I am looking for a cpu cooler. The most bang for the buck.

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pfolsgrofb

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Nov 5, 2015
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I don't want to spend a fortune on it, but I feel as though my stock cooler for my cpu just isn't doing it any more. Maybe its the paste, maybe its dust. I will clean it this weekend. But while playing GTA 5 yesterday I had temps at 70 C. Used to only be around 60 C. My specs are

i5 4690k (Not overclocked)
Asus z97-A 3.1 Mobo
8gb ram
GTX 970.

I also have one exhaust fan out the back, a 220mm (I think, its a big fan) intake fan on the side, 1 120mm intake fan on the bottom, 2 120mm intake fans on the front, and 2 120mm exhaust fans on top.

What I would like is a recommendation on a great cpu cooler to upgrade from my stock. As well as a good brand of thermal paste. If someone can please tell me how much paste exactly to put on, that would be great. EVERY SINGLE person, or video I see has a different opinion on thermal paste and I don't know which is the right way. Budget is not really an issue, but I would generally like to stay $50 and below for the cooler. Unless its a really good one, I may go up to $100 but no more. Because for $100 I can liquid cool. I never liquid cooled before so I'm not really up to do it just yet. I will in the future though.
 
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Ecky

Ecky

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Feb 3, 2013
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If temps are rising, that's a sign that either dust is building up, or your thermal paste is degrading. My guess is the former, but either could be fixed by simply cleaning and reseating he heatsink.

Be aware that Haswell CPUs will happily run at 80-90c for longer than any other component in your PC will likely last. Changing the cooler will not have any appreciable impact on lifespan or stability.

However, if you want to overclock, something like the Cryorig H7 ($35) would give you some headroom and probably get you another 2-400mhz (4-8%) performance over your stock cooler. Spending any more on a cooler is diminishing returns and is largely pointless.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA4UF2DZ6565&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-PCPartPicker,%20LLC-_-na-_-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=
 
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Ecky

Ecky

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Feb 3, 2013
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The way I install thermal paste is to put a bit around the size of an uncooked grain of rice in the middle of the heatspreader, and set the cooler on it. The weight of the cooler will spread it out. The paste should spread out and only be thick enough to fill in the microscopic valleys and peaks of the metal. It should not form a thick layer between the two.
 
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Ecky

Ecky

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Feb 3, 2013
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IMO a "pea" sized dot is far too much. You're unlikely to hurt anything but chances are good a lot of it will be pushed out over the edges of the heatspreader. Remember that the core on these CPUs is very small, only about 1/3 as wide as the IHS, and that covering the entire IHS out to the edges with paste is unnecessary and has no benefit.
 
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