Cpu coolers

[Nashsafc]

Is it me, or is it that over time cpu coolers have become bigger and bigger and the average requirement for the cpu cooler size has become bigger as well? I have a zalman cnps 9500nt cooler. I want to stay with it over future years to come, if i upgrade my processor but stay in the 95 watt range (this is for amd) will i be ok with the cooler and be able to overclock on stock voltages? I want to stay with it because i have become accustomed to a matx gaming computer, my case has enough space for the single best single gpu card and a moderate cpu cooler, and the temps stay at a low temperature as well. As time goes on, will processors when they have more cores, despite they might be 95 watts become hotter? We can use this time period as an example comparing old dual cores (as in the very first like the athlon x2 which were not energy efficient at all) to new quad cores working at the same power requirement. I'm guessing that as time goes on, technology will become better thus quad cores will become much cooler to run in a computer. So would i be alright with my cpu cooler for years to come, although the socket might become outdated but anyway.

 

[marcellis22]

I had a customer bring his computer in because it wouldn't POST and he thought it might be overheating. He had just recently built up a new I7/1366. I found the CPU cooler laying on the video card and when trying to reset it, I discovered he was using the older 775 cooler because "it was larger than the new one and looked like it would keep the new CPU cooler"... It just didn't fit the holes for the new motherboard. I put the new cpu cooler on and told him it would work better because it would stay on!

 

[Nashsafc]

lol, i like your straight logic here. That i have a cpu cooler and i should stick with it. I worry too much you're trying to say? What do you mean by cpu cooler lying on the video card, you mean he put it on the video card literally?!?!
but generally larger cpu coolers keep the cpu cooler which is true. For instance a zalman 9900 will cool a processor better than a zalman 9500 seeing how it is bigger and has almost the same design. Although the thing is i plan to upgrade processor in the future and worry about the higher demand for a more effective cooling unit to put on it. Because obviously they get hotter.

 

[jsc]

By today's standards, a 9500 is barely average. Next computer, get a better cooler.

 

[Nashsafc]

you're kidding me though? But then it is better than the arctic cooler 64 pro? The tower one. but it depends what you mean by average. You mean average among overclocking enthusiasts. Or average over people who build moderate computers. I wish i could, but my case is small, and my desk is small. I can't just go and get a wopping size pc case as much as i'd like to.

 

[jsc]

You mean average among overclocking enthusiasts.

Yes.

Or average over people who build moderate computers.

No.

Don't get me wrong. I like the 9500. I have one (bought from eBAY - $15.00) sitting on my knick-knack shelf. It attracts a lot of attention when I have guests over.

But I wouldn't use one in any of my computers.

 

[Nashsafc]

but then if it cools better than the stock heatsink which amd supply their processors with officially, then surely it is adequate. Apparently it cools somewhat alot better than the stock heatsink, and it's all copper as well, but mine is zink coated copper.

 

[hundredislandsboy]

The most effective and cheapest (in fact it's free) CPU cooler I have found is - leave the side panel out. Your case heat goes right out and the fins on the cooler stays cooler. I have several computers and use Artic Pro Freezer 7 and Zalman 9700 with same results on both. So if you're short on the funds and want to see if temps frop without buying an aftermarket cooler for $50, leave out the side panel and see if that is satisfactory enough!!

 

[Nashsafc]

yeah i know what you mean i've done that. Especially in the matx case.

 

[tomvertommen]

I bought and just installed a Scythe Zipang on a Q9550 in an Antec Threehundred. I wanted a quiet cooler, that's why I went for this one. It seems to cool very well. I haven't stress tested i, but when doing stuff like surfing, mailing,...my cpu's temp is 25° Celcius. I must say, I was a bit shocked with it's size when opening the box. And I don't trust the push pins.

I wonder if it wouldn't be possible to make a really quiet and normal size cooler instead of these giants.

 

[Nashsafc]

things are really extreme. Such as, from micro atx to massive size atx. No medium sized stuff. Micro atx cases are tiny and atx cases are huge. it's quite hard finding cpu coolers with 92mm fans now. They all have 120mm fans on them, ok and there are the stock like ones with fans facing towards the bottom, but very few heatsinks with 80 or 92mm fans, the arctic cooler freezer pro 64 is an example of a 92mm fan cooler.