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Which CPU Cooler for 4Ghz OC?

Z

Zer0Cool

Limp Gawd
Joined
Apr 4, 2008
Messages
375
Hello,

I’m in the market for a great CPU cooler for my new setup i7 920 CPU & P6T Deluxe v2 MOBO.

I will be OC this system to a 4Ghz (at least I will try) so the cooler must be good. The only requirement I have is for it not to be over 160.5 mm in height as my Cosmos S case has a 200mm fan on the side that will restrict anything higher. The 160.5mm is a height of a True 120 so I drought there will be problems as most of them I believe don’t exceed this number. If however there is something out there that is truly great but is over 160.5mm please name it I might end up doing some moding to the fan to accommodate & the cooler need to be socket 1366 competable (duhhhh)

Anything with in $100 range works for me. From my 30 min researching these are the 3 that I am looking at:

Thermalright IFX-14
Prolimatech Megahalems
Ultra-120 Extreme RT Rev.C


Thanks
 
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I am running the setup recommended here (cogage TRUE spirit and p6t v2) with a 920, and as an fyi, you may not be able to reach 4.0 GHz stable, not because of the cooling (does a great job, keeps temps between 70-80 C), but because of voltage and vdroop. Just thought I'd let you know the CPU is the limit here.
 
Benjus said:
I am running the setup recommended here (cogage TRUE spirit and p6t v2) with a 920, and as an fyi, you may not be able to reach 4.0 GHz stable, not because of the cooling (does a great job, keeps temps between 70-80 C), but because of voltage and vdroop. Just thought I'd let you know the CPU is the limit here.
Click to expand...

Unless it's a crappy bin D0 (assuming that the OP has a D0) he should be able to reach 4Ghz no problem. Perhaps with a slight bump in voltage, but nothing major. 4Ghz seems to be the wall on air though for most 920s regardless if C0/D0.
 
Thanks for all the input guys. I decided to go with the "Prolimatech Megahalems"

All I need now is select a good Fan to go with it. I have 7 Scythe S-FLEX SFF21F 120mm Fans in my PC and they been working really good for me. here is the link http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835185006

Its been more then a year since I did any good research on fans and would appreciate ur help. It needs to be able to push a lot of air and yet not to be to noise.

Thanks
 
Zer0Cool said:
Thanks for all the input guys. I decided to go with the "Prolimatech Megahalems"

All I need now is select a good Fan to go with it. I have 7 Scythe S-FLEX SFF21F 120mm Fans in my PC and they been working really good for me. here is the link http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835185006

Its been more then a year since I did any good research on fans and would appreciate ur help. It needs to be able to push a lot of air and yet not to be to noise.

Thanks
Click to expand...

My choice right now for a HS fan are the GT fans.
 
xeon said:
What do you mean by "crappy bin D0"?
Click to expand...

Not all processors are created equal. Some of them overclock better than others. This is true even of processors from the same batch and stepping. Believe it or not making CPUs is similar to baking cookies. Given the same ingredients and baking process, they don't always turn out the same way and there can be quite a bit of variance in individual cookies. The same is exactly true of processors and other semi-conductors. In regard to "binning", CPUs are binned according to their QC tests. When you test CPUs from a given batch, even those on the same wafer they won't always perform within the same tolerances. Intel has specifications for a given processor type and processor model. I'm just going to make up some numbers here to illustrate my point because I don't know what the actual numbers or defect rates really look like. Intel doesn't usually share this information publicly, so I have no idea what the ranges are, or what clock speeds these things are tested to, voltage input, etc. With that said, here is the basic idea behind how binning works: Let's say Intel wants to make a batch of Core i7's. Once they get done and go through their initial testing Intel gets the following results:

Let's say they got 300 CPUs out of the wafer (I am not sure how many actually get made per wafer, I haven't done the math on that.)
10 CPUs were completely defective and were unusable. (If these can't be turned into a lesser model, or reused or repaired some how, they are destroyed.)
ECC functionality was checked, and all processors passed but 20. (Only Xeon processors are supposed to have this feature enabled.)
30 CPUs have one failed QPI link. (Core i7 CPUs have one QPI link, Xeon E55xx series CPUs have two.)
290 CPUs reached 3.6GHz (I imagine that Intel tests probably north of 4.0GHz, but I have no evidence to support this.)
Of those only 150 of them did so within acceptable voltage ranges.
Of those that reached 3.6GHz at stock voltages, 142 of them did so within acceptable thermal limits.
142 of these processors passed the requirements to become Core i7 975 Extreme Edition CPUs.

