CONFUSED: Case fan VS HSF

[Punisher007]

I've been trying to decide on a HSF combo for my new P4 setup...and after many long hours of research, I determined the Zalman 6500A-CU is the best choice for me.

However, I was reading in a post about using an SLK-800 with a 80mm fan. Isn't an 80mm a case fan?

This got me thinking even more...since the thermalright makes the AX-7 for P4...would it be possible to remove the fan and add a different fan...like Vantec Stealth or Y.S. TMD.

As you can see I don't know very much on the subject...any help would be appreciated

 

[cheapgoose]

80mm can be a case fan, or a fan on a heatsink.

many heatsinks use 80mm fan now adays. hell, some ppl here are using 92mm, 120mm fans on their heatsinks(with adopter of course).

but yea, hope that answered your question.

 

[SWScorch]

80mm is the sixe most cases use for chassis fans, but with today's hot processors, many heatsinks are designed to accomodate 80mm fans, since they push more air at a lower noise level than 60mm fans, which is what older heatsinks use.

You are able to swap fans with Thermalrights products, such as the AX-7 and SLK-800, and a lot of other heatsinks too. Most of the times, the fan that comes with a heatsink is only attached using bolts or clips, and you can simply unscrew it or unclip it and plop in a different fan.

 

[Punisher007]

Is there a website that tests HSFs with 80mm fans like vantec stealth...because it's hard to find data on this.

I'm trying to figure out whether I can get better cooling using the 80mm combo over the stock Zalman 6500A.

 

[cheapgoose]

this might help

 

[LazyBastard]

Check out this P4 quiet heatsink roundup at Silent PC Review.

 

[chizow]

80mm = the way to go. Pushes as much air, over a larger area heat sink, with less rpms. They can still be noisy, but they don't exhibit the banshee-like whine of a 60mm high rpm fan.

Chiz

 

[Anubis]

you can use either it dosent matter. as long as teh HS can take it. ive actually seen people but 120mm fans on there CPU

 

[Pothead]

Why not the alpha pal with a panaflo l1a? It's got great cooling and quiet.

 

[jarsoffart]

The AX-7 is for Socket A processors, like the Athlon XP's. The AX-478 is what you want for your P4.

 

[Punisher007]

Great input guys...So far I'm stuck on a Zalman 6500A-CU. It has excellent cooling and is quiet, according to frostytech.com

Pothead: Got any data on cooling for the Alpha with Panaflow L1A?

 

[Ness]

Don't use a "low-noise" fan as a HSF.
My recommendation.

They are lower noise because they move slower, thus, not cooling as well. If you ever use them on your case, you will notice that you need to add extras to keep it in the same temp range as it would be with normal fans.

You can't add extra fans to the HS.

I tried a stealth as a HSF, and my temps were just under 70c. Although this is still a usable temperature, I'd hate to see what happens if something stupid happened like, the fan went out and it took me a few too many seconds to turn the PC off. I swaped the fan out for a regular ole' fan, and my temps dropped down to just under 50c.

Enough reasoning for you?

 

[SWScorch]

ness1469: I have a Panaflo L1A on my Heatsink, and my Athlon 1.0GHz @ 1.3Ghz runs under 50C all the time. This is with an Alpha PAL8045. What heatsink were you usin,g and what motherboard? I know certain Abit mobos tend to read CPU temps extremely high.

 

[Ness]

It was the stock heatsink and fan that came with my Athlon XP 2000+.
I traded out the fan for a 60mm stealth, and then my temps went up.

The mobo I'm using is an asus A7v333 (with Raid, for what it's worth.)

There have been unreliable sources saying that either the software that comes with the board or the board itself is off by about +8c.

I think that's a load of crap.

 

[RalfHutter]

Originally posted by: Punisher007
Great input guys...So far I'm stuck on a Zalman 6500A-CU. It has excellent cooling and is quiet, according to frostytech.com

Got any data on cooling for the Alpha with Panaflow L1A?

L1A is fine, but you should go for a 92mm L1A, or even a 120mm L1A running at 7 volts. I think an 80mm L1A might be a little too marginal, depending on your case temps.