Would these help my overclock?

[Andrew87]

I'm running an XP2500+ at around XP3200 speeds but it's not always entirely stable, I'm also running 1.8V through it. I've got an Aero 7 Lite and ASUS A7N8X Deluxe ver2 with the 1007 UBER BIOS.

Do you think upgrading to better Air Cooling would help my overclock? I felt the top of the default Northbridge Heatsink and it seemed rather hot, would the Zalman below make any difference? Also my thermal compound on my CPU (Coolermaster Premium) wasn't applied properly so I think Arctic Silver 5 may get my CPU a few degrees lower. It's currently running 49C but my room is quite hot and I have a fan blowing on me.

Zalman ZM-NB47J Northbridge Cooler £11.63
Thermalright ALX800 (Socket A) Heatsink £22.33
YS-TECH FD8125 80mm Fan (3 Pin) £5.17
Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound £6.76
Arctic Cooling VGA Silencer £8.17

The total price is £54.04, £20 less than an XP2600-M Barton and this way I'll be able to overclock my 9800 too. I'll probably prefer the extra speed on the 9800 than the CPU/RAM but an all around increase would be nice. I'll probably buy all this stuff even if there's a small opportunity of getting a better overclock because lower temperatures would be good.

For the price is there anything better I can invest in? Would you recommend any better solutions for a similar price?

Thanks .

 

[ciscokid454]

get an slk-800/900..
decent fan..a vantec tornado if you can handle the noise.
.002

 

[Andrew87]

Thanks for the advice. The ALX800 gave better performance than the SLK-800, it's a hybrid constructed of copper/aluminium, I couldn't find any ALX800 vs SLK-900 comparisons but the ALX800 is about £5 cheaper.

The Vantec Tornado produces 84.1CFM at 5700RPM (55.2dBA). The YS-TECH FD8125 produces 45.2CFM at 3000RPM (34.2dBA) but is also considerably quieter; it's also half the price.

Apart from getting a variable fan controller, is there anyway to make the Tornado quieter while running at its maximum efficiency?

 

[cornelious0_0]

Originally posted by Andrew87
Thanks for the advice. The ALX800 gave better performance than the SLK-800, it's a hybrid constructed of copper/aluminium, I couldn't find any ALX800 vs SLK-900 comparisons but the ALX800 is about £5 cheaper.

The Vantec Tornado produces 84.1CFM at 5700RPM (55.2dBA). The YS-TECH FD8125 produces 45.2CFM at 3000RPM (34.2dBA) but is also considerably quieter; it's also half the price.

Apart from getting a variable fan controller, is there anyway to make the Tornado quieter while running at its maximum efficiency?

Some people have plugs on their power supplies that automatically bump fans down to 5v but not all do. I'd say to go with a Panaflo L1A or M1A with that Thermalright heatsink if you're looking for bang for the buck. There are other options that I'd like to recommend, for better peformance.....but the price would be nearly (if not surely) doubling.

 

[Andrew87]

Well after doing some research I decided I may as well go all the way (well for my budget anyway) and get the SLK-947U and a 92MM Vantec Tornado, with over 100CFM.

Zalman ZM-NB47J Northbridge Cooler £11.63
ThermalRight SLK-947U (Socket 478 & Socket A) Cooler £29.38 (£7.05 more than the ALX800)
Vantec TD9238H Tornado 92mm fan - Retail £12.93 (£6.76 more than the YS-Tech fan)
Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound £6.76
Arctic Cooling VGA Silencer £8.17

Total: £68.87

Now this is a lot, especially just for air cooling (for me anyway) so I'd like some serious opinions please. My XP2500 is currently at 42C right now, I'm just browsing the web and stuff, it's also running at 1.8V, I appreciate the fact that I don't have the best overclocker but with the above equipment I think I'll get 10C lower temps. I'm currently using a Coolermaster Aero 7 Lite (it's less than 38CFM) with Coolermaster Premium Thermal Compound (which has been badly applied).

Should I get 2 x Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound and apply the AS5 on the GPU and NorthBridge as well as the CPU/HS?

Is it worth paying 1/6th of my budget to replace a NorthBridge HeatSink with another one?

Thanks again for any advice.

 

[cornelious0_0]

Originally posted by Andrew87
Well after doing some research I decided I may as well go all the way (well for my budget anyway) and get the SLK-947U and a 92MM Vantec Tornado, with over 100CFM.

