COOLER MASTER GeminII S524 120mm Long Life

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Mahisse

Mahisse

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Nov 26, 2012
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Hi guys I need your help.

I have a Micro-atx system and planning to get me a cooler for my i5 3570K CPU@stock. I'm seeing prety high temperatures lately. Max was 76C after a game of BF3 and it's getting a bit too much for my taste. Although I'm pretty sure the warm weather is a factor at the moment I would like to push teh temps down below 70C at least.

So I've been looking at the COOLER MASTER GeminII S524 120mm Long Life
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=35-103-100&SortField=0&SummaryType=0&Pagesize=10&PurchaseMark=&SelectedRating=-1&VideoOnlyMark=False&VendorMark=&IsFeedbackTab=true&Page=2#scrollFullInfo

But what I can read from the feedbacks on Newegg it seems to be a bit of a pain to mount and this will be my first attempt to install a cooler so I'm having a bit doubt if this is the cooler for me. Have anyone here had experience with this cooler?

Does anyone else have a good idea for a cooler that will fit into a micro-ATX system and is fairly easy to install.

It's not that I won't be able to install the cooler, I'm not all thumbs but I really don't like the idea of being have to take out motherboard to be able to mount the cooler.
 
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I have that exact cooler, purchased for when my system was in a smaller case. It was not "difficult" to install. However it is easier to do with the motherboard out of the case, unless you have a large slot in the back panel.
The reason for this is if you are installing it alone, you can actually sit the cooler down on the table, with the appropriate rubber mounts in the right place per instructions, and set the motherboard on top of it. Then install the nuts on the back on top of the mounting plate.
Pay attention to the mounting instructions as to which way to face it. I have mine with the overhang over my ram, which of course blows air down on to the ram. You cannot use uber tall ram with this cooler, but very nearly all ram will...
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exroofer

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I have that exact cooler, purchased for when my system was in a smaller case. It was not "difficult" to install. However it is easier to do with the motherboard out of the case, unless you have a large slot in the back panel.
The reason for this is if you are installing it alone, you can actually sit the cooler down on the table, with the appropriate rubber mounts in the right place per instructions, and set the motherboard on top of it. Then install the nuts on the back on top of the mounting plate.
Pay attention to the mounting instructions as to which way to face it. I have mine with the overhang over my ram, which of course blows air down on to the ram. You cannot use uber tall ram with this cooler, but very nearly all ram will fit. Mount the ram FIRST. It is hard to get in after the cooler is in place.

If you have someone to lend a third hand for two minutes while you install it, it won't be all that hard. All they have to do is put a couple nuts on the back for you, and everything else is easy.

I find this cooler moves enough air for a fairly stiff overclock on my 975BE. Not crazy overclocked, but significant.
Because it is a downdraft, you need to have sufficient case fans to exhaust the air out.

It works well in small cases, I had to do the same search to find one that fit in my old case. And have not had a reason to replace it even after I got a much larger case.
 
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Mahisse

Mahisse

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Hurray a person who actually owns the product :D
Thank you for the information Exroofer.

Alright so the mounting of the cooler is not that bad if only you're expecting it to be a bit of a work and with an extra person it's even easier. That is comforting.

I'm glad that you're bringing up the RAM issue
I have three sticks of these: 4096 MB DDR3 1600 MHz CL9 Corsair (see picture). No cooling fins so they should be able to fit under there right?
637827.jpg


How many exhaust fans did you have on your previously case with this cooler?... oh and did you find it necessary to replace the fan to a 140mm?

It seems to me the S524 is a bit hard to find in Europe but I can get a SF524 instead: http://www.cmstore.eu/cooling/cpu-cooling/geminii-sf524/
Would there be any significant difference between the two?
Edit: Answer here: http://g3ar.co.za/2012/02/10/cooler-master-launches-geminii-sf524-cpu-cooler/

I guess it won't be as effective as the S version but it sounds like it's more quite?

Edit2: I'm buying the SF524 aftwer reading this review: http://forums.vortez.net/overclocking-cooling/3519-cooler-master-geminii-sf524-review-test.html
 
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exroofer

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I had only two case fans prior to this summer's heat wave here locally. Then I simply reduced the OC back to stock, left NB at 2600 and it was fine. That was with 25-28 C ambient temps.
I didn't see a huge advantage to going to a 140 fan. However, if the model available to you has a quieter( less cfm) fan, test and see if you mite want to put a higher cfm fan on the cooler. That is easy to do inside the case.
Once my ambients hit hi temps, I ordered 3 120 mm pwm case fans, so a total of 5 now, and all is cool as a cucumber. I would guess at stock clocks you will have no issues. I also use a custom fan profile, so if it gets anywhere near a temp I don't like, the fan ramps up to 100%
The sound alone will let you know it's getting a tad warm..:)

In normal useage, even overclocked, I rarely see temps above 51-52 C.

And yes pretty much any ram without gigantic heat spreaders will fit with decent clearance.
Still need to install it FIRST!

Yes I emphasize it again. Not because I did it in the wrong order the first time or anything like that lol.

I would think that ram should fit with about 1-2 cm clearance.
 
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