The best CPU cooler for an SG07 with an Asus P8H67-I

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oliverh

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Hi all,

This is my first post at HF though I've browsed for years.

I currently have a laptop + Vidock and have decided that although I enjoy my laptop, I want a faster PC, but I don't want the size, bulk and all the rest of the cons that a tower has.

So of course, I'm going to build an SFF system. Some of the components I already have, so they're pretty fixed, but some are still flexible - I haven't ordered yet and likely won't for about a month.

I'm looking specifically for the best cpu cooler for this build, but I am a bit flexible on the motherboard, provided it has wifi and spdif options - so if you know of one that is as good and will make my cooler options more flexible, I'm all ears.

Here's the components I'm considering:

Silverstone SG-07 case
Asus P8H67-I motherboard
Arctic Silver 5 thermal compound
Intel i7 2600k CPU
G-Skill 2x4GB DDR3 1333 SoDIMMs
Lite-on Slim slot-load DVD burner

Components I have and am planning on using:

Powercolor Radeon HD 6850 PCS+ (preoverclocked)
Corsair Vertex 2 240GB SSD (primary)
WD Caviar 500GB 5400rpm HDD (data, etc)

I've scoured these threads looking for pictures, hoping to see coolers in that case and on that board. As far as I can tell, the below coolers should all fit - but the trick is whether or not they'll bump against the GPU. Since the internal dimensions are so tight, I just can't tell from spec sheets what will go where and such. So any help or advice is appreciated. This case is rated up to a 112mm high cooler, so if you think something else is best, I'd love to hear it.

These are rated loosely in order of preference although I will say that I'm looking for, in order of what I'd really like as: stability, quiet operation, cheap.

It has to be available in Canada (almost everything is) and I don't really care that much about how much it costs, as long as the expense is worth the extra. I know the AXP-140 is more than double the Vortex Plus, but it may be worth it, I'm not sure.

Thermalright AXP-140 - $60
Nexus Low 7000 R2 - $100
Prolimatech Samuel 17 - $42

Zalman CNPS 8700 (not sure this will fit) - $42
Scythe Big Shuriken - $40
SilenX Effizio Low Profile - $30
Scythe Kozuti - $40
Scythe Shuriken Rev B - $35
Cooler Master Vortex Plus - $30


The first 3 seem to be the most efficient, and with the off-center design, should work best with this case/mobo combo (hence why they are separated). The rest are centered over the CPU, which I suspect will cause issues with the GPU.

Your thoughts?

TIA,

Oliver

btw - I didn't mean to sign into both profiles, sorry - I'm also oliverh72, mixup when signing up.
 
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Wow, thank you for giving me the heads up on the SilenX Effizio Low Profile (EFZ-100HA1)!! I just checked out [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEzobTO2Q7c"]a video review about said cooler[/ame], and it turns out that, unlike most low-profile coolers, it's easy to mount and, according to reviews at Newegg, it cools rather well, too! AND it's cheap! Thank you, once again!
 
I didn't realize I was helping someone else... but hey, no problem! I've updated the list with prices - wow, I didn't realize the Nexus was so expensive up here!! Ouch.
 
The best-performing out of all of those would theoretically be the Thermalright AXP-140, because of the larger size of the heatsink and fan, however, I'd check around for reviews just to make sure. This heatsink is also one of the most expensive of the bunch.
 
surely the AXP-140 would overhang the PCIe slot by a considerable amount?
 
IanM said:
surely the AXP-140 would overhang the PCIe slot by a considerable amount?
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's the issue with almost all of these. I've seen the Kozuti on the board (http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?p=1037333969) so that's the only one I know for sure works.

But I just discovered the Cooler Master Geminii S which looks like it cools great and MIGHT even fit.

