Jump to content

First time builder - which CPU cooler to go with

dhardiman
By dhardiman
in Cooling
 Share
Posted

Like many, I'm using this quarantine time to get around to a PC build. This is my first build in about 20 years, so I'm essentially a newbie.

 

I'm looking at using a Ryzen 9 3900x, RTX 2070 Super and 32 GB of DDR4 RAM.

All storage will be solid state. I haven't decided on a case yet, but my main driver is to make sure this runs nice and quiet, so open to suggestions.

 

That brings me to the main problem. Should I go with an AIO or just a fan based cooler? 

 

The primary purpose of the build will be for XPlane 11, video editing and development, AI.

 

Thanks in advance.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted
12 minutes ago, dhardiman said:

Like many, I'm using this quarantine time to get around to a PC build. This is my first build in about 20 years, so I'm essentially a newbie.

 

I'm looking at using a Ryzen 9 3900x, RTX 2070 Super and 32 GB of DDR4 RAM.

All storage will be solid state. I haven't decided on a case yet, but my main driver is to make sure this runs nice and quiet, so open to suggestions.

 

That brings me to the main problem. Should I go with an AIO or just a fan based cooler? 

 

The primary purpose of the build will be for XPlane 11, video editing and development, AI.

 

Thanks in advance.

You can never go wrong with Noctua-- in my experience Ryzen stock coolers can be a bit noisy and run a bit hot, especially on a chip with that much power. An NH-D15 is barely audible at full load even with a 3950X, and you could probably go for a lot less if you wanted.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted

modest air coolers like the Noctua NH-U12S are a solid option.

https://pcpartpicker.com/product/7dTrxr/noctua-nh-u12s-se-am4-cpu-cooler-nh-u12s-se-am4

I WILL find your ITX build thread, and I WILL recommend the SIlverstone Sugo SG13B

 

Primary PC:

i7 8086k - EVGA Z370 Classified K - G.Skill Trident Z RGB - WD SN750 - Jedi Order Titan Xp - Hyper 212 Black (with RGB Riing flair) - EVGA G3 650W - dual booting Windows 10 and Linux - Black and green theme, Razer brainwashed me.

Draws 400 watts under max load, for reference.

 

How many watts do I need? ATX 3.0 & PCIe 5.0 spec, PSU misconceptions, protections explained, group reg is bad

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted
  • Author

Thanks for the input so far. On the Noctua units is there any issue with motherboard clearance, especially around RAM? Motherboard choice isn't decided aside from it being an X570.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted
5 hours ago, dhardiman said:

Like many, I'm using this quarantine time to get around to a PC build. This is my first build in about 20 years, so I'm essentially a newbie.

 

I'm looking at using a Ryzen 9 3900x, RTX 2070 Super and 32 GB of DDR4 RAM.

All storage will be solid state. I haven't decided on a case yet, but my main driver is to make sure this runs nice and quiet, so open to suggestions.

 

That brings me to the main problem. Should I go with an AIO or just a fan based cooler? 

 

The primary purpose of the build will be for XPlane 11, video editing and development, AI.

 

Thanks in advance.

I would go noctua nice and quiet with a lot of power

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted
7 hours ago, dhardiman said:

Thanks for the input so far. On the Noctua units is there any issue with motherboard clearance, especially around RAM? Motherboard choice isn't decided aside from it being an X570.

It depends on the motherboard and ram. The NH-U12S should completely clear the slots but some coolers can hang over the ram. 

You can use the stock cooler first and decide on whether or not to replace it depending on your satisfaction. 

Make sure to quote a post or tag a member when replying or else they won't get a notification that you replied to them.

 

Moved to Air Cooling.

If you ever need help with a build, read the following before posting: http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/3061-build-plan-thread-recommendations-please-read-before-posting/
Also, make sure to quote a post or tag a member when replying or else they won't get a notification that you replied to them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted
  • Author
15 hours ago, WoodenMarker said:

It depends on the motherboard and ram. The NH-U12S should completely clear the slots but some coolers can hang over the ram. 

You can use the stock cooler first and decide on whether or not to replace it depending on your satisfaction. 

Make sure to quote a post or tag a member when replying or else they won't get a notification that you replied to them.

 

Moved to Air Cooling.

Thanks. Do people feel the U12S is enough for the 3900X? On their website it's flagged as being suitable for moderate turbo or overclocking. I'm not planning on overclocking but have no idea how often my use case will result in turbo and if that fits into the 'moderate' definition. Any ideas?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted
18 hours ago, dhardiman said:

Thanks. Do people feel the U12S is enough for the 3900X? On their website it's flagged as being suitable for moderate turbo or overclocking. I'm not planning on overclocking but have no idea how often my use case will result in turbo and if that fits into the 'moderate' definition. Any ideas?

