Corsair H50 Poor Performance

[bikeracer4487]

So when I upgraded to an i7 system I also bought a Corsair H50 kit...I know it's not quite as good as the best air cooling solutions, but I liked the simplicity and size of it. Anyways, I'm trying to overclock my i7 950, but I find I'm forced to keep my vCore at 1.25v or else it gets too hot...which means I'm currently stuck at 3.63GHz, and I'd like to go higher. The problem is, even at just 1.25v my CPU idles at around 40C and hits a max of 80C after running Prime95 for a few hours. Recently, I did learn that I had probably used too much thermal compound, so I took off the cooler, wiped both the CPU and the cooler off and reapplied with a much thinner layer, and dropped the temps by 5-10C...but it's still too high...most of the reviews I've seen for the H50 have been much cooler, so I'm wondering what I could be doing wrong...

 

[Gigahalem]

try moving the fan on the radiator to different positions and see if your temps change

 

[abully]

whats the case you are using and whats the position of the H50's radiator and fan in it???

 

[rubix_1011]

You'll need to run 2 fans in push/pull on the radiator, using fresh, outside air...about the only way the H50 will perform decently.

As abully asked, what case? You'll need to determine how to set up these rad fans and the remaining exhaust case fans.

 

[bikeracer4487]

I am using a Cooler Master Storm Sniper case. The radiator is at the exhaust port and after I posted this I went out and bought 2 Cooler Master SickleFlow 120mm fans and put them in push/pull configuration blowing air OUT of the case. I know I can get better temps by reversing them, but the benchmarks I looked at showed that using them as intakes only lowers the temps by 1C or so. But with the 2 new fans my temps dropped to ~37C at idle and ~70C under load. This is better but these temps are at a CPU-Z recorded voltage of only 1.184V. Most of the reviews I read on the H50 have these same temps with a voltage between 1.38V and 1.40V...

 

[abully]

OK tell you what... put the H50 rad as an intake at the bottom next to the psu... there is a provision for a 120/140mm fan with dust filter... this will ensure your case's airflow is not screwed...

also, if you can, move the rear exhaust fan to the top of the case as exhaust... leave the rear vent open... since the intake will be more than the exhaust, the air inside the case will be pushed out through any gap... the top fan will ensure all latent hot air will be exhausted properly...

and if you have an extra fan add it as an intake in the side (as low as possible)...

 

[Conumdrum]

Most of the reviews I read on the H50 have these same temps with a voltage between 1.38V and 1.40V...

Lots of reviews are silly. What was their ambient temps? What case or tech station did they use? Every chip is different.

Wayy to many variables. Welcome to the modders nightmare. Your stuff is different than everyone elses.

And the H50 is not as good as top air cooled no matter what. In the WC world, we chuckle at the H50, and put the H70 at just a nod. It isn't what WC really is, and the price difference between real WC and the H50 is crazy. A Graet WC CPU loop is $300 or so.

You have lost a race at the dragstrip, so do better next time.

Honestly, welcome to a fun time as you get better overclocks.

 

[rubix_1011]

^Yep.

I've said this over and over...just because you read on forum after forum that someone gets such and such overclock with a chip, doesn't mean you will too. So much relies on the MB, PSU and the actual chip...not to mention the RAM you got...as well as the actual quality of the components of each. Not everything made by a machine is exactly the same...small imperfections can cause big differences.

As for the H50...it is what it is. I'm not a fan, and wouldn't recommend it to anyone. I struggle to recommend the H70 at about the same price point as the XSPC Rasa...but sometimes space is the issue (as well as DIY ability), so that also comes into play.

 

[bikeracer4487]

^Yep.

I've said this over and over...just because you read on forum after forum that someone gets such and such overclock with a chip, doesn't mean you will too.

I'm aware of that, but my issue isn't with not being able to get a high overclock, I'm fine with where it is for that particular voltage. My problem stems from not being to use higher voltages due to temps that get too high.

OK tell you what... put the H50 rad as an intake at the bottom next to the psu... there is a provision for a 120/140mm fan with dust filter... this will ensure your case's airflow is not screwed...

Decent idea but the bottom of the case is a LONG way from the CPU's position...no way the tubes would reach that far.

And the H50 is not as good as top air cooled no matter what. In the WC world, we chuckle at the H50, and put the H70 at just a nod.

Yeah...when I bought it I was just sick of my old air tower getting clogged with dust, figured the radiator'd be easier to clean, and all the reviews seemed to agree that it was only 2-3 degrees off of air cooling...which is apparently wrong...but that's what I thought at the time..

In any case, I THOUGHT that the performance is below what the H50 should be at and that I must have done something wrong...but most of you seem to think that it's just because the H50 is a mediocre cooler, is that right?

 

[rubix_1011]

My problem stems from not being to use higher voltages due to temps that get too high.

Which leads me back to my point...your MB or PSU might be suspect if you can't sustain or reach those voltages. It might have nothing to do with your chip.

Yeah...when I bought it I was just sick of my old air tower getting clogged with dust, figured the radiator'd be easier to clean, and all the reviews seemed to agree that it was only 2-3 degrees off of air cooling...which is apparently wrong...but that's what I thought at the time..

In any case, I THOUGHT that the performance is below what the H50 should be at and that I must have done something wrong...but most of you seem to think that it's just because the H50 is a mediocre cooler, is that right?

The H50 has a high FPI (fin per inch) rad design, so it will likely clog with dust sooner than your old air cooler.

And yes, the H50 is mediocre at best...the H70 improved on some aspects and if you had to choose one over the other...the H70 is 'better'...but still not what I would suggest at the price point.

 

[bikeracer4487]

Which leads me back to my point...your MB or PSU might be suspect if you can't sustain or reach those voltages.

?? I'm not sure you're following, I can sustain and reach higher voltages just fine. My system doesn't crash with higher voltages, it just reaches about 100C when I tried 1.35V...also, the 35C idle, 70C load temps were @ 1.184v (CPU-Z reported) w/ a 3.63GHz OC...realized I never gave the voltage I was actually using...

And yes, the H50 is mediocre at best...the H70 improved on some aspects and if you had to choose one over the other...the H70 is 'better'...but still not what I would suggest at the price point.

Oh well...I bought it about a year ago when I got my HD5870 and at the time I was using a Q6600... Well, I was looking at a Zalman CNPS9900MAX...might just have to break down and buy a new air cooler...

 

[bikeracer4487]

That cooler sucks and would never be able to handle a 950. Want something like this

http://www.frozencpu.com/products/8807/cpu-pro-01/Prolimatech_Megahalems_Rev_B_Intel_CPU_Heatsink_LGA_775_1156_1366_AM2_AM2_AM3.html?tl=g40c14s757

Or

http://www.frozencpu.com/products/11743/ex-wat-159/XSPC_Rasa_750_RS240_Universal_CPU_Water_Cooling_Kit_Hot_Item.html?tl=g30c83s137

Are you sure you're thinking of the CNPS9900 Max?
http://www.bjorn3d.com/read.php?cID=1958&pageID=9829
http://www.overclockersclub.com/reviews/zalman_cnps9900/4.htm
http://www.guru3d.com/article/zalman-cnps-9900-max-review/7

But I like the look of the water cooling kit...I'll have to look into that...