So I guess it's between the Kozuti and the Geminii, but I really don't know if it'll fit. The price is about the same, but I'd way rather have a full 120mm fan vs a thin 100mm.
 
oliverh72 said:
Yeah, that's the issue with almost all of these. I've seen the Kozuti on the board (http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?p=1037333969) so that's the only one I know for sure works.
Click to expand...
Well Kozuti is 103mm wide, and those photos on the other thread show that's pretty much the limit with this board. That rules out all of the low profile/top down coolers for 120mm & 140mm fans as they would foul the graphics card.

Is it possible to fit one of the AIO water coolers with the radiator n the roof of the SG07?
 
lvyelion said:
no:D
Click to expand...

ivyelion, do you have this board and cooler? Are you saying you're sure it fits?

I suspected it might (as would the Nexus, Vortex Pro) as they are all asymmetric designs. They are shorter from the sink to the pipes' edge than on the others... so I assume if you put it on chip with the pipes on the same edge as the GPU, it should fit.

But I didn't think the AXP would work just cause it's so much bigger (as is the Geminii S and the Nexus)... I thought I'd have to go with the CoolerMaster Vortex Plus if I went that route as it's a much smaller design (92mm vs 140mm). This wouldn't be awful as it's a standard size fan as opposed to the 100mm jobbies on the Scythes, so I could replace it in-town if necessary.

ivyelion, got some pics of the AXP-140 to show us?? :D
 
IanM said:
surely the AXP-140 would overhang the PCIe slot by a considerable amount?
Click to expand...
Nope, it will fit just fine.:)
This monster covers almost entirely the surface of a ITX board except PCIE 16X and back I/O:cool:
axp14021.jpg


In my personal experience, it is the most powerful air solution for ITX.;)
Just check for RAM and other heatsink clearances
axp140size.jpg
 
For reference, I took a couple of pics of the Samuel 17 on my Asus P8H67-I Deluxe. The Thermalright will offer better cooling, but the Samuel 17 does pretty well for me.

P1000827.jpg


P1000825.jpg


As you can see, there is space between it and the PCI-e slot and also plenty of clearance above the SO-DIMMS on that board. Really tall fins on the memory might become an issue, but there should be clearance for heat sinks that don't stick up too tall.

It all fits quite easily into an SG05 case.
 
Mousemagician said:
Nope, it will fit just fine.:)
This monster covers almost entirely the surface of a ITX board except PCIE 16X and back I/O:cool:
Click to expand...
Very helpful photo :) and the graphics card doesn't touch the heatpipes? It looks extremely close, so maybe it will work on some boards and not others? Very difficult to determine from photos if the Asus socket placement is the same as Gigabyte's, or if it is slightly nearer or further from the PCIe slot.
 
IanM said:
Very helpful photo :) and the graphics card doesn't touch the heatpipes? It looks extremely close, so maybe it will work on some boards and not others? Very difficult to determine from photos if the Asus socket placement is the same as Gigabyte's, or if it is slightly nearer or further from the PCIe slot.
Click to expand...
What I can tell you is that the AXP-140 didn't touch my XFX-HD6590 with its original backplate mounted, then I changed cooler pulling out the original retention plate and the room was still wider.:)
You can check it in my thread (link in my former post).
 
Wow, those photos are fantastic! Thanks DesertCat & Mousemagician!!

This, however, actually makes my decision more difficult. Heh. But I asked for it!
 
Glad to help out. One thing I think is nice about the Samuel 17 setup is that the cooler does not extend to the top of the board where the SATA connectors and USB headers are located. This allows for relatively easy installation and removal of those cables after the CPU cooler is installed. With the thermalright, there may still be sufficient clearance to get your work done, but you will be snaking those cables in underneath the cooler. Since I haven't used that cooler, I'm not sure whether they can be plugged in with your fingers or if it becomes a job for needle-nosed pliers. You probably only have to deal with that once though...
 
I think I'm going to end up with the Samuel 17. It works out to be the same price as the AXP-140 (~$60) after a decent fan - but I like that I'll be able to try several fans before making a decision without extra cost, whereas on the AXP, it'll cost me if I swap that fan out. Plus, I like that I know the tolerances on the board I'm getting with the Samuel. Although the socket on the Gigabyte and the Asus are probably in the same spot, without photos, I'd rather take the safest route.

