Thanks, in for two. (rebate limit = three).
I've got one running on a Q6600-G0 @ 3GHz and it's keeping it
very adequately cool; I am sure I could clock it higher, though I haven't
had occasion to do it yet.
It's a real pain in the rear to install, but if you do everything perfectly
the first time (especially the paste application and right tensioning of the
heatsink mounting nuts), it should be OK and hopefully you won't have
to touch the PC again for years.
It's so big it probably will get in the way of your RAM slot access for
inserting/removing sticks, so you'll have to install the RAM before the HS.
The motherboard has to be taken out of the case with the CPU & paste &
RAM installed to install the HS bolt's nuts on the back of the motherboard.
Mine didn't need lapping, though if someone's heatsink does, you better
not take off more than about 1mm-2mm of metal since there's only
a thin amount of metal that comes down as the heatsink base to start with.
Use a credit card edge to spread a quite thin quite even layer of AS5 or
Ceramique out all over the CPU IHS and that'll work OK in my opinion.
It's not the Arctic Silver suggested technique for those pastes, though, so YMMV.
Jab-tech has some Yate-Loon D12SL 120MM fans that give about 43CFM (IIRC)
for cheap (like $4 or so each). They're working for me in a P180B with the
GeminiII.
EDIT: Oh, yeah, you better check to see if it gets in the way of any cables
before you screw it in. I couldn't easily attach a couple of fans to the
motherboard fan headers on a P5K-E with this cooler installed.
Similarly I had trouble getting the 4-pin 12V or 8-pin 12V power connections
to the motherboard in a P180B with a TRIO-650 PSU and P180B case.
Actually the 8-pin power just wouldn't fit no matter what, but the 4-pin 12V
cpu power cable just barely fit when wrapped around the back of the motherboard
plate as the P180B lets you do.
I'm sure I've probably got some other "tight or impossible fit" cable headers
and obstructed motherboard components using this cooler, but I've got
everything connected some way or other to suit my present needs.
I think it took me a couple of hours to really do the CPU/paste/cooler/
motherboard assembly / power cable part of the install and needed help
for holding the cooler to the MB while I bolted it in. It's very tedious / critical
type of work to get it all just right the first time without any accidents or
missed steps.
My Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme was MUCH easier to install (though it
needed lapping where the Gemini I have did not), much less "in the way",
significantly lighter, and cools better, though that's a $65
cooler, and this is under $10 after rebate, and they perform comparably for
a light to moderate overclock, but the Gemini can't keep up for heavy overclocking.
You'll need a moderately long magnetic screwdriver to get a couple of
the motherboard screws in with this cooler sticking up right next to them.
I wouldn't try this cooler in any case smaller than a P180B or Sonata 1.0,
between it and a big graphics card and a few drives and the needed cables
you'll REALLY be pressed for room in these cases.