Conclusion
We used a modern MSI X58 Pro-E motherboard and a Core i7-920 processor (2.66 GHz overclocked to 3.7 GHz) with current components to look at the impact and benefit of spending roughly $75 on an efficient aftermarket cooler. Will the retail boxed cooler suffice, or does it make sense to purchase a more powerful heat sink?
Enthusiasts with aspirations to overclock should look for a better cooling solution, even if overclocking is not on the top of the list. And here’s why:
Little Noise Advantage
A high-end aftermarket air cooler doesn't provide too much of a benefit running at default clock speeds, especially if you're only really looking at noise output. Intel’s reference cooler and the Zalman solution are similar, and the Zalman solution will even be slightly noisier on an overclocked system when the CPU runs idle. However, the fact that the Zalman cooler maintains much cooler CPU temperatures when idle (-9°C/-16°F at stock idle) and at full CPU load (-6°C/-11°F at stock peak) makes it clear that the cooling potential helpa to better distribute heat and to further reduce speeds of other system fans, if necessary. But the real deal is cooling performance at overclocked speeds.
Huge Temperature Advantage at High Clock Speeds
The new CPNS 10X shows its muscle when it comes to cooling an overclocked Core i7-920 (3.7 GHz). We found that it reduces CPU temperature by -16°C/-29°F at idle when overclocked, and by -15°C/-27°F at load while overclocked compared to Intel’s stock cooler.
In such a scenario, the aftermarket cooler lets loose its full potential, as it is equally noisy as the Intel cooler at idle conditions. Moreover, it is quieter or comparable to the Intel heatsin on an overclocked 3.7 GHz Core i7 at full load when running low or medium fan speeds. In this context, it has to be said that noise is still fairly acceptable versus the performance level you get.
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answers the question fully
nice article
What was the ambient temperature during this test?
Short simple article.
This surely gives me the answer to a question I had in mine.
'Never buy bulky aftermarket cooler if I Never OC'.
Cool, now my choices are down to lighter low-profile Zalman performance coolers which will still beat stock ones
Pretty useless atricle from Patrick Schmid and Achim Roos because its pretty simple really.
Overclocking, buy 3rd party heatsink
Stock, don't bother unless your want lower temps.
Also buy a GOODheatsink
I was able to overclock to 3.6ghz on my Phenom II 940's stock cooler.
I was able to overclock to 3.6ghz on my Phenom II 940's stock cooler.
Enjoys your slightly higher temps
good article on the zalman cpns10x but I would like to see a Thermalright 120 TRUE black with 2x NF-p12
2 best fans with best heatsink
Enjoys your slightly higher temps
they aren't that much higher.
I think, Hyper 212 is far better choice. Zalman's too noisy and twice more expensive.
some aftermarket coolers are geared toward superior cooling, others are geared toward silent or near silent operation.
it's not clear how this test with one cooler can make such a point. you would have to test at least two coolers against the stock cooler. one with superior cooling, and another that is super quiet, at say a certain (entry level?) price range.
this zalman cooler may be a good cooler, but is not an ace either in cooling or in silence.
K
A round of coolers would be more beneficial. Most of the readers on TH would immediately know the answer to the elementary question raised in the article...seems a little strange to propose the question and then only bench one aftermarket cooler.
It would be nice to see a noise level comparison between the stock cooler and the CNPS10X Quiet.
at least include numbers in degrees Celsius in your tables if you are serious about your article...I doubt more than half of your readers use Fahrenheit...maybe only the US and some other backward countries use it still?
I still use an Intel stock cooler with really good results. But I added a metal X-bar to the bottom of it and screwed the stock cooler to this X-bar instead of using the springs. To my experience this makes a big difference.
The motherboard bends too easily under the weight of the cooler and the springs. This reduces the pressure from the CPU to the cooler and gives poor heat conduction. Also the cooling elements of other components in the neighbourhood of the CPU on the Asus board had bad contact because of the sever bending of the motherboard.
at least include numbers in degrees Celsius in your tables if you are serious about your article...I doubt more than half of your readers use Fahrenheit...maybe only the US and some other backward countries use it still?
when you first go to tom's hardware you select your languages, and there are 2 english options i think. I wonder if it changes to celsius for other countries besides the US. Doesn't matter for me, I know both systems and can convert between them.
some aftermarket coolers are geared toward superior cooling, others are geared toward silent or near silent operation.it's not clear how this test with one cooler can make such a point. you would have to test at least two coolers against the stock cooler. one with superior cooling, and another that is super quiet, at say a certain (entry level?) price range.this zalman cooler may be a good cooler, but is not an ace either in cooling or in silence.
As much as I don't want to endorse another site, frostytech already has a list going (top 10 for performance, and a top 10 for silence):
http://www.frostytech.com/top5heatsinks.cfm
Would like a vote on how many TH readers know aftermarket coolers are better for overclocking and how many dont!
How about comparing a TRUE and a CM V8 also?
*Wishing I bought a TRUE instead of a V8*
Wow, this is a Tom's classic article. You guys haven't reviewed heatsinks for so long.
wait zalman makes their money off their mid end silent cooling solutions not their high end ones. Always better to use aftermarket imo. I have wifey's comp running same x2 6000 be i am hers isn't overclocked but still we had to put an aftermarket zalman 7500 in this case cooler on it to help with the poor case airflow. She absolutely has to have the side on.