First time build want high preformance heatsink with mid grade size

[tkmoney]

Hello,
i purchased a case that had a pretty good review for cooling maybe not the best but i liked the case. i wanted to get a high performance CPU cooler to go along with my 920 i7 because Ive read that its possible to OC TO 4.0 with some heat sinks on that processor. unfortunately the higher grade coolers are enormous and will defiantly interfere with the side fan on the case.

i would like to get some advice on what to do here. should i get a smaller heat sink, and settle for a lower OC? if so could i please get some recommended products. or should i just remove the side fan all together?

my case is a XCLIO A380COLOR PLUS and i was looking at the cool master v8 and the Noctua NH-U12P SE2 120mm SSO CPU Cooler

 

[darkjuggalo2000]

you could get a massive heat sink and replace the side fan with a vent (provided you have other air flow being created within the case)

 

[JohnnyLucky]

According to the specifications the case is 8 inches wide. That is not wide enough to accomodate a 160mm tall tower style cpu heatsink and the large 250mm fan on the side panel. the case would need to be almost 9 inches wide.

You have several options.

1. Get a case that is 9 inches wide.

2. Remove the 250mm fan on the side panel and hope the ventilation, airflow, and cooling is still good.

3. Get a slightly shorter low profile cpu heatsink:

http://www.frostytech.com/top5_lowprofile_heatsinks.cfm

 

[jsc]

High performance/mid grade size is an oxymoron. You pretty much cannot have both.

 

[randomkid]

I also am in the same situation with an AZZA Helios 910 where the side fan is in the way of any HSD taller than 140mm. I got a Xigmatek SD-964. It can keep my X4 720 OC at 3.6Ghz @ 1.5v below 60*C but it does it at top speed and to push the OC higher means going past 60*C during prime 95 test. But for gaming it keeps my CPU tem at 44*C. Please note that room temperature is 31*C.

But I am not too happy about. If and when I itch to OC more, I will go for a 120mm top to bottom blowing HSF with height less than 140mm but will perform better than the SD-964 otherwise no need to change.