Corsair 520W

[Saiyukimot]

Im looking at a Corsair 520W for 2GB DDR2, a Q6600, 2 HDD's, but would I be able to get away with something cheaper? Im using a 7950GT currently until I upgrade, but don't want to find that later when going to something more demanding (say a 8800GTs/X or a 2900Pro that I can't use it properley due to a weak PSU.


Also..does a Arctic Freezer 7 Pro come with the grease or what not already applied? If not, does any thermal grease work ok? If it does, is it any good?

 

[roorooroo]

Arctic Freezer 7 pro comes with a healthy amount of paste pre-applied..i wiped mine off and put some AS5 on though.

 

[SparkyJJO]

I never suggest "getting away with" something cheap. Whenever you are doing that you are cutting corners really. A less expensive alternative would be the Corsair VX550, it isn't modular but is a little less expensive.

As fas as the freezer 7, it comes with goop applied already, and it is as good as AS5 if not a little better. No need to clean it off. But I must say I'm not sure if I'd trust it to keep a quad cool.

 

[Saiyukimot]

You talking about the 'goop' on the freezer 7 pro, or the heatsink itself? For keeping the Q6600 cool I mean..

I can't find the Corsair 550W anywhere around the UK...no-one has it in stock anywhere

And would a OCZ StealthXStream 600W PSU be ok for everything?

Thanks

 

[bryanW1995]

after MIR you should be able to get the hx520 for less than the vx550, which is ridiculous but true. Russiansensation got his for $70 AR!!! You can get an hx620 for $100-$110 these days AR as well, but you probably won't ever need one of those unless you end up going sli with 2900xt or 8800gtx in the future.

 

[SparkyJJO]

Originally posted by: Saiyukimot
You talking about the 'goop' on the freezer 7 pro, or the heatsink itself? For keeping the Q6600 cool I mean..

I can't find the Corsair 550W anywhere around the UK...no-one has it in stock anywhere

And would a OCZ StealthXStream 600W PSU be ok for everything?

Thanks

I'm referring to the sink itself. The goop is not a problem. Now I'm not sure the capacity of the freezer 7 pro but after hearing how hot those quads can run I just wonder. But then, the stock sink is just that chunk of aluminum with a copper core isn't it? So it might be OK, just not much room for overclocking.

Ah you are in the UK, I didn't know that. I have no idea what is available and what the pricing is over there. That OCZ PSU would probably be good enough though.

 

[Saiyukimot]

Im only going to 3GHz with (hopefully) plenty of case cooling

And yeh, UK prices are waay higher than US....sometimes between 70-100% more expensive over here from my experience of looking on newegg. Also I have no idea what this 'after rebate' stuff is...

 

[SparkyJJO]

If you can swing it I'd get a bigger cooler

 

[JEDIYoda]

a bigger cooler doesn`t equate into better temps.....

The AC 7 Pro is a nice upper mid level cooler that at times compares to the top of the line coolers!!
In fact it compares with all the better coolers IMO!!

 

[jonmcc33]

I got my HX520 for $90 on buy.com

 

[bryanW1995]

Originally posted by: JEDIYoda
a bigger cooler doesn`t equate into better temps.....

The AC 7 Pro is a nice upper mid level cooler that at times compares to the top of the line coolers!!
In fact it compares with all the better coolers IMO!!

wow, I wonder if anand agrees with you. He's only picked 30 coolers so far to measure, none of which are the AC 7 Pro: http://www.anandtech.com/casec...howdoc.aspx?i=3068&p=6

 

[HOOfan 1]

Corsair VX550 for £49.85 inc vat

 

[Saiyukimot]

Hehe, idealy that was the PSU I wanted to get..but when I ordered my parts, it wasn't in stock. Also, there will be around £8 postage on top of that

 

[MarcVenice]

Did anand actually test a ac7 pro? I think it's a pretty good cooler, and should keep a q6600 cool enough at 3.0ghz. As for the pre-applied 'goop' or thermal grease, lol @ the guy wiping it off, haha, it's mx-1 which is in fact better thermal grease then as5

 

[Saiyukimot]

Originally posted by: MarcVenice
Did anand actually test a ac7 pro? I think it's a pretty good cooler, and should keep a q6600 cool enough at 3.0ghz. As for the pre-applied 'goop' or thermal grease, lol @ the guy wiping it off, haha, it's mx-1 which is in fact better thermal grease then as5

Ooh good, I was worrying about that a tad

Glad I don't need to replace it - just a matter of ploping the heatsink straight on and away you go?


What happens if down the line I say replace the processor - will I need to then replace the thermal grease, or just replace the processor and put the heatsink straight back on not touching the grease?

