Originally posted by: Zap
Originally posted by: pixelnate
I am about to build mine tonight, now that the (oem, non-heatpipe) heatsink I ordered from ebay has arrived, and was wondering if I could gain anything with a better hsf.
Likely that will be fine. Seriously I was test overclocking my dual core CPU using a Sempron 2600+ HSF. The 130nm chips run warmer, but that's not to say they run hot. Same Sempron 2600+ HSF on my Paris core overclocked and overvolted as far as it will go... probably around 46ºC.
You're most likely right, Zap. The heatpipe heatsink, although will give a bit more efficient cooling in some cases, is overkill in many instances, esp. with the Semprons.
With Opterons and the like, it's a bit mroe called for.
But honestly, pixelnate, I'd take furballi's comments with a grain of salt. First, he claims the heatpipe heatsink's shipping cost is too outrageous for an "8 oz. heatsink." And he's right, to a point. The heatpipe heatsink AMD uses weighs in at 16oz., not 8, uses an 8mm thick copper base, 4 copper pipes and alu. fins with the "tiny" thermally controlled 80mm fan. (The thermal control should reduce the perceived noise factor quite a bit by slowing down the fan except when absolutely needed.)
As for this comment: "That tiny 80mm fan doesn't adequately cool the RAMs and power components on the MB. A good CPU cooler will also lower the temperature of other components on the MB," I guess that using that criteria water cooling your cpu is bad, too. Water cooling does nothing for actively cooling your RAM or other components on the board.
Personally, I do use an XP-90 in my main computer and the AMD heatpipe hs is going in my secondary computer, replacing a Thermaltake 7000-AlCu. I'm replacing the Thermaltake because: 1. I want the standard bracket back on the board, 2. I'm getting real tired of the Thermaltake's habit of clogging its fins up with dust. Now, the fins aren't that close from mid-point outward, but at the base where they "expand" out from the solid base to fins, they are packed very close and have to be dusted out much more than I want to do to ensure proper cooling.
As for the XP-90 cooling my RAM, I don't think it does a very good job, actually. My RAM sits between the cpu and the edge of the board closest to the optical drives. Since the solid side of the XP-90 faces this way too, due to the socket orientation, little to no air bleeds over them from the cpu cooler.
Instead, I depend upon active cooling through my case from my front 120mm fan and rear 120mm fan. And the 92mm on the XP-90 is the loudest fan in the case right now. And as far as the 80mm beign tiny, since it's a whole 6mm in radius smaller, and ther are numerious low decibel 80mm fans out there with more than adequate flow, that's mroe a non-issue than most make out.
For one, I'm very happy with the AMD heatpipe hs.........so, anyone want a Thermaltake 7000-AlCu w/the LED fan?