CPU Heatsink for i2500k

[Orion_2kTC]

I'm building a i2500k system and I don't have any concrete answers on a CPU cooler. Back when I built my last system, Zalmen was all the rage. What's a good CPU cooler for a i2500k these days? I don't want loud but I do want good performance.

 

[ewoore]

Corsair H60 or simular would be a good bet, its what I use and I absolutly love them. Reasonably pricey but fairly quiet and better performance than an air cooler. I think antec has simular coolers which are equally renound I think.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

Limiting temps to low 70's C

$30 - 35 will get you 4.4 - 4.5 GHz w/ the Hyper 212
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103099

$45 - 50 will get you 4.6 - 4.7 GHz w/ the Hyper 612 PWM or Scythe Mugen 3
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103103
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835185168

$85 - 90 will get you 4.8 - 5.0 GHz w/ the Phanteks PH-TC14PE or Thermalright Silver Arrow
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835709001
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/11676/cpu-tri-77/Thermalright_Silver_Arrow_Dual_160mm_x_140mm_Fan_Universal_CPU_Cooler_Sockets_775_1156_1366_AM2_AM2_AM3.html

http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=797&Itemid=62
http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=674&Itemid=62&limit=1&limitstart=5
http://www.vortez.net/articles_pages/phanteks_ph_tc14pe_cpu_cooler_review,14.html

Im gonna disagree with the above post ..... in that the self contained water coolers simply do not post the numbers that the better air coolers do ... I also find them a bit noisy on high fan settings ...... from the above link:

Stock Fans

Coolit ECO A.L.C. 75.2 +12.9
Corsair H50 73.1 +10.8
Coolit Vantage A.L.C. (extreme) 73.0 +10.7
Thermalright Macho HR-02 71.0 +8.7
Prolimatech Super Mega 67.2 +4.9
Antec Kühler H2O 620 65.9 +3.6
Corsair H70 (high)* 65.3 +3.0
Thermaltake Frio OCK* 65.2 +2.9
Thermalright Venomous X 63.0 +0.7
Cooler Master Hyper 612 PWM 62.3 +0.0
Thermalright Silver Arrow* 61.8 -0.5
Cooler Master V6 GT* 61.2 -1.1

The H70 is about 3-4C behind the top ranked air coolers.
The H50 is about 10-11C behind the top ranked air coolers.

Same Fan

Corsair H50 68.1 +9.1
Coolit Vantage A.L.C. 67.8 +8.8
Corsair H70 64.7 +5.7
Thermalright Macho HR-02 64.5 +5.5
Thermaltake Frio OCK 64.3 +5.3
Coolit ECO A.L.C. 64.3 +5.3
Cooler Master V6 GT 59.5 +0.5
Prolimatech Super Mega 59.4 +0.4
Cooler Master Hyper 612 PWM 59.0 +0.0
Antec Kühler H2O 620 58.7 -0.3
Thermalright Venomous X 58.0 -1.0
Thermalright Silver Arrow 55.8 -3.2

The H70 is about 6-9C behind the top ranked air coolers.
The H50 is about 10-12C behind the top ranked air cooler.

 

[sourgrizzle]

I prefer this..

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4420236

 

[cbrunnem]

Corsair H60 or simular would be a good bet, its what I use and I absolutly love them. Reasonably pricey but fairly quiet and better performance than an air cooler. I think antec has simular coolers which are equally renound I think.

he said he didnt want loud and he wanted good performance.

OP the silver arrow noctua nh-d14 and the phanteks all perform the same with the noctua and phanteks having the best compatibility of the three.

 

[nforce4max]

My complaint about self contained pre built liquid coolers is that they often tend to leak. As for the air coolers linked well I am not impressed and some are overpriced while the rest look like toys. Kinda reminds me of the toy like coolers of the last decade and the 90s lol. I would look for one that is all cooper and one that is of a good size.

 

[cbrunnem]

no cooler that i know of is all copper.

 

[nforce4max]

no cooler that i know of is all copper.

I got several and go look on newegg there is a few that are mostly or all copper. Their size is smaller but their weight is noticeably different.

 

[cbrunnem]

I got several and go look on newegg there is a few that are mostly or all copper. Their size is smaller but their weight is noticeably different.

oh i forgot about the zalmans, good call.

 

[diellur]

My complaint about self contained pre built liquid coolers is that they often tend to leak.

They have the possibility of leaking, of course. But often? Come on now...it's rare to say the least. My system has an H100 and an Antec H20 620 in it, and I wouldn't have done that if there was a huge risk of leakage.

no cooler that i know of is all copper.

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/thermalright-true-all-copper-cpu-cooler-s775-1155-1155-1366-amd-am3-am2-am2plus-940-939-754-cpu-supp

To the OP...are you wanting to overclock, or not? I'm guessing you do, if you have the 'K' version. If you don't, then the stock cooler will be fine (but might not be the quietest). If your're on a budger...Coolermaster Hyper-212 Evo. If you want high-end air...Thermaltake Silver Arrow (tested as marginally better than the Noctua NH-D14). The closed-loop coolers are good, but may not offer much more performance than air. However, they also don't involve hanging a large lump of metal off of your motherboard...I went closed-loop water over the Silver Arrow for that very reason.

 

[davcon]

I'm building a i2500k system and I don't have any concrete answers on a CPU cooler. Back when I built my last system, Zalmen was all the rage. What's a good CPU cooler for a i2500k these days? I don't want loud but I do want good performance.

You don't need to spend over $40 to find a very good air-cooler that will keep an i5 2500K temps well within safe limits even o'cd to 4.5GHz.
The best quiet unit is the Thermalright True Spirit 120. the $30 cooler that beats coolers costing twice as much http://www.hardocp.com/article/2011/11/17/thermalright_true_spirit_cpu_air_cooler_review/4
It's hard to source in the States though.
I'd just buy a CM EVO.
COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 EVO
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103099
http://us.ncix.com/products/?sku=64385&vpn=RR%2D212E%2D20PK%2DR1&manufacture=COOLERMASTER

 

[amuffin]

I vote hyper 212 evo!!

 

[das_stig]

Thermalright Archon

 

[hellfire24]

prolimatech megahalems rev.b or rev.c with good fans(cougar or thermalright or any other good one)hands down!
this will give you performance of top air coolers and are not insanely huge(like phentek or dh14)