Need help finding a new air cooler for my FX-8350

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WhatamIdoingWrong

WhatamIdoingWrong

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Jul 6, 2013
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I'm looking for a new air cooler and it seems like there is a lot more on the market than there used to be, so I'm lost as to which one to get. I have a Zalman CNPS9900 MAX-B and it hasn't really been up to the task since I added in a second GPU. My idle temp is 30-32c and Prime 95 only gets it into the low 50s, but a few games like Shadow of Mordor and Metal Gear Solid 5 put it in the high 50s. It actually hit 60c once while I was playing Metal Gear, I haven't run into any other Crossfire supported games yet that can get it this hot. Let me know what air cooler you think I should get or if I'm just being paranoid. Also, my case is an NZXT Phantom. Thanks.
 
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You don't want to be running your FX at 60 or 61C. You are right to want to upgrade your cooler. The Noctua D15 is the best in the business. However, you should be able to get by with a True Spirit Power 140 which is quite a bit cheaper ($55 from Amazon).

Also, you may be able to keep your current cooler if you put a fan blowing on your board's VRM sink. If the VRMs get hot the excess heat can migrate back to the CPU, heating it up more. Nonetheless, that Zalman cooler is rather outdated.
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TbsToy

TbsToy

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Your temps are well within safe temps for the CPU. If controlling the temps of the CPU only is your concern use an AIO liquid CPU cooler as the CPU temp. won't be affected as much by surrounding heat producing components like graphics cards that vent into the case. Positive case pressure and directional air flow with as many fans as ya can install helps too. Heat is the # 1 enemy of electronics.
Sincerely,
Walt Prill
 
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WhatamIdoingWrong

WhatamIdoingWrong

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Isn't 61c the maximum safe temp for an 8350? I did have a positive case pressure but I reversed one of my fans to see if a negative pressure would help, but it didn't change anything. Also, I haven't done any overclocking yet and the idea of having water in my PC scares me.
 
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TbsToy

TbsToy

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The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.
Franklin D. Roosevelt
It is only a computer.
Don't know your particular processor. 61 C is a low ceiling max temp. for silicon. We adjust all the fans, 9 of em, in the X99 guy for the best over all lowest temps. It is fun being a circus juggler:).
Walt Prill


 
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superstition

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You don't want to be running your FX at 60 or 61C. You are right to want to upgrade your cooler. The Noctua D15 is the best in the business. However, you should be able to get by with a True Spirit Power 140 which is quite a bit cheaper ($55 from Amazon).

Also, you may be able to keep your current cooler if you put a fan blowing on your board's VRM sink. If the VRMs get hot the excess heat can migrate back to the CPU, heating it up more. Nonetheless, that Zalman cooler is rather outdated.
 
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TbsToy

TbsToy

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Noctua's cool well but have a huge downside. They are extremely heavy and break mobos and sockets and CPUs with out much provoking.
There is no best with CPU coolers.
Do what ya will.

Walt Prill
 
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TbsToy

TbsToy

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Nope, not if it is somebody else's computer!
W.P.
 
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superstition

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fear uncertainty and doubt

If there are massive problems with large air coolers they wouldn't be on the market anymore. They have been around for many years without the sky falling.

You're more likely to have problems from an AIO than from an air cooler unless you need a lot of portability (Lan parties and such).
 
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TbsToy

TbsToy

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O.K., I'll play tonite and need a break from stuffs. If heavy air coolers were the Cat's ass they would be as common as Intel processors, right?
Walt Prill:).

Thought so!

 
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rebelionshot

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i am going to stay out of the air vs water topic but i am going to say when a water cooler fails you are screwed one way or another from personal experience and history of having to diagnose people's water coolers and why they are not working in my area. and just stating my temp difference with the NH-D15s(single fan vs dual on NH-D15) was way more than i could of expected it dropped my idle temps from 43c to 34c on silent and 30c on full blast, so i will let you decide from that info http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2890221/8350-air-cooler-asus-sabertooth-990fx-motherboard.html
 
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WhatamIdoingWrong

WhatamIdoingWrong

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I've been looking at the Noctua coolers on and off for a while, but I decided to go with a Cryorig R1 universal. From what I've read It seems to be pretty comparable to the D15 as far as build quality and performance go, plus it should clear my RAM.

(Update)Noctua D15S or Cryorig R1 Universal?
 
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rebelionshot

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WhatamIdoingWrong

WhatamIdoingWrong

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I wanted to get a liquid cooling system, but I spent to much on my PC to replace what could be damaged from a leak very easily. I almost got the D15S, but the R1 Universal went on sale for the same price at Newegg.
 
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