I7 860, not OCd, what heatsink?

Its much easier to install the HSF and backplate the first time you assemble your computer. I didn't do it. I'm using the stock cooler. These cpu's o/c so easy, you will probably want to do it. I have the i5 750. It idles at 33avg, o/c without voltage increase to 160 bclk is easy. But running prime 95 will escalate temps to 82c. I can get no applications, video rendering , benchmarks to heat the cpu past 70c though.
Heres a video of a recommended cooler .
Hyper 212 Plus Installation Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSq_xbxsm7Q
30.00 dollars at newegg
I've been watching this , they come in and sell out.

The stock cooler works just fine for stock speeds or a little overclocking.

yeah keep the stock on if ur not gonna OC ever, it should be fine. but like has already been said installing a new heatsink on an allready built board can be tricky if it needs a back plate.

but if u do get a better one later make sure it doesnt have a back plate so u dont need to take the whole baord apart.

personally i dont see why u dont get a £40 heat sink and OC that bad boy to at least 3.4 ghz well worth the money and that wont affect the CPU at all

Thanks for the replies. Installed the stock one last night. Still need a video card and will get a temporary to use today from a friend. So startup is probably tonight.

After I figure the system out and as funds become available I will probably switch that stock heatsink out. Looking at some of the reviews aftermarket coolers definitely are better. But the video card is first.

They are almost always better but the stock coolers are adequate provided you keep the clocks stock. To make the point, CPU makers aren't going to ship their CPU's with a heatsink/fan that won't get the job done or they'd have a class action lawsuit that not even they could pay their way out of. It's in their legal interest to provide an adequate cooler.

Now if you want to push the chip, you definitely want to step it up to something after market.

I definately will push it some once I get a different cooler and know it is running fine otherwise.

Don't OEM computers like HP or Dell just use the stock Intel heatsink and mounting bracket? Do the big name brands ever use coolers that are not stock Intel?

I had to push pretty hard for the snaps on the mounting bracket to fully engage. I don't like that system at all. I want a cooler with threaded hardware that I can be sure each is tensioned equally.

The big OEMs try to use the cheapest cooling solution they can. Often this is a lower quality active cooler than you get with a retail cpu. Sometimes it's actually a passive heatsink with a shroud that uses a case fan to move the heat.
Despite the whining about pulling a motherboard, a solid backplate with screw mounting is the best way to attach a hi-performance heatsink.