The remaining CPUs are retested.
Out of the remaining 158 CPUs, 150 of them reached 3.4GHz.
Of those 150 all but 10 of them did so within acceptable voltages ranges.
Of those that reached 3.4GHz within accetpable voltage ranges, 10 more ran slightly out of thermal specifications.
130 CPUs passed the requirements to become Core i7 950 CPUs.

The remaining 28 CPUs are retested.
Out of those remaining 28 CPUs, all of them reached 3.2GHz.
Of those, all of them did so within acceptable voltages ranges.
Out of those, all of them did so within acceptable thermal limits.
Those remaining CPUs passed validation to become Core i7 920 CPUs.

However Intel's order calls for
200 Core i7 CPUs
50 Xeon W3520 CPUs
10 Xeon E5500 CPUs
20 Core i7 950 CPUs
10 Extreme Edition CPUs

Total CPUs ordered=290

Now, plenty of CPUs passed to be any of the above chips. Some didn't. Intel will fill all their orders as fast as possible. They have to save some of the better binned CPUs to fullfil certain orders such as Extreme Edition or Xeon E5500 series CPUs. Those that failed ECC memory support tests can't be Xeons. Any CPU that had a failed QPI link can't be a Xeon E5500 series CPU. So they take the worst of the bin to fullfil their Core i7 920 order as best they can. Then they take the best for the Extreme Edition and Xeon E5500 series orders. This leaves left over CPUs that while good enough to be Extreme Edition or Xeon E5500 series CPUs, won't be used as Extreme Editions because their orders didn't call for it. So they'll fill the customer orders first by taking the left over chips from the best bin and sell them as Xeon W3520's, Core i7 920's and whatever else they need to. Features are enabled or disabled both by means of necessity and so that the processor conforms to whatever models were ordered. So you may get a Xeon W3520 that will reach well beyond Core i7 975 Extreme Edition speeds, but has one bad QPI link. It can be an Extreme Edition, but not a Xeon E5520. You may get a Core i7 920 with ECC functionality, but this functionality is disabled by Microcode or other means so that the Core i7 920 that was ordered, doesn't have a feature that it isn't supposed to have.

Now agian the concept I've stated above is pretty much how it works but the numbers I pulled out of my ass. Intel is well known for having some of the most strict and exacting tolerances of all semi-conductor manufacturers. Intel is also not foolish. They know that not every CPU will be placed in ideal enviroments so their CPUs are probably designed to tolerate more heat, run at higher clock speeds, and to handle more voltage than they recommend. Their defect rate is among the lowest as well. So more often than not I'd bet that Core i7 920's are more than capable of being Core i7 975 Extreme Edition CPUs, or Xeon E5540 CPUs or whatever else they have. But since more orders are placed for Core i7 920's and Xeon W3520's, or E5520's, those orders get filled with CPUs that are far more capable than their specifications of the actual ordered model probably requires. The reason why you can overclock a Core i7 920 to Core i7 975 Extreme Edition speeds and well beyond is because these processors are actually all the same. The die is the same. They have the same transistor count. Their features are identical in the beginning or at least, when they first come off the assembly line before being placed in the actual CPU package. (Before the heat spreader, markings and contact points / pin package are added anyway.) This is one of the reasons why enthusiasts often call Extreme Edition series processors a waste of money. They have unlocked multipliers yes, but they don't usually overclock much if any better than the lower end CPUs do. This tells me that the actual processor yields are similar from batch to batch, and that Intel's process is so good right now that almost any Core i7 920 could have been an Extreme Edition CPU if Intel had wanted.

The D0 stepping Core i7 920's are often regarded as better than their C0/C1 counterparts but I've yet to be convinced of this. They do seem to require a little less voltage for overclocking and run a couple degrees cooler but I've never seen overclocks on a D0 Core i7 920 that couldn't be achieved on a C0/C1 CPU. Hope this helps rather than confuses.
 
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Is the Cogage TRUE better than the actual TRUE for cooling or just because of price differences? What if you had the original TRUE with dual fans?
 
xeon said:
Is the Cogage TRUE better than the actual TRUE for cooling or just because of price differences? What if you had the original TRUE with dual fans?
Click to expand...

I think the Cogage TRUE has similar thermal performance to that of the actual TRUE, but slightly less as I recall. The main advantage is that it is FAR cheaper than the actual TRUE or TRUE Copper Edition.
 
xeon said:
Thank you for the write up Dan_D. It was enlightening.
Click to expand...

