Best Silent Cooler for AMD S939

[FatalSaviour]

Hey guys. I've just bought an X2 4200+ (not overclocked, and nor do I intend to), an A8N32-SLI Board, and a ScanFX 7800GTX. This is all sitting in an Antec P180 with the 2 stock fans at the top/rear on Low (5V).
Everything's working wonderfully, except the stock cooler just doesn't cut it (my hopes for the AMD stock heatpipe cooler were cruelly dashed with some ugly chunk of Al, not even Cu based like the one I got with my Winnie 3200+).

Therefore, I'd like to know people's opinions on the quietest cooler for this setup.
I was thinking of the Scythe Ninja, but I'm a bit worried about the weight/length of this thing. I have no particular desire to watch my motherboard snap in 2 and take my nice new 7800GTX with it.
Other ones that I'm thinking off are the Akasa Evo, Thermalright SI-120/XP-120, Arctic Cooling Freezer 64 Pro, Thermaltake Sonic Tower and Big Typhoon.
Please enlighten me as to any others that I may have missed out, and let me know your thoughts on the most ideal one, bearing in mind that noise is my top concern.

Another thing....the A8N32-SLI has a heatpipe cooler. You're meant to use an included blower fan on the radiator section if you're using passive cooling, although I have no particular urge to slap this on, as I'd imagine this will make wanting a silent pc rather pointless. Do you think having 2 120mm fans in such close proximity should be able to cope?

Thanks for your time everyone.

[atrull]

I'm not too worried about the sythe's size, after all, it's got a nice tight fitment and it's attached to a rather wide heat spreader at the bottom - thats more surface area than some bikers get cornering.

[FatalSaviour]

Thanks for the swift reply.
I've been looking on SPCR, (slipped my mind earlier), and the latter half of their review seems entirely appropriate given my setup.
I still have doubts about operating my M/B (A8N32-SLI) without the blower fan installed if I were to get this heatsink however. Is it a case or buy it and see (could be an expensive heap of aluminium and copper wasted) or do you think the rear 120mm fan will take care of the heatpipe radiator satisfactorily?
Cheers guys

[Clunk]

i can thoroughly recommend the thermalright si-120. if you combine this with any half decent 120mm fan and a fan controller, it will be pretty much silent (unless you are really fussy). you can use the fan controller on your other fans so you can adjust as needed.

[FatalSaviour]

Thanks for the reply. The SI-120 certainly does take care of the MOSFETs nicely for me. I just feel that the dual 120mm fans are kind of going to waste if I don't buy a heatsink that utilises their positioning well (*cough* *Ninja*).
At this point, I'm torn between the Thermalright and the Scythe, but any of the others I listed above are still by no means out of the running.
Every bit of input much appreciated
Cheers

[sawyen]

If its the MOSFETS ur worrying about, the Gigabytes stuff should be a good buy. I have used a 3D GT-Ultra, the Pro version and the Rocket version and they all keep my MOSFETS nice and cool. Just as a comparison, using an XP-90C with a Tord.. my PWM temp is always around the 33C mark during idle and 40ish during load. using the CNPS9500 it goes up further till about 44ish during load. But when I was with my GT-Ultra, PWM gave only 30C idle and 34C load. The Rocket went even further with the downwards duct and keeping my PWM temp at 32C max load.

Then again, the gigabytes arent as good as a CPU cooler as the 9500 or the XP-90C, dun get me wrong... they are excellent coolers, but just a few degrees shy of the top coolers.

And if ur chipset is near the CPU socket, the Rocket's downward duct will keep them really cool as well...

[RavenNight]

Well I can really recommend the Zalman CNPS9500LED, its pretty small so no damage issue (mates SI-120 fell off and smashed GFX card), silent when just a fraction of full revs (comes with fan mate 2 rheostat), is incredibly easy to fit (just screws into the holes already there, no need for mobo removal), it can be pointed in four directions so you canc ool whatever you like. Plus the preoformance is insane, it keeps my OC'ed 3700+ at 26C idle 30C load. Its wicked!

[ultim8um]

I have a scythe ninja mounted on a DFI NF4 Ultra-D and the backplate is pretty hefty... It also doesn't seem to be top heavy (all the fins are aluminium and the weight is therefore mostly at the base) and mine came with a slow spinning and pretty silent 120mm fan. All in all pretty pleased with it.

[FatalSaviour]

I have a scythe ninja mounted on a DFI NF4 Ultra-D and the backplate is pretty hefty... It also doesn't seem to be top heavy (all the fins are aluminium and the weight is therefore mostly at the base) and mine came with a slow spinning and pretty silent 120mm fan. All in all pretty pleased with it.

Did you get it from QuietPC? What stores can you recommend for buying the odd heatsink from?

[Silent Shark]

The Akasa Evo (I have the 33) is very effective, but not very quiet. If you have it on any other setting other than the lowest it makes a whining noise.

The 120 I don't know about however, I'd guess it would be better.

[Clunk]

Well I can really recommend the Zalman CNPS9500LED, its pretty small so no damage issue (mates SI-120 fell off and smashed GFX card), silent when just a fraction of full revs (comes with fan mate 2 rheostat), is incredibly easy to fit (just screws into the holes already there, no need for mobo removal), it can be pointed in four directions so you canc ool whatever you like. Plus the preoformance is insane, it keeps my OC'ed 3700+ at 26C idle 30C load. Its wicked!

in fairness, he clearly hadnt fitted it properly, and for it to even hit the graphics card, that would suggest that NONE of the clips were in place peoperly to begin with!.

the si-120 comes with its own backplate, and you just unscrew the one off the motherboard and replace it with the thermalright one.

i wouldnt worry too much about the mosfets. as you wont be overclocking, just moderate circulation of air will be needed.

[RavenNight]

Oh yeah the problem was clearly with him, its just that with a smaller, lighter heatsink it wouldn't have been such a problem.

[FatalSaviour]

OK Thanks guys.
Now, can anyone recommend a decent, and good value retailer who stocks these coolers please?
Cheers

[project187]

scan

[RavenNight]

Yep Scan are superb for this, got mine on Today Only factor in the free delivery and it was a bargain! Also great delivery, ordered in aftrenoon arrived following morning.

[theuncharmed]

Scan again - cant be faulted if you get the free delivery offer as well