Best CPU air cooler?

demonbrawn · Mar 19, 2007

Looking to go back to air cooling. I liked my watercooling, but it's become a huge hassle. Not to mention this stuff weighs a TON and I have to move my PC around a lot. I've done some research into the latest air coolers but I want everyone's opinion into which air cooler is the best. If possible, I'm looking for one that is compatible with both the 939 and AM2 sockets b/c I think I'm upgrading my CPU in the near future, but I need a 939 cooler, well, this week actually. Thanks in advance for the input.

pt · Mar 19, 2007

thermalright ultra 120

Gam'ster · Mar 19, 2007

Arctic Cooling Freezer 64 Pro CPU Cooler (Socket 754/939/940/AM2), easy to install and its cheap £16-18 in the uk, and $29 at newegg.com, its pretty lightweight too.

Darknova · Mar 19, 2007

I have an Arctic Cooling Freezer Pro 64 and it does an awesome job, but I'm thinking of getting a Thermalright Ultra 120 as I've heard very good things about it.

demonbrawn · Mar 19, 2007

By how much does the Ultra 120 outperform the ACFPro64?

HellasVagabond · Mar 19, 2007

Scythe Infinity....The Ultra 120 is nice too

PaulieG · Mar 19, 2007

Hey, neighbor! I have an extra AC Freezer 64 you could have for $15 if you want it. And since you live close, you could pick it up or we could meet. It's a nice cooler. Just let me know!

jcGriff · Mar 19, 2007

I notice you have an ASUS board. I have been really pleased with the performance of ASUS's new air cooler: ASUS Silent Square. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835101002

It's much bigger than it looks, it looks great with an Asus board, and the cooling is within a couple of degrees of the Corsair Cool Water system I left behind not long ago for the same reasons you stated. Good Luck!

demonbrawn · Mar 19, 2007

Yeah, my board is nice. I wish I had the extra money to do X1950 CrossFire on it! With the CrossFire Express 3200, it would be awesome...

WarEagleAU · Mar 19, 2007

I recommend any of these following coolers: Thermaltake Big Typhoon and Typhoon Mini; Artic Cooling Freezer 64 Pro, Zalman CNPS 9700, Scythe (any of their three top ones), and the Thermalright 120. You cant go wrong with either of these. Now, Ive also read good things on the Tuniq Tower and some folks here actually use them and love them. Hope this helps you out.

BTW, the TT BT is huge and probably the best aircooler Ive messed with (and yes, Ive tried them all) but as I Said, its huge and heavy. I have it now on my sis' cpu an Athlon 3800+ and it doesnt ever get above 47C. Its slightly OC'd to 2250 mhz from 2000, but its quiet. You can also change the fans on them too

Khriez · Mar 21, 2007

Other than the Zalman 9700 which requires you to remove that plastic slot thing that holds the HSF from the motherboard, which one of those coolers are easier to install?

I had a bad experience with an XFX GeForce 7600GT the stock fan was horible. It was 60 degrees C on idle and went up to 72 degrees C on load. I planned to buy a Zalman VGA cooler and I "practiced" removing the fan and hs on it but I think I broke it. I got so pissed after that....

Zalmann · Mar 21, 2007

pt said:
thermalright ultra 120

I second that, it's at the pinnacle of the air-cooling tree at the moment.

Darknova · Mar 21, 2007

Khriez said:
Other than the Zalman 9700 which requires you to remove that plastic slot thing that holds the HSF from the motherboard, which one of those coolers are easier to install?

I had a bad experience with an XFX GeForce 7600GT the stock fan was horible. It was 60 degrees C on idle and went up to 72 degrees C on load. I planned to buy a Zalman VGA cooler and I "practiced" removing the fan and hs on it but I think I broke it. I got so pissed after that....

The Arctic Cooling Freezer Pro 64 is incredibly easy to fit. You don't need to remove the motherboard.

As for the 7600GT, I have one (XFX XXX edition - overclocked) and mine idles at 42'C and goes up to 55'C at load...so I have no idea why yours was so hot....

HellasVagabond · Mar 21, 2007

Scythe Infinity also has a very easy mounting system...
Without removing the mobo.

demonbrawn · Mar 21, 2007

That's cool. Yeah, as far as video cards go, they can be a hassle. The stock coolers have such tiny screws and I bought an X850 CF edition card and my screwdriver slipped from one of those tiny screws and I broke it... sad day.

ktr · Mar 21, 2007

As i posted in another thread...

its between this: http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/nonhcpucofor.html <---a little pricey, but silent

or this...
http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/akevo120fori.html

check this chart out.... http://www.frostytech.com/top5heatsinks.cfm

Khriez · Mar 22, 2007

Darknova said:
The Arctic Cooling Freezer Pro 64 is incredibly easy to fit. You don't need to remove the motherboard.

As for the 7600GT, I have one (XFX XXX edition - overclocked) and mine idles at 42'C and goes up to 55'C at load...so I have no idea why yours was so hot....

Oh crap. Let me rephrase my entire post.

I had a bad experience 1-2 years ago with an XFX geforce 6600GT. I was planning on getting a zalman VGA cooler on it. I think I broke the card while attempting to remove the plastic pins. Those plastic pins.....HOLY **** what a bitch!!

Darknova · Mar 22, 2007

Oh right lol. I did wonder because the cooler on the 7600GT is incredibly easy to remove, I've done it before to replace the thermal paste.

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Best CPU air cooler?

demonbrawn

pt

not a suicide-bomber

Gam'ster

New Member

Darknova

demonbrawn

HellasVagabond

New Member

PaulieG

jcGriff

New Member

demonbrawn

WarEagleAU

Bird of Prey

Khriez

New Member

Zalmann

New Member

Darknova

HellasVagabond

New Member

demonbrawn

ktr

Khriez

New Member

Darknova

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