thermalright xp-120 is huge!

[cowdog]

XP-120 just barely fits on an 8KDA3J. With the 120x38 fan, it dwarfs everything else in my system. Putting memory in DIMM1 is a tight, tight squeeze with the heatsink on. It sort of cracks me up. The Lian-li PC-65 is looking mighty small now with all that filler.

Does it work? I am getting about 5C better temps with the SP-120 than with a 948U/92mm fan. I also suspect it is providing some additional mobo cooling that can't hurt. For example, I can O/C a bit higher now. I have lots of testing to do, but so far so good.

Anyway, in case anyone was thinking about the XP-120 and an A64 board, it does fit, just barely on an Epox 8KDA3J at least.

edit: I had written sp-120. It is actually an xp-120.

 

[dennisjai215]

and the sp120 is way lighter than ur old 948u correct?

 

[Yanagi]

SO what are your temps now under load and idle?

 

[Zebo]

pics or ban

 

[cowdog]

Yes, the xp120 is very light -- much lighter than the SLK-948U. Based the weight, I thought I had been ripped off when the box arrived. Hehe.

With my original stepping A64 3200+ (1024 L2) running @ 8 x 285 (2x512 memory @ 228), my temps are:

idle: 34-35C load: 41-43C
vcore 1.7v (may not need this much juice, but that's what I'm playing with righ now)

Those were read using the Epox USDM utility.

Here's a quickie picture. You can see how tight the heatpipes are with memory. The stick in DIMM1 actually touches the heatpipe.

 

[Tiamat]

Christ! that thing almost touches your friggen Graphics card! Nice setup!

 

[cowdog]

Yeah, I have to take out the graphics card to put the fan on/off with the fan clips.

BTW, as long as it fits, the mounting is really easy. I was able to use the stock backplate. The 948U takes a little more effort.

 

[Manzelle]

Damn...the 8KDA3J has a lot of clearing space too...

 

[magratton]

Man, that huge! Be a PITA with my leadtek 5900 ultra to take it out as it completely covers the AGP lock tab... Still... I want one *sigh*

 

[JBT]

WOW that think is HUGE!!! If I didn't have my water cooling comming intoday I would sure as heck get one of those

 

[dennisjai215]

haha maybe its designed to help cool ur ram too =p

 

[Dman877]

Wouldn't it be easier to just use a normal heatsink and duct a 120mm mounted on the side? Prolly cool better that way too, since you'd get outside air...

 

[Ariste]

Holy crap... that thing is huge. Good to know that it fits, though, since I think I'm gonna be getting the same combo (Epox EP-8KDA3J + XP-120).

I'm wondering, though... what's your graphics card? Will I have problems fitting the XP-120 with an oversized card like a 6800GT?

Heh, hopefully I can fit this thing in on my first build

 

[cowdog]

I have an evga 6800 in there.

 

[Zebo]

Damn that thing is huge...you guys relize water cooling is getting cheaper and lighter than HSF's? Combine that with superior cooling and quietness I think it's the future in all PC's.

 

[Ariste]

Originally posted by: cowdog
I have an evga 6800 in there.

Thanks for the info

Damn that thing is huge...you guys relize water cooling is getting cheaper and lighter than HSF's? Combine that with superior cooling and quietness I think it's the future in all PC's.

You could argue the fact that water cooling is getting lighter, I guess, but cheaper? Find a decent water cooling system that's under 60 bucks, which is the cost of the XP-120 plus a fan. What? Oh that's right, there aren't any

Water cooling is probably going to be the future for PC's, but not quite yet. It's too expensive right now.

 

[AnnoyedGrunt]

I don't think water cooling will be mainstream for quite some time, and maybe not ever.

First, computers are now pretty much fast enough for almost any "normal" application. By this I mean that for most office users, a P3 700 is plenty fast for pretty much anything (word, excel, powerpoint, even CAD software).

Second, I looks like most CPU MFG's are going dual core, which will allow a larger area to dissipate heat and will reduce the need for something like water cooling. As dual CPU's become more common, more software will be written to take advantage of the second processor, and therefore I believe overall speeds will increase even though the individual cores may not scale as rapidly in clock frequency.

Finally, for most people, water cooling to too complicated, failure prone, and requires too much maintenance for it to become commonplace. Maybe something like that solidstate pump and water block with the micro holes like the apple computer will be used in a few enthusiast machines, but standard water cooled solutions have too many drawbacks for general useage.

Remember that even with water cooling you still have a fan and radiator (so those two components are the equivalent of a normal HSF), plus you need all the fittings, a pump, the water blocks, and a reservior. Not to mention the water conditioning requirements.

Yeah, water cooling is great for the enthusiast, but I just don't see it happening for the general public. I think a fully enclosed heatpipe solution (that would go to an intake case fan) would be more likely than a water solution simply because there are far fewer parts and no additional maintenance.

-D'oh!

 

[Zebo]

Originally posted by: Ariste

Originally posted by: cowdog
I have an evga 6800 in there.

Thanks for the info

Damn that thing is huge...you guys relize water cooling is getting cheaper and lighter than HSF's? Combine that with superior cooling and quietness I think it's the future in all PC's.

You could argue the fact that water cooling is getting lighter, I guess, but cheaper? Find a decent water cooling system that's under 60 bucks, which is the cost of the XP-120 plus a fan. What? Oh that's right, there aren't any

Water cooling is probably going to be the future for PC's, but not quite yet. It's too expensive right now.

It's about the same price for decent setup...I could scounge the salvage yards and get cheaper... we can negate the fan cost because WC needs a 120mm too.

Via Aqua 1300 pump $22
Dtek TC-4 $25
84 chevette heater core from auto zone $18
4ft 1/2 tube from home depot $3
T $1
Some zip ties $2
----------------------
$71

Newegg says that HS is $63 with no fan..

 

[Yanagi]

that thing is mothereffing huge! When you said big I didnt think THAT big. but your temps are pretty impressive aswell. Heh, to buy or not to buy....must resist.

 

[Zebo]

I don't think water cooling will be mainstream for quite some time, and maybe not ever.
-------------
Apple and alienware disagrees with you and has water cooled.


Second, I looks like most CPU MFG's are going dual core, which will allow a larger area to dissipate heat and will reduce the need for something like water cooling.
-----------
Perhaps, until the dual core get faster then we will have the same problems. Then what?


Finally, for most people, water cooling to too complicated, failure prone, and requires too much maintenance for it to become commonplace.
-------------
I have 3 WC computers so I think all these issues are FUD in my experiance. How can it fail? Magdrive pumps are 100% since they have no moving parts other than the free standing impellor. Leaks? No chance there no pressure to speak of and thick hose houses the water. Maintenance? I've never done any maintance so I don't know to what you refer to? It's a closed system which nothing can live with anti-freeze or wet water in there.

Water is maintence free compared to an air cooled computer because the rad does'nt collect dust like a HS does. The gaps/fins are too big.


and a reservior. Not to mention the water conditioning requirements.
---------------
Most WC systems don't have reservior. Again you're mistaken. We use a T-line generally. Water conditioner? Every garage in the united states has a gallon of anti-freeze..you'd only need about two ounce for that size HC at minimal cost.

Anyway sorry to thread crap but as big and as loud as air systems are getting I decided to go water last year and could'nt be happier. It's silent especially because the small fans on high performing GPU's are elminiated along with CPU and NB fans. It allows for mad overclocking.. 2614 Mhz on a A64 right now and 2700mhz on a barton mobile both w/ low volts. It's the future.