Best Socket A CPU Fan/Heatsink

immy · 4 May 2006 at 00:20

In search for a quiet PC,

Ive just replaced my QTEC 550w psu with a Hyper 580w PSU.....
Result = Not much reduction in noise.
Prime noise culprit is my Socket A CPU Heatsink/Cooler.
My motherboard is an ABIT NF7

Looking around on the overclockers website, i cant seem to find any socket A cpu coolers.....so can anyone reccomend a good cooler which is also fairly quiet. My current cooler is a big mass of copper with a 80mm fan on top which is very loud.

My current cpu fan can be heard from downstairs, its that loud!

So what do you guys reccomend?
Can i just replace the fan with something bigger or quieter? or will i need to replace the heatsink too.

A.N.Other · 4 May 2006 at 02:37

Most people will say go for the Gigabyte G-Power Pro. It's fairly expensive at 27 quid but its a very good cooler and will fit onto a A64 system as well if you want to upgrade in the future.

As regards noise, you could do better tbh. The lowest it goes to is 20 dB but the highest is 40 (and that is LOUD!).

Wow I haven't answered your question

. Still, food for thought.

pcoltrane · 4 May 2006 at 08:48

Cheap and very effective is the Thermaltake Sonic Tower.

InSanCen · 4 May 2006 at 23:32

marc mercer said:
Cheap and very effective is the Thermaltake Sonic Tower.

vote number 2...
Alternatively, Thermaltake Big Typhoon if you really want the *best*

the Sonic Tower keeps my [email protected] nice n cool... about 28Idle with 21c ambient, 33 Load... I do however run stupid CFM through it (about 650

)

immy · 5 May 2006 at 01:00

at the time i bought my heatsink it was meant to be one of the better ones.
im thinking i could replace the temp controlled fan on the heatsink with a yateloon or something rather than replace the whole unit.

Cyber-Mav · 5 May 2006 at 06:53

get a gigabyte g-power cooler like i did. since by old msi board did not have mounting holes around the cpu socket i couldn;t use a big typhoon so i got the g-power.

kept my xp-m2600 at 55c max load in snm running at 2500mhz 1.825v not bad at all.

best part about it is that now im on an opteron i just swapped the g-power clip to K8 clip since its a multi format cooler im now using it on my new setup in sig. saved me cash in the long run.

FatRakoon · 5 May 2006 at 22:37

I think that just as important as the CPU cooling, you could also look at having a good airflow through your case too!

Perhaps a case that has 120mm front and rear fans, will get the noise down, and give a sensible air flow through the system.

You can get away with a lot that way.

My NF7S has an XPM @ 2.8 running in that, and I am using an old SLK7/700 or SK7/700 - whichever takes the 80mm fans and the fan I an using is currently a naff old UV Job that barely gives off 1 CFM I recon, but the case has 4x800mm front and 2x80mm rear, and they are currently only poor ones, my temps are hovering at 32 idle and 38 under load ( few rounds of UT2K4 ). and thats not even my coolest case, its just one that fits Deltas in the front and I dont use those anymore due to the noise, I have gone for silence these days since learning better ways to cooling that massive airflow. ( Hello Azz )

InSanCen · 6 May 2006 at 07:02

Oy fatty.. what's wrong with silly amounts of airflow?

Seriously, what he say's is right. you can have the Best/Most efficient HS/F in the world, but without decent case airflow (Usually cold air in at the lower front, hot out top rear), you're just circulating warm air.

i just tend to go a little over the top, that's all...

tim_enchanter · 6 May 2006 at 23:18

Another cooler on here is
Zalman CNPS7000B-CU Ultra-Quiet CPU Cooler - Retail (HS-007-ZA)
This will also do socket A and 939.

Dunno how good this is, but the 7700 version works great on my opty and is quiet enough when turned down.

I also agree that you can't have enough fans, am running 2x120mm ambers + the 120 in the seasonic + zalman CPU n GFX coolers, they all constanly run on min speed on a controller even when gaming.
This should give me some room for when the temps go up in the summer.

FatRakoon · 7 May 2006 at 01:12

InSanCen said:
Oy fatty.. what's wrong with silly amounts of airflow?

Nothing, nothing at all mate, but when your PC Fans suck the couch closer to the PC, you know its time to calm down.

InSanCen said:
i just tend to go a little over the top, that's all...

If I said that was an Understatement, it would be like comparing Noahs flood to a damp patch.