Zalman ZM-NB47J Northbridge Cooler £11.63
ThermalRight SLK-947U (Socket 478 & Socket A) Cooler £29.38 (£7.05 more than the ALX800)
Vantec TD9238H Tornado 92mm fan - Retail £12.93 (£6.76 more than the YS-Tech fan)
Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound £6.76
Arctic Cooling VGA Silencer £8.17

Total: £68.87

Now this is a lot, especially just for air cooling (for me anyway) so I'd like some serious opinions please. My XP2500 is currently at 42C right now, I'm just browsing the web and stuff, it's also running at 1.8V, I appreciate the fact that I don't have the best overclocker but with the above equipment I think I'll get 10C lower temps. I'm currently using a Coolermaster Aero 7 Lite (it's less than 38CFM) with Coolermaster Premium Thermal Compound (which has been badly applied).

Should I get 2 x Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound and apply the AS5 on the GPU and NorthBridge as well as the CPU/HS?

Is it worth paying 1/6th of my budget to replace a NorthBridge HeatSink with another one?

Thanks again for any advice.

Have you done sufficient testing to make SURE that you need that much voltage??? 1.8v seems pretty high, just for 3200+ speeds. That Aero 7 is the one thing that's hurting you the most here.....and it'll do you wonders to get rid of it. I realise that it would cost you a tad more but I'd probly want to spring for the SP-97 for the heatsink, and keep the Tornado fan.

You don't HAVE to get 2 tubes of AS5.....but I spose you could just have some left over for next time. AMD's require next to no compound applied, seeing as the die is so small.....and the same goes for your video card. A single 3gram tube would/will last you for quite awhile, especially if you aren't re-applying your coolers every couple months (like some of us ).

A lot of people overlook getting a decent NB cooler, but that's because most mobos out there already have decent enough cooling on the NB. Even the (passive) NB cooler on my P4C800-E is cool to the touch. If yours is actually hot then yes, I'd say it's worth it.

Hope I could help.

 

[evilnickwong]

Improving your cooling may not neccasarily help your overclock as it may be limited by the CPU or RAM or some other factor. Buying the stuff you listed would definitely help you get lower temps tho. If you're like most of us, the premise of lower temperatures is probably enough to spend money , but I suggest just getting the VGA Silencer to OC your 9800, then save the rest for something else in the future.

If you do go ahead with this plan, then it looks good to me. Something to consider would be to get a Thermalright NB-1 instead of the Zalman NB47J. It performs much better, just check for clearance first.

 

[cornelious0_0]

Originally posted by evilnickwong
Improving your cooling may not neccasarily help your overclock as it may be limited by the CPU or RAM or some other factor. Buying the stuff you listed would definitely help you get lower temps tho. If you're like most of us, the premise of lower temperatures is probably enough to spend money , but I suggest just getting the VGA Silencer to OC your 9800, then save the rest for something else in the future.

If you do go ahead with this plan, then it looks good to me. Something to consider would be to get a Thermalright NB-1 instead of the Zalman NB47J. It performs much better, just check for clearance first.

It's true that Andrew here might be hitting a hardware OC wall already, especially considering his temps aren't THAT bad at 42C. I would still recommend getting rid of that Aero 7 though, but maybe throw a 92mm Panaflo L1A or M1A on the Thermalright instead.....so you don't have to spend more cash on a fan controller.....'cus you WILL want one with that tornado.

The VGA Silencer is a very nice cooler and probly the most practicle item on your list, but I'd definitely get the CPU HSF combo too. Arctic Silver 5 is a must at the same time though so the only thing that might not be deathly urgent is the NB cooler.

 

[Andrew87]

Originally posted by cornelious0_0
Have you done sufficient testing to make SURE that you need that much voltage??? 1.8v seems pretty high, just for 3200+ speeds.

Yep, I've tested it pretty thoroughly, I think with better cooling I could maintain a better overclock, I'm actually in luck, my mum's friend just came over and gave me £20 as a late XMAS and Easter gift, SP-97 here I come lol, it's going good for me today .

I don't think my RAM is holding me back, after all it's rated for FSB433, although I couldn't get it to boot even just 2MHz above this, my motherboard doesn't like the memory I guess but this should leave open some room for my CPU with better cooling.