 

[Old Hippie]

What happens if down the line I say replace the processor - will I need to then replace the thermal grease,

Yes.

 

[Saiyukimot]

Damn.....poo

 

[JEDIYoda]

Originally posted by: bryanW1995

Originally posted by: JEDIYoda
a bigger cooler doesn`t equate into better temps.....

The AC 7 Pro is a nice upper mid level cooler that at times compares to the top of the line coolers!!
In fact it compares with all the better coolers IMO!!

wow, I wonder if anand agrees with you. He's only picked 30 coolers so far to measure, none of which are the AC 7 Pro: http://www.anandtech.com/casec...howdoc.aspx?i=3068&p=6

I really don`t care if Anand agrees with me or not!
I have over last count 45 maybe closer to 60 different coolers.

I have used for a minimum if 2 weeks all the coolers I purchase!
IMO the AC 7 Pro is NOT a top of the line teir 1 cooler! Sorry thats just my opinion!
I would put the AC 7 Pro iether at the very bottom of the teir1 list or at the top of the teir 2 list!!
Anand doesn`t do the testing people on his staff does the testing!!
Also I am a firm believe that from system to system the variables are such that what is good for your friends system might not necessarily be the best for your system.
Thus somebody posts telling how great the AC7 pro is in their system does not make that true in your system!!

Remember back when the Scythe Ninja was all the rave?
Well if the best at that time was truly the best for each and every person who purchased the Ninja why did people after purchasing post on these forums that ther was not difference in the temps from their old heatsink which just happenned to be a top of the line PSU?


Peace!!!

 

[bryanW1995]

do you even read your own posts???

You're a forum lurker on a tech web site, Anand owns a technical web site that is probably worth millions of dollars. He probably knows a thing or two about high-end cpu coolers, and neither he nor his staff have chosen to compare an AC 7 Pro to any of the currently available high-end cpu coolers for a reason. I'm not arguing that the AC 7 doesn't belong at or near the top of the tier 2 list because I've heard many good things about it, I'm just saying that it's clearly NOT tier 1.

Why don't you take all "45-60" coolers and test them for us? Maybe even do something scientific like we've seen on AT. Then you don't need my opinion or anybody else's b/c you'll have your own scientific data (much like keys and apoppin on vid cards). Until then please use all the exclamation points you can find to shout out your opinion.

 

[HOOfan 1]

not that I am taking Jedi's side on whether or not the Arctic Cooler is top tier or not....there are plenty of coolers on that list reviewed by anandtech that I would say are patently NOT top tier coolers.....they do afterall have a stock HSF on that chart. Saying that just because anandtech hasn't reviewed it that it isn't top tier is a rather weak reason.

 

[bryanW1995]

they use the stock hsf for comparison purposes only. which one of the listed coolers is weaker than the AC 7 unit? Jedi yoda has "45-60" of them, lets give him a few days to test them all and present us with his evidence. I have no reason to believe that the AC 7 is NOT a good cooler, I'm just saying that it is clearly not a top-tier unit.

 

[HOOfan 1]

I wouldn't call the Coolermaster Gemini II a top tier cooler...most reviews say it has poor Quality Control and poor design to fit the various sockets it is meant for.

However, whether you disagree with that or not...simply because Anandtech hasn't reviewed it isn't a good reason for saying it isn't top tier....besides Jediyoda did only state his opinion in the first place, he never said he was absolutely the greatest authority in his first post endorsing the Arctic Freezer 7.

Really I am only saying, whether it is top tier or not, I wouldn't base that on a lack of a review from anandtech...there are plenty of toptier computer products they haven't reviewed.

 

[JEDIYoda]

If my exclamation points bother you then you have some very serious issues that cannot be dealt with here on Anand`s site!

I really don`t actually need your opinion at all. But we all are entitled whether you know what your talking about or not!

I did not say Anand doesn`t know anything.

Do you ever read or comprehend other people`s post`s?

I said Anand himself does NOT do the testing! Sorry to disappoint you.
has Anand ever tested? Probably!

I actually personally believe and have stated so that I would`nt consider the AC 7 PRO a tier1 or even a top cooler!

But with that said-- I still believe that it is a descent cooler that for some would be the perfect cooler for there system!

Actually just because the person who tests the heat sinks for Anand has not tested the AC 7 Pro means nothing!

So why are we arguing since it would appear that we both agree that the AC7 is not a tier 1 heat sink?
Yet I have seen some good temperatures from people who have used it and as for my systems I personally thought it was adequate but I would not over clock any of my computers using that particular heat sink!!

Peace!!