I'll be contacting Cooler Master via chat in a few minutes to ask about the distance in mm from the heat sink base to the edge of the heat pipes on the Geminii S if anyone's interested. It looks (from my research) that 34mm is the absolute max that that distance can be.
 
ithanium2 said:
I wonder how AXP looks on Zotac Z68 and if it blocks pci-e slot.
Click to expand...
It'll be the first thing I post as soon I get the board...
Though, it's impossible to estimate when it will be available on the Egg and checked out in some customers' reviews.
 
Thanks everyone for the input and photos. So from all of this, here's my consensus.

The AXP-140 will fit, but is likely to be so close to the GPU that it might touch. I can get it shipped for $61 + tax. However, if it doesn't fit, I'll be paying shipping to return it plus a 15% restocking fee.

The Samuel 17 definitely fits and costs $42 without fan. If you add the Cooler Master Blade Master 120 (PWM, 600-2000) for $10.50, you're looking at $53.

Check out this review for a direct comparison of temps http://www.legionhardware.com/articles_pages/prolimatech_samuel_17,1.html
 
oliverh72 said:
Thanks everyone for the input and photos. So from all of this, here's my consensus.

The AXP-140 will fit, but is likely to be so close to the GPU that it might touch. I can get it shipped for $61 + tax. However, if it doesn't fit, I'll be paying shipping to return it plus a 15% restocking fee.

The Samuel 17 definitely fits and costs $42 without fan. If you add the Cooler Master Blade Master 120 (PWM, 600-2000) for $10.50, you're looking at $53.

Check out this review for a direct comparison of temps http://www.legionhardware.com/articles_pages/prolimatech_samuel_17,1.html
Click to expand...
Good call, play safe!;)
SB has an excellent balance between power and temperature.
My AXP-140 is overkilling even for my i7 2600K, unless I overclock (as soon as I get a REAL Z68 ITX):mad:
Where the AXP-140 is unbeatable anyway is for its ability to cool down the entire MoBo. It's not of secondary importance with such a populated form factor.:cool:
the_galvatr0ns said:
just out of interest what temps are ppl getting with their cooling solutions?
Click to expand...
AXP-140 with NoiseBlockerBlackSilentPro PK-2 140mm fan + i7 2600K @stok:
35C idle
60C full load
 
With the Samuel 17 over an i5 2400 with a Scythe PWM 1600 rpm fan in an SG05 case, using the included Prolimatech paste and running FoH to load the CPU, the max temp I've seen is 65°C. I have the fan set to ramp up to a full 1600 rpm by the time it reaches 55°C. Fan link: http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/scsf49cfms12.html

Using some of the included Asus power saving tools (set to auto) and their FanXpert software to set my CPU fan's cooling software to a minimum of 50% (about 900 rpm) I see an idle of 28-30°C and things maxing out around 50°C (software must be throttling to get this lower temp?). If I change the Asus software to max performance, that cap will raise back into the 62-65°C range.
 
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DesertCat said:
With the Samuel 17 over an i5 2400 with a Scythe PWM 1600 rpm fan in an SG05 case, using the included Prolimatech paste and running FoH to load the CPU, the max temp I've seen is 65°C. I have the fan set to ramp up to a full 1600 rpm by the time it reaches 55°C. Fan link: http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/scsf49cfms12.html

Using some of the included Asus power saving tools (set to auto) and their FanXpert software to set my CPU fan's cooling software to a minimum of 50% (about 900 rpm) I see an idle of 28-30°C and things maxing out around 50°C (software must be throttling to get this lower temp?). If I change the Asus software to max performance, that cap will raise back into the 62-65°C range.
Click to expand...

This is good info, especially about the fan you're using.

So, the decision was made for me - the Samuel 17 went on sale for today only at ++++, which was the only place I could get it. So it went down to $45 for me, shipped, including tax. So thats about $20 less than the AXP and I know it'll fit, so I jumped on it.

