CPU Cooler for ASUS Maximus III Formula

[UTMBA2007]

I haven't build a system since...would you believe P90 days? So, after years of buying what other companies think I want, I decided to get back into it. Wow, has technology evolved! My question is about compatibility [and clearance] of today's monster CPU coolers.

Here is what I am throwing together:

Antec Nine Hundred Two box
ASUS Maximus III Formula mobo
Corsair XMS3 DDR3 8GB

I have seen some reviews concerning coolers that are essentially blocking the first DIMM slot preventing users from utilizing the entire bank capacity. Can anyone suggest a heat sink / cooler that (1) will not block the first slot, (2) does not require "modification" to fit the mobo and clear the first DIMM, and (3) what is the height of the cooler mounted on the chip / mobo?

Thanks.

 

[abhi_jollyguy]

What is ur budget to buy a CPU Heatsink? Plz mention budget too before asking any component.

 

[UTMBA2007]

What is ur budget to buy a CPU Heatsink? Plz mention budget too before asking any component.

I don't know if I had a budget in mind, but my expectation was to spend $0-75 USD [including any applicable sales tax and shipping]. Of course, the main focus was the fit. Also, was not considering any liquid cooling, only air cooling.

My main focus is to find a turn-key solution - a cooler that does not require any user modifications in order to make it work. A secondary focus was to find something that was "cool" since the case has LEDs and a window.

Hope this helps.

 

[MRFS]

Read and heed this first:

http://www.supremelaw.org/systems/heatsinks/warning.htm

We've also installed several of their LGA775 bolt-thru kits, and
they are excellent:

http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/lgbowiscsp.html

The latter allowed us to overclock a "PressHot" to 3.8 GHz
while maintaining below-average temps.


Summary:
Intel's stock heatsink and fan are very well designed:
it's their dumb push-pins that are defective!


MRFS

 

[abhi_jollyguy]

I don't know if I had a budget in mind, but my expectation was to spend $0-75 USD [including any applicable sales tax and shipping]. Of course, the main focus was the fit. Also, was not considering any liquid cooling, only air cooling.

My main focus is to find a turn-key solution - a cooler that does not require any user modifications in order to make it work. A secondary focus was to find something that was "cool" since the case has LEDs and a window.

Hope this helps.

Prolimatech Megahalem Rev. B CPU Cooler is available at www.Newegg.com @ $62.00 and u will have to buy 2 fans for it so u can buy these fans http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835185060&Tpk=SY1225SL12SH and buy 2 fans so that u can install this cooler in a PUSH/PULL Config.

It will cost u exact $75 or may be less than $75

Enjoy

 

[JackNaylorPE]

I'll echo the Megahalems recommendation though $75 gonna be a little tight by the time you're done:

Megahalems ($65) http://www.frozencpu.com/products/8807/cpu-pro-01/Prolimatech_Megahalems_Rev_B_Intel_CPU_Heatsink_LGA_775_1156_1366_AM2_AM2_AM3_Hot_Item.html

IC Diamond TIM ($7) http://www.frozencpu.com/products/7038/thr-41/Innovation_Cooling_Diamond_7_Carat_Thermal_Compound_-_15_Grams.html?id=BZWnrfIC

PWM CPU Fan ($11 each x 2) http://www.frozencpu.com/products/10026/fan-639/Scythe_Slip_Stream_120mm_x_25mm_PWM_Fan_-_SY1225SL12LM-P.html?tl=g36c365s936

PWM Cable Splitter ($7) http://www.frozencpu.com/products/8418/cab-150/FrozenCPU_PMW_Y_Splitter_Cable.html

If that's tight budget wise, would recommend the Scythe 2100 which is $34 at newegg ..... No IC Diamond at newegg but OCZ Freeze also fared well in the tests:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835185142
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835202006

HS Reviews:
http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=432&Itemid=62&limit=1&limitstart=23
http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=492&Itemid=62&limit=1&limitstart=4
http://www.silentpcreview.com/Recommended_Heatsinks

pick a TIM from the top few here:
http://www.hwreviewlabs.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=64%3Amega-44-thermal-paste-round-up&catid=32%3Around-ups&Itemid=47&limitstart=3
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/coolers/display/thermal-interface-roundup_10.html#sect1
http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=138&Itemid=1&limit=1&limitstart=3

 

[Henry Chinaski]

The PROLIMATECH Megahalems (helped by two good fans) performs very well.

http://www.overclock3d.net/reviews/cases_cooling/prolimatech_megahalem_review/1
http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/868

Anyway, I like very much the NOCTUA NH-D14. It permorms extremely well and it's very quiet.

http://www.overclock3d.net/reviews/cases_cooling/noctua_nh-d14_review/1
http://www.guru3d.com/article/noctua-nh-d14-review/

 

[UTMBA2007]

Thanks to everyone for their input; however, I don't believe the concerns of my original question were directly answered. My concern had to do with fit on the motherboard [as it applied to the first strip of RAM] not price, performance, or any other feature of the cooler.

I did contact the manufacturers of all of the components I listed for information and only Antec responded. The others "danced" around my questions. I have found Tom's site [along with a couple of others] very good in recommending parts in the reviews. I used one of Tom's current reviews on coolers where four were recommended and went to each of the manufacturer's websites.

After spending considerable time on each manufacturer's site, only one provided the answers I required. Most every site provided an engineering drawing and some good screen shots of their respective products; however, there is one that stood out among the rest.

The Noctua site is simple awesome and provided laymen information on its products. There is a "compatibility" tab on the site [http://www.noctua.at/main.php?show=compatibility_gen&products_id=34&lng=en] taking the person to a detailed list of motherboards and RAM modules which are compatible with its coolers. This is the turnkey solution I wanted - plus it is one of Tom's top four!

I purchased the NOCTUA NH-D14 and it is scheduled for delivery on this coming Tuesday.