[Solved] What CPU cooler fits ECS GOLDEN Z77H2-A2X?

[ddaupert]

The supplied CPU fan has a loud buzz; I need a quiet aftermarket heatsink and fan that will do decent cooling. I have no plans to overclock the CPU.

This motherboard is pretty snug around the CPU. There is an L-shaped row of gold heatsinks on one side, and memory slots slap close on the other. The GSkill memory sticks have heatsink blades sticking up pretty far. If a cooler is wide enough to hang over those sticks, it will need to clear 50mm. So the cooler needs to stand on stilts ;-)

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Motherboard: ECS GOLDEN Z77H2-A2X(1.0) Z77 R
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CPU: INTEL CORE I7 3770 3.4G 8M R
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Memory 8Gx2 GSKILL F3-2400C10D-16GTX R
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[ky_ecsusa]

Thermaltake Frio Heatsink

 

[ddaupert]

I appreciate the suggestion. But while researching, I stumbled across the Coolermaster GeminII S524. The CM website spec page shows a diagram with complete dimensions all the way around, and up and down, just what I needed to know. It looks like it will fit my motherboard, and at maximum fan speed, run a bit quieter than Thermaltake Frio. The diagram shows the GeminII standing up on stilts ( ) with clearance for the tall memory strip fins.

/dennis

 

[ddaupert]

I have now received shipment of the GeminII S524, and installed it. As it turns out, the cooler does not stand high enough to clear the very tall GSKILL memory cooling fins -- BUT, the cooler can be rotated 270 degrees (one position is not recommended, according to the cooler manual), which gave me workable options. Also, my Fractal Define R4 case has plenty of room for the cooler. Problem solved.