Yes, it'd be fine. That being said, it's not a bad idea to get a better cooler for lower noise. 

Where are you shopping / located? Budget?

If you ever need help with a build, read the following before posting: http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/3061-build-plan-thread-recommendations-please-read-before-posting/
Also, make sure to quote a post or tag a member when replying or else they won't get a notification that you replied to them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted
  • Author
4 hours ago, WoodenMarker said:

Yes, it'd be fine. That being said, it's not a bad idea to get a better cooler for lower noise. 

Where are you shopping / located? Budget?

I'm in Ireland. budget of about €2k total excluding the monitor. My parts list so far is here if you care to comment

 

PCPartPicker Part List
Type Item Price
CPU AMD Ryzen 9 3900X 3.8 GHz 12-Core Processor $434.00 @ Amazon
CPU Cooler Noctua NH-U12S chromax.black 55 CFM CPU Cooler $69.95 @ Amazon
Motherboard Asus TUF GAMING X570-PLUS (WI-FI) ATX AM4 Motherboard $189.99 @ Best Buy
Memory G.Skill Trident Z RGB 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3600 Memory $99.99 @ Newegg
Memory G.Skill Trident Z RGB 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3600 Memory $99.99 @ Newegg
Storage Crucial P1 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive $104.99 @ Newegg
Storage Crucial BX500 2 TB 2.5" Solid State Drive $199.99 @ Amazon
Video Card Asus GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER 8 GB DUAL EVO OC Video Card $525.48 @ B&H
Case Fractal Design Meshify C ATX Mid Tower Case $98.99 @ Walmart
Power Supply Corsair RM (2019) 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply $115.49 @ Amazon
  Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts  
  Total $1938.86
  Generated by PCPartPicker 2020-04-11 07:49 EDT-0400  

The case and the cooler are up for grabs. I am leaning towards the D15 Chromemax or the DRP4. Case-wise I'm thinking one of the Fractal Define S2, R6 or C possibly. I'm going for understated ;)

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted
9 hours ago, dhardiman said:

I'm in Ireland. budget of about €2k total excluding the monitor. My parts list so far is here if you care to comment

PCPartPicker Part List The case and the cooler are up for grabs. I am leaning towards the D15 Chromemax or the DRP4. Case-wise I'm thinking one of the Fractal Define S2, R6 or C possibly. I'm going for understated ;)

Hm, you mention Ireland but you're using the US pcpartpicker. There's a region drop down at top right of the site. 

The NH-D15 or DRP4 would be better and great for low noise. If you're looking to save some money, the Fuma 2 isn't far behind and is cheaper: https://www.komplett.ie/scythe-fuma-2/80054788/product/9420

If you're don't mind slightly higher temps, the Ninja 5 is great if you're just after low noise: https://www.komplett.ie/scythe-ninja-5/80050561/product/9420

If you ever need help with a build, read the following before posting: http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/3061-build-plan-thread-recommendations-please-read-before-posting/
Also, make sure to quote a post or tag a member when replying or else they won't get a notification that you replied to them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted
10 hours ago, dhardiman said:

I'm in Ireland. budget of about €2k total excluding the monitor. My parts list so far is here if you care to comment

 

PCPartPicker Part List
Type Item Price
CPU AMD Ryzen 9 3900X 3.8 GHz 12-Core Processor $434.00 @ Amazon
CPU Cooler Noctua NH-U12S chromax.black 55 CFM CPU Cooler $69.95 @ Amazon
Motherboard Asus TUF GAMING X570-PLUS (WI-FI) ATX AM4 Motherboard $189.99 @ Best Buy
Memory G.Skill Trident Z RGB 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3600 Memory $99.99 @ Newegg
Memory G.Skill Trident Z RGB 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3600 Memory $99.99 @ Newegg
Storage Crucial P1 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive $104.99 @ Newegg
Storage Crucial BX500 2 TB 2.5" Solid State Drive $199.99 @ Amazon
Video Card Asus GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER 8 GB DUAL EVO OC Video Card $525.48 @ B&H
Case Fractal Design Meshify C ATX Mid Tower Case $98.99 @ Walmart
Power Supply Corsair RM (2019) 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply $115.49 @ Amazon
  Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts  
  Total $1938.86
  Generated by PCPartPicker 2020-04-11 07:49 EDT-0400  

The case and the cooler are up for grabs. I am leaning towards the D15 Chromemax or the DRP4. Case-wise I'm thinking one of the Fractal Define S2, R6 or C possibly. I'm going for understated ;)

 

Try using trident z neo, as it is optimized for AMD. 

I am NOT a professional and a lot of the time what I'm saying is based on limited knowledge and experience. I'm going to be incorrect at times. 

