FX 8350: Stock Cooling - Replacement

Alliance76177

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I am looking for recommendations for a replacement CPU cooler for my FX 8350. While I am not overclocking at all and do not intend to, the stock cooler is on constant up/down RPM and is rather annoying.

My max is 57C and idle is around 40C. I'd like something that is better under load and isn't constantly up/down on the fan RPM. Basically looking for good quality, low noise cooling - but want to avoid water cooling.

Thanks for the help!
 
Cooler master tx3, zalman cnps 5x, cooler master hyper 212, all pretty cheap with way better cooler than stock cooler. Will cool better with less noise but prob not complete silence lol. Bigger fan = more quieter cooler
 
my friend likes his tc-12dx, and my zalman cnps 9900max prob near or higher than the phanteks but not 100% lol almost 1ghz oc on my x6 max temps hit like 47c on a warm day and 41c right now as its colder lol
 
Since you're not overclocking, any single tower cooler with a 120mm fan will be more than enough, and be a magnitude quieter than your stock solution.

The Xigmatek Gaia is probably the cheapest solution that is of a good quality. It is usually around $30 bucks, though if you are lucky you can snag one for $25. If you are not looking for anything special, I think this would probably be the best investment for you, and I believe this for a couple reasons: not only if it the most affordable, but, out of the popularly recommended solutions, it is generally accepted to have the quietest fan at full tilt - although that's splitting hairs.

The Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO is probably the most recommended solution on this site. For its price (~35) it allows for people to pull off decent overclocks. It is generally accepted as the price-performance leader (although others dispute that) and, for overclockers, it is not worth it to invest in any other solution until you reach the $60-90 dollar price bracket, where actual appreciable gains can be had. (In the world of aftermarket cooling solutions, there is definitely a strong element of diminishing returns. The difference between the CM Hyper 212 EVO and a high-end dual-tower cooling solution can be less than 10C.) Since you do not plan on overclocking, some people will recommend you get the Hyper 212 Plus instead, since it generally is cheaper, although its performance is slightly less.

The Enermax ETS-T40 is another good choice. The basic model also runs around ~$35. It is a very good quality solution that is quite efficient, thanks to a number of innovations it has with its design of airflow. Its only downfall is the design of the base is of the first generation of Direct Touch heatpipes, so when it comes to extreme/enthusiast overclocking it can struggle to keep up.

Though more expensive, the Thermalright True Spirit 120M and 140 might also be good choices. The 140 will probably be the quietest, but you'll need at least 170mm of clearance to fit it into your case.

I used to recommend the Arctic Cooling A30 Freezer, since it was seriously a quiet solution, but I no longer feel it is worth its cost. (It only allows for only one fan, and comes with a very limited set of mounting equipment. A30 is for AMD, I30 is for Intel.) If you can get lucky and can snag one for $30, sure, but there are better heatsinks out there. Instead, I'll recommend people trying Actic's F12 PWM fan on their a heatsink of their choice instead. The fans are only $10 a piece, so its not a huge investment. (A CM Hyper 212 EVO + Arctic F12 fan = $45. The same as what the A30 Freezer is on sale for right now. They will probably get similar performance, but I can throw another fan on the EVO, so what is the point?)
 

Alliance76177

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Here is my current build. I am looking to upgrade to the R9 280x or the 7970 soon. Would I also need a better PSU? Also, will the Cooler Master Hyper 212 fit in the case with all 4 dimm slots taken?

CPU: AMD FX 8350 @ stock 4ghz with stock cooler
Motherboard: Gigabyte 990FXA-UD3
RAM: 32GB GSkill Sniper Series PC3-14900
HD: 2X Samsung 840 Pro 256GB
Video Card: EVGA nVidia GTX 660
Monitor: ACER 27" LED S271HL
Case: Antec Three Hundred
Powersupply: Antec Earthwatts 650wt
 
the 7970 for sure will run off that 650watt not sure on up coming gpus but usually new gen gpus use less power than previous but amd did make the 9xxx fx series by increasing power lol so cant say but psu u should b fine. Cooler wise ur case supports 170mm coolers and the 212 is under 160mm, and not to sure on the ram but ur prob good, might want to keep ram in the closer slots lol
 
After a quick glance, I came across a thread where someone managed to fit a Thermalright True Spirit 140 (with a height of 170mm) in their Antec Three Hundred Case. The Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO is 159mm.

As for RAM clearance, the EVO has issues with G.Skill Ripjaws X, which is 40mm. G.Skill Sniper is 42mm. Thankfully, you can just move the fan up a couple notches/fins on the heatsink. You may loose some efficiency, but it will be far from a world of difference.
 
If you aren't overclocking just a really cheap one should be fine, stock coolers tend to be awful and even a small upgrade can do wonders. I got a Coolermaster H101 and my processor went from overheating to room temperature. It can also really help to reapply thermal paste, it can get dried out and won't do much of anything. If you have a small case or not a lot of room for a cooler, CM has some great low profile coolers. You can also try replacing the fan on the cooler itself, because that is usually the issue.
 
Though it is a bit more expensive: http://www.amazon.com/Thermalright-Spirit-specifically-Micro-tower/dp/B00A0EC0X6
It is built for small enclosures, quietness, and RAM compatibility in mind. The thermal compound that comes with it (which should be some variant of The Chill Factor) is pretty good, so investing in another aftermarket component shouldn't be an issue. (Unless you just want one for on hand, in which case, Arctic Cooling MX-4 is an excellent choice, since it has no cure time and isn't electrically capacitive.)
 

Alliance76177

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I am going with the Phanteks PH-TC12DX. The Noctua is ridiculous. Is the thermal compound that comes with the Phanteks PH-TC12DX OK or do I need to get some AC5?
 

RobCrezz

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The thermal compound that comes with it is very good.

Im very pleased with mine. My i5 2500k runs at 4.6ghz and idles at around 30'c and goes to 60'c at full prime95 use. Usually around 45-50 in gaming.
 

RobCrezz

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Generally the i5s run cooler at stock speeds I believe, but they also have more thermal headroom. But considering mine is running around +1Ghz overclock they are very good figures.

If you leave yours at stock speeds, you will see a huge reduction in temps with the Phanteks.