You are welcome. The process may actually be more simple or more complex. Again Intel doesn't share too many details about it. They may be able to test the processors all in one go and figure out what they should all be binned at or they may just get an order for 300 Core i7 920's then test the batch and make sure they are good enough for that purpose and leave it at that.

I suspect they test them well past 3.33GHz (the stock Core i7 975 Extreme Edition's clock frequency) in order to see how their yields are doing in various areas. If all their processors that are usable end up hitting 4.0GHz+ within acceptable thermal and electrical specifications they may go ahead and decide to release a 3.6GHz model. Other things factor into that such as market demand, what their competition is doing etc.
 
crazjayz said:
Unless it's a crappy bin D0 (assuming that the OP has a D0) he should be able to reach 4Ghz no problem. Perhaps with a slight bump in voltage, but nothing major. 4Ghz seems to be the wall on air though for most 920s regardless if C0/D0.
Click to expand...

That's not necessarily true. It is dependent on the power supply and the MB as well. Don't assume the inability to reach a SAFE oc of 3.8 means for sure a bad proc. I didn't want to give it more than 1.4 v of juice, for risk of damaging the 920. That's all. No need to get inflammatory. :(
 
Benjus said:
That's not necessarily true. It is dependent on the power supply and the MB as well. Don't assume the inability to reach a SAFE oc of 3.8 means for sure a bad proc. I didn't want to give it more than 1.4 v of juice, for risk of damaging the 920. That's all. No need to get inflammatory. :(
Click to expand...

So long as the PSU isn't running way out of spec, it shouldn't matter so long as it provides sufficient power. The CPU's voltage regulation is handled by the motherboard. This is why quality power components are so crucial on the boards.
 
Scythe DFS123812-2000 120mm Case Fan - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835185053

Scythe DFS123812-3000 "ULTRA KAZE" 120 x 38 mm
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835185054&Tpk=scythe ultra kaze

The Ultra Kaze has 46dbm compared to the #2 choice with 32dmb. Yes the Kaze will put out more CFM but at what price? I mean I dont want my PC to sound like a rocket... Will I be able to tune down the Kaze using MOBO power connector? Or will the #1 is also a good selection and I should just go with that?

EDIT:

I looked at some reviews for the "ULTRA KAZE" and it does a great job cooling but the noise it emits is just very loud! Are there any suggestions for what to get?

I'm thinking about Scythe DFS123812-2000 120mm Case Fan - Retail 87 CFM 32 dBA 2000 RPM what you guys think?
 
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I ran a 1,900 rpm Scythe S-flex and let the board throttle it depending on temp and it was awesome. Remained quiet until I stressed it hard. Its a solid FDB fan.
 
I have two Scythe SFF21E... great fans. I can't hear them at all inside my P183. Since it is only 1200 RPM it does not move enough air to cool my dual-SLI video cards. I will probably replace one of them with the 1900 RPM version and keep the second one for my hard drives.
 
Prolimatech Mega Shadow Deluxe Black Edition CPU Cooler is the one I am going with. http://www.heatsinkfactory.com/prolimatech-mega-shadow-deluxe-edition-cpu-cooler.html

According to this it comes with a (2 sets of 120x25mm Fan Mounting Clips) So if I would to get 120x35mm fan the mounting clips wouldn't work?

Right nwo im debaiting between the "Scythe SY1225SL12H 120mm "Slipstream" 120 x 120 x 25mm and the "Scythe DFS123812-2000 120mm" 120 x 120 x 38mm. But if the 38mm woud be 2 big then the slipstream it is then.

Your thoughts plz
 
Zer0Cool said:
Prolimatech Mega Shadow Deluxe Black Edition CPU Cooler is the one I am going with. http://www.heatsinkfactory.com/prolimatech-mega-shadow-deluxe-edition-cpu-cooler.html

According to this it comes with a (2 sets of 120x25mm Fan Mounting Clips) So if I would to get 120x35mm fan the mounting clips wouldn't work?

Right nwo im debaiting between the "Scythe SY1225SL12H 120mm "Slipstream" 120 x 120 x 25mm and the "Scythe DFS123812-2000 120mm" 120 x 120 x 38mm. But if the 38mm woud be 2 big then the slipstream it is then.

Your thoughts plz
Click to expand...

I already gave you the best choice in fans you are going to find in post #7. The Kaze fans are useless to me in normal use, other than just for all out CFM, and the slipstream fans are not good for HS's, only as case fans.
 
BlueFireIce said:
I already gave you the best choice in fans you are going to find in post #7. The Kaze fans are useless to me in normal use, other than just for all out CFM, and the slipstream fans are not good for HS's, only as case fans.
Click to expand...

