For a long time, I've resisted buying after market coolers because with various cheap and easy mods, I've been able to get sufficient improvement to stock coolers for it not to be necessary. I'm even prepared to put up with Q6600 HSFs because I can clean them quickly. I'm no longer prepared to put up with the Q8400/E6500/E3300 HSF problem because it is so time consuming to deal with.
You have a way bigger herd in your farm than mine.
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When I started building these, my frustration with Intel HSFs caused me to look for a budget cooler that would significantly outperform either the AMD or Intel stock HSF. I also wanted to have something that didn't require mobo removal and the ability to swap between Intel/AMD at will. I decided on this one, (locally $26), mainly on the basis of this review.
Now I have used two of those also, as you say one can change over in situ. One can slap a second fan ( not supplied in the kit ) on the other side of the fins as well, if you want.
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Years ago, I noticed that all heatsinks tend not to be truly flat, unless they have had special preparation. If I need to improve cooling, I decided that I would always lap a heatsink. I have a nice sturdy small sheet of plate glass and a series of wet-or-dry papers - from 220 grit to 1600 grit. My experience is that most heatsinks are convex - some quite badly so. After 20mins lapping they are all nicely flat. So I reckon the review site probably tested a dud when they did their followup test of the newer model. Until you lap them, it's hard to tell how bad they might be. Most of the ones I've bought were not too bad but I did get a couple of real shockers.
Never occurred to me. I'll remember that. Note to self : lap the heatsink, not the CPU! :-)
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Another problem I have is that I've used existing SFF desktop cases that were available once I decommissioned my Tualatin Celerons. The cases are very nice to work with and are well engineered but they are not tall enough to accommodate a tower design cooler. I built the Phenoms in tower cases so the TX3 coolers work nicely. If I decide to change the cooling for the Intels (without changing the cases) my best option is something like this, which is designed to fit SFF cases.
Very similiar to the one above - bent over 90 degrees.
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I'm trialling one at the moment (it was also improved by lapping) and it is handling an overclocked x4 Phenom with no problems. The cooling is definitely not as good as with the TX3 but it is significantly better than stock cooling. Locally they cost $34. So the TX3 at $26 is quite good value.
The one I mentioned was about $120 AUD. Which is OK if the machine has tax deduct-ability ( effective cost to business ~ $60 AUD then ), and in my instance well worth it, as the data processing the machine performs is worth way, way more.
Cheers, Mike.
I have made this letter longer than usual because I lack the time to make it shorter ...
... and my other CPU is a Ryzen 5950X :-) Blaise Pascal
RE: For a long time, I've
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You have a way bigger herd in your farm than mine.
Now I have used two of those also, as you say one can change over in situ. One can slap a second fan ( not supplied in the kit ) on the other side of the fins as well, if you want.
Never occurred to me. I'll remember that. Note to self : lap the heatsink, not the CPU! :-)
Very similiar to the one above - bent over 90 degrees.
The one I mentioned was about $120 AUD. Which is OK if the machine has tax deduct-ability ( effective cost to business ~ $60 AUD then ), and in my instance well worth it, as the data processing the machine performs is worth way, way more.
Cheers, Mike.
I have made this letter longer than usual because I lack the time to make it shorter ...
... and my other CPU is a Ryzen 5950X :-) Blaise Pascal