YMMV.

[Pob255]

Isopropyl Alcohol aka isopropanol

although vodka is very good for it also can use medicanal or rubbing alcohol (ethanol) although they generally contain quite a bit of methanol and leave residue.
I've actually got some Blackhead face cleanser that's mainly alcohol and does a fine job.

[Behemoth]

I always recommend the Artic Cooling 64 pro (rev 2 now?) might have a different name these days too. Cheapish tower with rubber fan mount, but absolutely superb at both cooling and quietness compared to stock coolers, with very easy fitting.

This gets a big +1 from me, got one of these, great cooler, does what it says on the time keeps the X2 5600 I run nice and cool Silent too, don't even know it's running !

[kingpotnoodle]

I recently bought this:

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Xigma...Fan-CPU-cooler

Sitting on my Q6600 it keeps it around 60 whilst gaming, in an Antec Solo which isn't the best ventilated. Pretty quiet too, I can't really hear it.

Bargain I think, as good as the Scythe Kama Angle I had before, I swapped that out because it was just such a pain to get into my small case.

[subucni]

Sorry about this, bit of a thread hijack.

Have been contemplating something similar lately. Got donated a few nice new (using this term as loosely as possible) upgrades recently from an uncle that's just done a rebuild of his system. However, he only had a stock AMD cooler spare.

Was going to make a thread asking if the Freezer Pro was still the go to budget cooler, but saw this thread.

Now considering either the Xigmatek s1283 or the Freezer Pro. (Hyper 212 plus doesn't look like it'd fit a socket 939, despite what some review sites say)

I prefer the thought and favourable reviews of the 120mm Xigma over the Freezers 92mm fan, and very nearly went straight for it, but have a couple niggling questions just holding me back that hopefully someone can answer.

• I'd like it to be a little future proof, anyone had any experience with the Xigma and the crossbow brace on and i3, i5, i7 system? Coping adequately?
• Anyone heard of any fitting problems with a CM Storm Scout case, or an Asus A8N32-SLI Deluxe? I'd doubt it to be honest.

Also, i could probably do with ordering a 120mm fan to fill up 1 of the side window mounts for a little more intake for my CM Storm Scout. Any relatively inexpensive recommendations?

Cheers guys.

[Queelis]

Also, i could probably do with ordering a 120mm fan to fill up 1 of the side window mounts for a little more intake for my CM Storm Scout. Any relatively inexpensive recommendations?

Nexus Basic. If you're OK with the looks, then it's silent, adequate as an add-on fan (I have it as my only case fan, but nevermind), I've no complaints with it.

[Attila the Bun]

Has anybody got any info on Alpenfohn. All their CPU coolers fall in the £30-£40 range and look the business but I not been able to find out much about them in terms of quality, reliability etc.

I ask because I've found what appears to be a bargain for mid to top end cooler.

[Attila the Bun]

I've actually got some Blackhead face cleanser that's mainly alcohol and does a fine job.

Any particular brand?

[Fuzzed_out]

Isopropyl Alcohol aka isopropanol

although vodka is very good for it also can use medicanal or rubbing alcohol (ethanol) although they generally contain quite a bit of methanol and leave residue.
I've actually got some Blackhead face cleanser that's mainly alcohol and does a fine job.

Also known as IPA in fact, much to my disappointment we didn't have barrels of India Pale Ale in the stock room at work. Nasty stuff.

[watercooled]

Just get some pure IPA, it's best to avoid using anything that might leave a residue where possible. Something like this would last for ages http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/IPA-ISOPROPYL-...ab_Supplies_ET or they do small bottles of it here if you're only going to use if for occasional TIM cleaning http://www.themodblog.co.uk/index.ph...index&cPath=28

[Attila the Bun]

Also known as IPA in fact, much to my disappointment we didn't have barrels of India Pale Ale in the stock room at work. Nasty stuff.

What! India Pale Ale is nasty stuff!? I'll stick to drinking the Isopropyl Alcohol then.

On a slightly more serious note what is a good applicator for TIM (whenever I say that my mind thinks "Monty Python and the Holy Grail"). I was going to use an old credit card or Stanley Knife blade.

[Attila the Bun]

Just get some pure IPA, it's best to avoid using anything that might leave a residue where possible. Something like this would last for ages http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/IPA-ISOPROPYL-...ab_Supplies_ET or they do small bottles of it here if you're only going to use if for occasional TIM cleaning http://www.themodblog.co.uk/index.ph...index&cPath=28

Thank you watercooled I bet my local PC shop will have some of that knocking about. I'll wander along there tomorrow and ask.

What sort of residue is likely to be left? And how serious are the conductive restrictions of said residue.