I can't find any UK retailers which sell the Panaflow but the YS-Tech offers a similar amount of Airflow (also in the 40s) but the Tornado is 3 times this. Is there some way to use the controller for my Aero 7 Lite with the Tornado?

 

[cornelious0_0]

Originally posted by Andrew87
Yep, I've tested it pretty thoroughly, I think with better cooling I could maintain a better overclock, I'm actually in luck, my mum's friend just came over and gave me £20 as a late XMAS and Easter gift, SP-97 here I come lol, it's going good for me today .

I don't think my RAM is holding me back, after all it's rated for FSB433, although I couldn't get it to boot even just 2MHz above this, my motherboard doesn't like the memory I guess but this should leave open some room for my CPU with better cooling.

I can't find any UK retailers which sell the Panaflow but the YS-Tech offers a similar amount of Airflow (also in the 40s) but the Tornado is 3 times this. Is there some way to use the controller for my Aero 7 Lite with the Tornado?

Good stuff, glad to hear that things are starting to work out.

To get that fan controller to work with the Tornado I'm guess you'd just have to get a 3-4 pin adapter for the Tornado.....seeing as it uses a 4pin molex plug. The thing is that I'm not sure what kind of wattage the Aero 7 controller will take. If it was designed for THAT cooler then I might not try it.....the Tornado is a 9W fan.....just a BIT more then that pidly little Aero7 you've got hooked up now.

If you can't get a hold of a Panaflo I'd just say to get the YS-Tech. you WILL NOT want to run the Tornado without the ability to slow it down.....so why not just buy something that already has a VERY tolerable noise level with good airflow. You'd probly be running the Tornado at about half speed most of the time anyways. Do yourself AND your ears a favor, get the YSTech and skip the fan controller.....especially if funds are that tight.

 

[Andrew87]

Originally posted by cornelious0_0
If you can't get a hold of a Panaflo I'd just say to get the YS-Tech. you WILL NOT want to run the Tornado without the ability to slow it down.....so why not just buy something that already has a VERY tolerable noise level with good airflow. You'd probly be running the Tornado at about half speed most of the time anyways. Do yourself AND your ears a favor, get the YSTech and skip the fan controller.....especially if funds are that tight.

Ok I'll go for the YS-Tech, but if I'm going to get a less capable fan should I go for the ALX800 which is quite a lot cheaper than the SP-97?

I have a choice between these fans:

- Speed - 3000RPM
- Output - 45.2CFM
- Decibels - 34.2dBA
- Dimensions - 80x80x25

or the

- Speed - 2400RPM
- Output - 50.0CFM
- Decibels - 31.9dBA
- Dimensions - 92x92x25

While the 92mm fan is 'better' I'm not sure when the company will get them in stock, I'll try e-mailing them, the 80mm is £5.17 and the 92mm £6.46 which seems reasonable. Either fan is still double the CFM which I have now with the Aero 7 Lite and the heatsink would be far better. Both of these fans have the 3pin cable - with the Speed Sensor. My current Antec Casefans are the same but they have an adapter where a red and black wire go into a 4pin molex adapter and the yellow wire goes into the motherboard header, what is this adapter called?

 

[cornelious0_0]

Originally posted by Andrew87
Ok I'll go for the YS-Tech, but if I'm going to get a less capable fan should I go for the ALX800 which is quite a lot cheaper than the SP-97?

I have a choice between these fans:

- Speed - 3000RPM
- Output - 45.2CFM
- Decibels - 34.2dBA
- Dimensions - 80x80x25

or the

- Speed - 2400RPM
- Output - 50.0CFM
- Decibels - 31.9dBA
- Dimensions - 92x92x25

While the 92mm fan is 'better' I'm not sure when the company will get them in stock, I'll try e-mailing them, the 80mm is £5.17 and the 92mm £6.46 which seems reasonable. Either fan is still double the CFM which I have now with the Aero 7 Lite and the heatsink would be far better. Both of these fans have the 3pin cable - with the Speed Sensor. My current Antec Casefans are the same but they have an adapter where a red and black wire go into a 4pin molex adapter and the yellow wire goes into the motherboard header, what is this adapter called?

While that 80mm fan isn't that bad, I'd wait for the 92mm if I could. 5 more cfm AND 3 less dBA.....makes sense doesn't it???