Which CPU air cooler is best for my case?

Yasaal · Jul 1, 2016

My case:

http://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c02481314

I`ve asked this question because I`m facing some heat issues.During gameplay cpu fan starts to produce noise and that`s irritating.

Is CM Icefusion a good thermal paste?I`m specifically asking because this is the only thermal paste available in my region!

gondo · Jul 1, 2016

Heatsinks will come with thermal paste. That's all that is required. I'm not a fan of expensive pastes. As long as you install the paste properly you'll be fine. The design of the heatsink is worth way more than the quality of the paste. Most heatsinks include a tube of some sort of silver paste.

Measure your case to see what height of CPU cooler will fit before it hits the side cover. Then purchase a heatsink that will fit. In order of price and performance from low to high, these are the top 3.

Coolermaster 212 Evo
Cryorig H7
Noctua D15

Bearmann · Jul 1, 2016

^ This. But there are of course many more choices of heatsinks. Generally, the larger the heatsink and the larger the fan, the quieter it will be.

Yasaal · Jul 1, 2016

Does all 3 cpu coolers mentioned above fits inside my case?

Bearmann · Jul 1, 2016

Yasaal :

That's why he asked you to measure the distance from the MB to the side panel.

gondo · Jul 1, 2016

Since you have an HP it's not a generic case. We don't have those specs for maximum CPU cooler height. A google search might come up with something from another person but that's it. You'll need to measure the case.

The Noctua is massive and probably won't fit. The coolermaster or cryorig might fit. There are many more good coolers, but the Coolermaster and Cryorig are the go to recommended ones. When in doubt just get one of those sort of thing. Kind of like when in doubt just get an Asus motherboard, can't go wrong.

Yasaal · Jul 3, 2016

Sure, I`ll measure the case before buying any cooler.

gondo · Jul 3, 2016

If you have an HP motherboard as well make sure you have the clearance around the CPU to fit the heatsink. You probably don't have fancy high profile RAM with super crazy heatsinks so the CPU heatsink should clear the RAM.

Yasaal · Jul 3, 2016

I use RAM chips having no heat spreaders

Yasaal · Jul 3, 2016

What about low profile heatsinks?

gondo · Jul 3, 2016

Low profile heatsinks do not cool as well as a tower type cooler, but they fit certain home theatre style cases.

If you want some cooling and noise specs and reviews of coolers check frostytech.com

Yasaal · Jul 4, 2016

Thank you all for your advises.

Yasaal · Jul 4, 2016

Again I`m in trouble here.I have a motherboard having only 3 pins not 4 pins which are needed for aftermarket cpu coolers.i don`t know what to do in this situation?

Bearmann · Jul 4, 2016

What is your motherboard model?

gondo · Jul 4, 2016

You can plug a 4 pin onto the 3 pin header of your motherboard. Make sure it's the CPU header and not a fan header you're looking at. Usually it's marked CPU and a fan header is marked CHA or chassis fan.

As long as there is room on the side of the connector and no capacitors jammed in there a 4 pin will fit there. You just loose function of the 4th pin which is PWM for speed control. Your fan will run at full speed is all.

You are learning. And doing a good job at that. You picked up on the connector problem

Yasaal · Jul 4, 2016

Is it 100% safe to do so?I`ve searched the web and found more positive reviews {but all are saying that the fan WILL spin at full speed.This results in increase in noise levels+decrease the lifespan of the cooler!}.

For the motherboard model,here is that:

http://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c02560084

Bearmann · Jul 4, 2016

I forgot that you had an HP MB. Gondo did say that your fan would spin at full speed. Yes, the fan will wear out sooner. You could get a Noctua with a 6 year warranty (including the fan). Their standard fans come with a low noise adapter which causes the fan to spin at a lower RPM.

Yasaal · Jul 5, 2016

But they are way too expensive ,I`ve planned to buy Cooler Master 212X.Please let me know if any Noctua brand cooler is less expensive (than other noctua coolers) and have same or low dimensions than CM 212X.

Bearmann · Jul 5, 2016

The 212X model has upgraded fans over the standard 212 model. You will need to buy a low noise adapter (3 pin resistor wire) to use with it if you want it to spin slower. The closest Noctua is the NH-U12S model which is also 158 mm like the Hyper 212X.

Yasaal · Jul 5, 2016

Thank you all again for u`r fully support towards such illiterate person!

Bearmann · Jul 5, 2016

You're not illiterate. You're reading and learning!

I wouldn't order either cooler without measuring first.

Which CPU air cooler is best for my case?

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