Motherboard Tier List                   How many watts do I need?
Best B550 Motherboards             Best Intel Z490 Motherboards

PC Troubleshooting                      You don't need a big PSU

PSU Tier List                                Common pc building mistakes 
PC BUILD Guide! (POV)              How to Overclock your CPU 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted
10 hours ago, dhardiman said:

I'm in Ireland. budget of about €2k total excluding the monitor. My parts list so far is here if you care to comment

 

PCPartPicker Part List
Type Item Price
CPU AMD Ryzen 9 3900X 3.8 GHz 12-Core Processor $434.00 @ Amazon
CPU Cooler Noctua NH-U12S chromax.black 55 CFM CPU Cooler $69.95 @ Amazon
Motherboard Asus TUF GAMING X570-PLUS (WI-FI) ATX AM4 Motherboard $189.99 @ Best Buy
Memory G.Skill Trident Z RGB 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3600 Memory $99.99 @ Newegg
Memory G.Skill Trident Z RGB 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3600 Memory $99.99 @ Newegg
Storage Crucial P1 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive $104.99 @ Newegg
Storage Crucial BX500 2 TB 2.5" Solid State Drive $199.99 @ Amazon
Video Card Asus GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER 8 GB DUAL EVO OC Video Card $525.48 @ B&H
Case Fractal Design Meshify C ATX Mid Tower Case $98.99 @ Walmart
Power Supply Corsair RM (2019) 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply $115.49 @ Amazon
  Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts  
  Total $1938.86
  Generated by PCPartPicker 2020-04-11 07:49 EDT-0400  

The case and the cooler are up for grabs. I am leaning towards the D15 Chromemax or the DRP4. Case-wise I'm thinking one of the Fractal Define S2, R6 or C possibly. I'm going for understated ;)

 

Try using trident z neo, as it is optimized for AMD. 

I am NOT a professional and a lot of the time what I'm saying is based on limited knowledge and experience. I'm going to be incorrect at times. 

Motherboard Tier List                   How many watts do I need?
Best B550 Motherboards             Best Intel Z490 Motherboards

PC Troubleshooting                      You don't need a big PSU

PSU Tier List                                Common pc building mistakes 
PC BUILD Guide! (POV)              How to Overclock your CPU 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted
  • Author
21 minutes ago, WoodenMarker said:

Hm, you mention Ireland but you're using the US pcpartpicker. There's a region drop down at top right of the site. 

The NH-D15 or DRP4 would be better and great for low noise. If you're looking to save some money, the Fuma 2 isn't far behind and is cheaper: https://www.komplett.ie/scythe-fuma-2/80054788/product/9420

If you're don't mind slightly higher temps, the Ninja 5 is great if you're just after low noise: https://www.komplett.ie/scythe-ninja-5/80050561/product/9420

Thanks for pointing out the region option. I've changed it to UK as not all parts would be available here anyway and generally would buy from UK. I've decided to go with the DRP4 and the Define C TG case.

 

Finally - any thoughts on the motherboard choice? Would you go for an Aorus or ROG board v the TUF I picked initially?

 

Thanks again.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted
  • Author
16 minutes ago, InnerBeast Gaming said:

Try using trident z neo, as it is optimized for AMD. 

Thanks - I'll check it out. Are you still better off populating 32GB as 4x 8GB? The price of Neo for 32GB (2x 16GB) v 16GB (2x 8GB) isn't that much really, so wondering about the cost benefit.

 

Updated parts list is here https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/user/dhardiman/saved/LB6K3C

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted
22 minutes ago, dhardiman said:

Thanks - I'll check it out. Are you still better off populating 32GB as 4x 8GB? The price of Neo for 32GB (2x 16GB) v 16GB (2x 8GB) isn't that much really, so wondering about the cost benefit.

Updated parts list is here https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/user/dhardiman/saved/LB6K3C

2x16gb is more flexible and fewer sticks means fewer problems. 

Any reason why you decided on the Define C instead of the Meshify for better airflow?

37 minutes ago, dhardiman said:

Finally - any thoughts on the motherboard choice? Would you go for an Aorus or ROG board v the TUF I picked initially?

They're all fine. If you're not looking for any features in particular, I'd go with the cheapest. 

If you ever need help with a build, read the following before posting: http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/3061-build-plan-thread-recommendations-please-read-before-posting/
Also, make sure to quote a post or tag a member when replying or else they won't get a notification that you replied to them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted
  • Author
9 minutes ago, WoodenMarker said:

2x16gb is more flexible and fewer sticks means fewer problems. 

Any reason why you decided on the Define C instead of the Meshify for better airflow?

They're all fine. If you're not looking for any features in particular, I'd go with the cheapest. 

Thanks. I'm not a big fan of the Meshify look - prefer the cleaner lines on the Define C. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing Cooling

×