Need help with AM3 FX6300 replacement cooling.

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NathanO

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First off, I evidently screwed up. I decided to stick with the stock cooler for my 6300 because I wasn't planning on doing any overclocking. But after 5 minutes of DMC Devil May Cry i realized my mistake. This fan is getting up to 60-80 decibels. It's louder than everything in my case combined, even louder than the hardware i just replaced.

Because everything is already installed and I don't feel like paying someone again to take out and reinstall the whole motherboard I'm looking for a replacement cooler that i can mount without having to take out the motherboard. And unfortunately the case i have has a nice metal plate blocking the back of the motherboard so i can't just go in from the other side, at least not as far as i can tell.

I don't do any overclocking and my house is kept at good temperatures, 78 degrees at the warmest during summer.

Normally I wouldn't have a problem going with a larger one but i don't trust myself talking out the whole motherboard (which is why i paid to have it done) and since i don't do any overclocking or anything like that i'm hoping one of you can recommend me a small cooler that will be cool, quiet and not require a motherboard removal.

If not then I'll understand and guess I'll bite the bullet but I'm hoping not.
I'd also prefer something i can get with amazon prime so i can make use of the quick shipping.

Computer Specs:
Case: Alienware P2
CPU: AMD FX-6300
Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-970A-D3

I do gaming on this machine, at 1920x1080, but usually just on high settings, nothing insane.

*Quick Edit*
Forgot to include the current ones i'm looking at, with the reviews seem to be exactly what i'm looking for.

ARCTIC Freezer 7 Pro Rev. 2: http://www.amazon.com/ARCTIC-Freezer-Rev-Cooler-Multi-Directional/dp/B002G392ZI

ARCTIC Alpine 64 Pro Rev. 2 CPU Cooler: http://www.amazon.com/ARCTIC-Alpine-Pro-Rev-Cooler/dp/B002CIDIPW

Scythe Shuriken Rev.B SCSK-1100: http://www.amazon.com/Scythe-Shuriken-Rev-B-SCSK-1100-Processor/dp/B002AIS97Q

Leaning towards the ARTIC brand partly because i can get them on Saturday and the reviews are good. Scythe seems to have some issues with the fan going bad eventually.
 
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ohyouknow

ohyouknow

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I would bite the bullet as well, but I feel your concerns with pulling the mobo out to install. If your case has a cut out on the back you won't HAVE to pull it out. But it will be easier for the most part. But since you're into just installing with no overclocking, I have no hesitation suggesting the smaller brother of the 212. The TX3 which uses the AMD clip on attachment. Also on amazon

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103064&Tpk=hyper%20tx3&IsVirtualParent=1
 
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NathanO

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I see the 212 and TX3 recommended constantly, but when i go to look up decibel ratings the Arctic 64 Plus is always a lot quieter. Am i missing something here or are these people doing their tests wrong because I've read over 100 reviews for the 212 and everyone does say it's insanely quiet, but the tests i see don't seem to support the quietest that most people say it is.

also now currently looking at this model which claims 19db and on frostytech they have it at 49.0db constant which is still quieter than the 212's max by their test (by 1db) but the Arctic is 46db.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4434989&Sku=C283-1202

Guess something i should add is that the PC is literally right next to me. a foot away from my chair and 2-3 feet away from my head and thats partly why I want to go so quiet so when playing quiet games the PC doesn't make it sound like i'm at an airport which it's doing right now.

*edit 2* and speaking of that one i linked, reading reviews at amazon you go back and forth between it's incredibly quiet and it's the loudest thing I've ever heard. which is what i see on every single one i look at which is why this has been so difficult for me. I love my PC and but trying to figure whats actually quiet and what isn't is making me very aggravated.
 
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ohyouknow

ohyouknow

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Might as well buy a noctua 80mm fan and put it on your stock heatsink. It's held with 4 screws, easy take apart. The thermal mass of the stock heatsink looks bigger than the arctic blowdown one. So you will probably get higher temps. The arctic 7 will be forced to expel heat up towards the top of the case as its orientation is limited in AMD systems.

That would be your best bet. Just pick up a noctua fan and replace the stock one if you don't care about temps.
 
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NathanO

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Well i don't want the CPU to overheat, but i'm not doing any overclocking, the alienware case has 3 120mm fans one in the front bringing air in, one in the side bringing air in and another in the back for exhaust. And as i mentioned the house is kept cool.

If i could just replace the fan that would be awesome. A quick search found this one here, doesn't say anything about CPU, but at 7 db it should be very quiet. http://www.amazon.com/Noctua-80mm-1800RPM-7dB-A/dp/B000KP3V42
 
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ohyouknow

ohyouknow

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NathanO

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@ohyouknow: well thank you so much but after just measuring it, it's evidently only 70mm. I was so happy when you posted that just to find out it won't work.

I did find this one here: http://www.amazon.com/Nexus-70mm-Real-Silent-Case/dp/B003PNLRLU but i don't recognize the brand and though it does have perfect reviews and a few mention it worked on their CPUs, I'll be honest I'm a little worried with my CPU.

@gto1970: thanks for your info on the 212. Same as I've heard so many other places which is why the tests just confuse me even more.

At this point I'm tempted to just buy all 3, the fan, the arctic, and the 212. and go from one to the next and see which one works and then try to return the other two lol Still looking at the CM N520 as well though.

*Edit*

Played around with my bios and changed some of the CPU fan settings to silent.

at 4283 RPM it was not louder than before the change, but still pretty loud turning star trek online at a max of 65.3 C average was about 55-60C. Running at 2800-2900 right now and you can't hear it. 25-30C

playing DMC it got up to 4561 RPM, average was about the same as STO and again pretty loud and very audible during the game, especially when it got past 4300. temps were staying around 51-60 C.

At basically any RPM lower than 3800 it doesn't bother me, once it gets above that it's starting to get loud and above 4200 it's way to loud.

So hopefully with that i can get one last bit of help.

At this point I'm leaning towards just going all out and doing the 212 and just biting the bullet and my wallet.

If anyone thinks otherwise and i should just go with the Nexus fan, please let me know.
 
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