can I use the stock heatsink from a Core2 Duo E8500 on a Core2 Quad Q9550?

[ZippyDan]

Edit: Um, I just realized this should be in the Cases and Cooling forum. Can a mod move it?

Background:

1. I have a Q9550 to install.
2. I don't have the stock heatsink.
3. I have a stock Intel heatsink model D60188-001 which apparently comes from an E8500.
4. I'm in a third-world country currently so, buying a beefier heatsink costs more than its worth (for this old CPU), and the used parts market doesn't give me many options.

Reasons not to install the E8500 heatsink on the Q9550:

1. Looking at the Intel Ark, the E8500 is a 65W CPU and the Q9550 is a 95W CPU. So theoretically Intel should have shipped a better heatsink with the Q9550?

Reasons to install the E8500 heatsink on the Q9550:

1. Doing some quick googling, it seems that the Q9550 came with a really short stock heatsink. The heatsink I have from the E8500 looks like pretty much the same design, has a copper core just like the Q9550 heatsink, but it also looks like it is at least double the height (or "full-size" as my experience with stock Intel heatsinks goes). This leads me to the strange conclusion that the stock E8500 heatsink might actually be better than the stock Q9550 heatsink?

 

[UsandThem]

The higher the TDP, the more heat it should produce, and a more robust heatsink.

Although you could put it on there and watch what the temperature does. I found this post which they say is a Q9550 heatsink vs one for a E6600, although the E6600 is a 65nm die compared to 45nm for the Q9550 and the E8500.

http://www.overclock.net/t/429436/is-the-e6600-or-the-e7300-stock-intel-cooler-better


From what I read reading through various forums, the stock Q9550 cooler is smaller because it has a larger copper core.

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/282974-28-stock-e8400-q9550

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/262492-28-intel-core-quad-q9550-stock-heatsink-question

 

[dave_the_nerd]

I wouldn't. The quads generally shipped with a nicer, heavier heatsink than the dualies. I've even seen some dual-core HSFs that had a copper core, but like UsandThem said, the central copper slug in the C2Q HSFs was bigger.

A slightly-better-than-OEM HSF for LGA775 is so cheap that unless I were looking to save every nickel on a system build, I wouldn't hesitate to buy a new one. Or hunt around on eBay for a used one, for that matter.

Example: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186070R

It's not going to win any OC contests, but for a few bucks, it'll do a little better job cooling the rig and be a bit quieter that the Intel heat sink/fan.

 

[ZippyDan]

From what I read reading through various forums, the stock Q9550 cooler is smaller because it has a larger copper core.

Ya, but the E8500 heatsink must have at least double the aluminum being about twice as tall... and it also has a copper core...

 

[ZippyDan]

I wouldn't. The quads generally shipped with a nicer, heavier heatsink than the dualies. I've even seen some dual-core HSFs that had a copper core, but like UsandThem said, the central copper slug in the C2Q HSFs was bigger.

A slightly-better-than-OEM HSF for LGA775 is so cheap that unless I were looking to save every nickel on a system build, I wouldn't hesitate to buy a new one. Or hunt around on eBay for a used one, for that matter.

Example: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186070R

It's not going to win any OC contests, but for a few bucks, it'll do a little better job cooling the rig and be a bit quieter that the Intel heat sink/fan.

I don't think you read my details....

1. The E8500 heatsink does have a coper core.
2. I can't buy from newegg or eBay where I am.

 

[UsandThem]

Ya, but the E8500 heatsink must have at least double the aluminum being about twice as tall... and it also has a copper core...

True, but fin design and copper amount will affect the thermal dissipation.

Like I mentioned earlier, since you don't have access to any other alternatives, you can try it out and see what the temps do. I don't think Intel really provides detailed specs on their stock cooler like after-market coolers do. But maybe it's buried on their website somewhere, and I just didn't see it.

 

[ZippyDan]

So I did a googly image search:

Here is the E8500 heatsink. Look at the height. Look at the size of the copper core.

https://www.google.com.co/search?q=d60188-001&source=lnms&tbm=isch

Here is the Q9550 heatsink. Look at the height. Look at the size of the copper core.

https://www.google.com.co/search?q=e97376-001&source=lnms&tbm=isch

The copper core and the aluminum fins look pretty much the same on both. Unfortunately I couldn't find a pic of the Q9550 heatsink with its fan off, but just looking between the fans... you can't see the copper core. So it can't be significantly bigger than the E8500.

The only significant differences I see between the two heatsinks:

1. As I've already mentioned, the E8500 heatsink is significantly taller. About double. That means more aluminum for sure, alot more surface area on the fins, and maybe more copper as well if it is significantly taller.
2. Whereas on the E8500 heatsink, only the circular copper core makes contact with the CPU package, the Q9550 heatsink has a squared out base, which allows both the copper core and some of the aluminum to come into contact with the CPU's heatspreader. This will mean more efficient transfer of heat from the CPU to the heatsink, but the additional part in contact with the CPU is "only" aluminum. Is this difference enough to make up for the smaller fin surface area on the E8500's heatsink? Edit: After looking at higher-res pictures of similar heatsinks on eBay, I'm not really sure that the aluminum base makes contact with the CPU after all. It looks like the copper base actually protrudes by a fraction of a millimeter, which would negate this advantage completely.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Unscientific answer: If it's got a copper core, and it's actually physically bigger, then I wouldn't hesitate to use it.

If it was a Celeron heatsink, with the all-Al "short" heatsink, that's about the only one that I would be concerned about using.

Are you planning on running 100% load? Overclocking? Distributed Computing?

I wouldn't really worry about it, but I would be hesitant to overclock using any S775 Intel stock HSF.

 

[DTN107]

I'm using my old e8400 HSF on my q9550 the past 3 years. However I'm not pushing or stressing it. It is being use as a spare computer in the household. Temps if I recall are pretty reasonable. I'm sure my q9550 ran much warmer when it was overclocked with an aftermarket heatsink back in the days. A few extra degrees on stock settings with the e8400 hsf will be fine. It won't catch on fire.

 

[JackMDS]

I am using this wit a15% overclocked Q9550 in a slim Case.


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000VSHT3C/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It works very well. I think that the Coolers with screws fastners work much better than the "Flimsy plastic" turn inserts that are on the Org. coolers and many of the after market collars.

 

[Painman]

stock Intel heatsink model D60188-001

Same as what my Q6600 came with. I don't see why not.

ETA: The Q6600 is a 105W TDP chip.