I'm likely going to use one of these (unless you guys have a better recommendation) Scythe Slip Streams:

http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/PID-MX30342(ME).aspx 500-1900rpm
http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/PID-MX26399(ME).aspx 0-1300rpm

I suspect I'll go with the 500-1900 one, just to be on the safe side
 
So I've been looking at the differences between the i5-2500k and the i7-2600k and frankly, I can't see the benefit of going with the i7. For those interested, Tom's did a rundown of the benefits of Hyperthreading (the only real difference except for 2MB more cache and 100mhz more chip speed), and there almost literally was NONE, except for video/audio de/encoding.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/Intel-Core-i7-Nehalem,2057-12.html

This was on the last generation i7s, mind you.

In a different article, they checked the benefits of hyperthreading on Lightroom (which I use), and it's pretty much nil there as well:

http://techgage.com/article/intel_core_i7_performance_preview/12

On top of that, according to Tom's Hardware, the list of things that even support HT is awfully short. This list is from one year ago, mind you.

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/hyper-threading-core-i7-980x,review-31842-3.html

This makes an extra $100 for the CPU really tough to swallow, especially when the gaming benchmarks are practically identical:

www .hardware canucks .com /forum/hardware-canucks-reviews/39555-intel-sandy-bridge-core-i5-2500k-core-i7-2600k-processors-review-16.html
^ remove some space to make this URL work

The 2500k also uses less power and runs cooler, which are two things that are always a plus. HMMMM... I think I'm getting me an i5. :D
 
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ithanium2 said:
I wonder how AXP looks on Zotac Z68 and if it blocks pci-e slot.
Click to expand...

The Zotac z68 actually has more room between the mounting holes and pci-e slot than other boards with that same layout.

Here's an image to show you what I mean.
zotacboardscompared.jpg

Looks like there's about 1 or 2 more millimeters of space :) I wonder if this allows the use of some other coolers that were previously unusable because there wasn't enough clearance.



Mousemagician said:
AXP-140 with NoiseBlockerBlackSilentPro PK-2 140mm fan + i7 2600K @stok:
35C idle
60C full load
Click to expand...

Does the fan fit on the AXP-140 with that silicon gasket, or no?
 
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the Prolimatech Samuel seems to be a safe route but not really the best of temps, but that doesn't matter much since it won't get too hot
 
Yea, but i think you can run fanless with the AXP in SG07 with the air penetrator fan.
 
ramPage16 said:
The Zotac z68 actually has more room between the mounting holes and pci-e slot than other boards with that same layout.

Here's an image to show you what I mean.
zotacboardscompared.jpg

Looks like there's about 1 or 2 more millimeters of space :) I wonder if this allows the use of some other coolers that were previously unusable because there wasn't enough clearance.





Does the fan fit on the AXP-140 with that silicon gasket, or no?
Click to expand...
Nope, I tried it but ended up with the crude fan.
Great fan, anyways.:p
 
oliverh72 said:
I'm likely going to use one of these (unless you guys have a better recommendation) Scythe Slip Streams:

http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/PID-MX30342(ME).aspx 500-1900rpm
http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/PID-MX26399(ME).aspx 0-1300rpm

I suspect I'll go with the 500-1900 one, just to be on the safe side
Click to expand...

I think the 1900 rpm fan is a good choice. Prolimatech says that the Samuel 17 is best with a fan of at least 1000 rpm. Without that, I don't think you get the flow and pressure needed for the cooler to perform very well. As I said in my post, I set my idle at about 900 rpm (which is slightly audible) and have it ramp up from there. The ramp is basically going from 900 rpm at 30°C up to 1600 rpm at 55°C. That gives me the cooling and acoustics I find acceptable. Basically the only time the fan real cranks up and is noticably audible is when the CPU is working hard. In everyday tasks that means encoding video or intense gaming. With gaming, the fan whoosh isn't very noticeable so long as I have audio playing.
 
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