I guess I might of missed that post somehow :(

I just looked at that fan and its doing 85 cfm at 21 dba is absolutely great imo. You are the only one who mentioned this fan ( i am a bit skeptical.)
 
Zer0Cool said:
I guess I might of missed that post somehow :(

I just looked at that fan and its doing 85 cfm at 21 dba is absolutely great imo. You are the only one who mentioned this fan ( i am a bit skeptical.)
Click to expand...

The fan will not do 85CFM at 21dBA, keep in mind the rating is "m³/h" not "CFM", so (85 (meter cubed)) per hour = 50.0291112 (cubic feet) per minute, which even then is still a bit...uhhh, hopeful. Right now it is one of the best choices for HS fans, the S-Flex are also good, but the GT fans from my use work better in higher static pressure environments. And for what ever reason they seem to have a "nicer" sound on my ears than the S-Flex, YMMV.
 
BlueFireIce said:
The fan will not do 85CFM at 21dBA, keep in mind the rating is "m³/h" not "CFM", so (85 (meter cubed)) per hour = 50.0291112 (cubic feet) per minute, which even then is still a bit...uhhh, hopeful. Right now it is one of the best choices for HS fans, the S-Flex are also good, but the GT fans from my use work better in higher static pressure environments. And for what ever reason they seem to have a "nicer" sound on my ears than the S-Flex, YMMV.
Click to expand...

wait im lost so what is the dBA for this fan?
 
Zer0Cool said:
wait im lost so what is the dBA for this fan?
Click to expand...

The dBA is the same, it's just that the air flow is not listed in CFM. Also, it does not really matter as no rating given by mfg's are true, other than say Delta, NMB/Panaflo etc.
 
BlueFireIce said:
The dBA is the same, it's just that the air flow is not listed in CFM. Also, it does not really matter as no rating given by mfg's are true, other than say Delta, NMB/Panaflo etc.
Click to expand...

Grrrr CFM that is what I wanted to ask. you sad (85 meter cubed per hour = 50.0291112 ) what does this mean, 50 CFM? this stats are so confusing. How many CFM will this fan do at 21dba that its listing?
 
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Zer0Cool said:
Grrrr CFM that is what I wanted to ask. you sad (85 meter cubed per hour = 50.0291112 ) what does this mean, 50 CFM? this stats are so confusing. How many CFM will this fan do at 21dba that its listing?
Click to expand...

If you go by the mfg's listing, it does about 50CFM@21dBa
 
BlueFireIce said:
If you go by the mfg's listing, it does about 50CFM@21dBa
Click to expand...

Thats it?!

Scythe DFS123812-2000 does 87.63 CFM at 32 dba and you saying that its worse.... please explain. 32 dba is not that loud for me and it has almost 40 more CFM
 
Zer0Cool said:
Thats it?!

Scythe DFS123812-2000 does 87.63 CFM at 32 dba and you saying that its worse.... please explain. 32 dba is not that loud for me and it has almost 40 more CFM
Click to expand...

Some people are much more sensitive to fan noice than others. For me the sound of the air doesn't bother me but a high pitched whine will.
 
Zer0Cool said:
Thats it?!

Scythe DFS123812-2000 does 87.63 CFM at 32 dba and you saying that its worse.... please explain. 32 dba is not that loud for me and it has almost 40 more CFM
Click to expand...

Even by the mfg's specs the fan will be twice as loud as the one I listed, not only that but you are not thinking about tone or clicking etc when undervolted. Wile the Kaze is "only" twice as loud by mfg's specs it's sound is much more annoying to the human ear. And like I said, mfg's ratings mean crap.

From SPCR:

"Its acoustic quality is poor, droning and buzzing at low speeds, and shaking and vibrating at high speeds. It also clicks throughout its entire range and one of our samples had an unpleasant resonant spike at 7V. It is nowhere close to our standards for a silent fan, and unfortunately doesn't offer any performance advantage either."

Also, as you can see in the review it does not come close to the rating, at 32dBA it only puts out 53CFM.
 
The Gentle Typhoon is a good fan. I have not read how they deal with static pressure but everything else I have read on SPCR has been great.
 
I run a Prolimatech Maga black. With 2 Panflo 120x38 L1s. My temps are around 40 idle. I have a EVGA classified 3x and a 920. I set the core clock to 200, everything else default and im running 4.2 stable without any problems.

I was shocked how easy of a OC this was
 
Has anyone done any Real World Testing using the 920 @ 4Ghz and the Cooler master V10? (Or other CM fans?)
 
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