Cooler Recommendation

[lol1419]

Hello and Greetings from Canada,

 

So I was planning to get a new CPU cooler as I want to move away from my old and loud stock cooler. However with only 3 fans ( PSU, CPU, and a 92mm rear exhaust) it's hard to think of a cooler that would be tailored to my case. I only have limited ventilation and no intakes requiring passive airflow from the front of my case. I want an all purpose CPU cooler and I don't plan to do any heavy overclocking except maybe only from Intel Turbo Boost. Any recommendations for a CPU cooler (air or liquid cooled) with a case that has limited air flow?

 

Please note that upgrading my case is not an option at this point in time, as a lack of funds would prevent me from doing so. In addition please keep in mind that I do not have a huge budget and the cheapest value to performance cooler would be best for me.

 

[bennyino]

hyper 212 evo is an easy and cheap solution, i think

[PositiveProton]

hyper 212 evo is an easy and cheap solution, i think

 

Just make sure your case is large enough for it.  I have the Hyper 212 in mine right now, and it comes right to the edge.

[lol1419]

I been looking at those coolers for a while now. However are those viable solutions as I stated that my case has limited airflow?

[PositiveProton]

I been looking at those coolers for a while now. However are those viable solutions as I stated that my case has limited airflow?

 

That all depends on how much space you have on your motherboard and case.

 

In terms of a good, cheap, reliable cooler, the Hyper 212 is perfect.  The stock fan can just be a little noisy.

[Matsy]

+ 1 for the hyper 212 evo, excellent little cooler.

[Jirne]

Noctua NH-C12P SE14. Why?

-Flat fits in every case

-Downflow helps cooling your RAM and VRM

-It's noctua, can't go wrong, will work for 10 years

-Excelent, silent blade design.

[DizZz]

For your needs, the 212 evo is probably the best choice since it's the best bang for buck (it's $25 on newegg right now). However, if you're looking to overclock a little more, the XIGMATEK Dark Knight II would be a great option. It's about $45 and performs only 2-3 degrees worse than a corsair h80 watercooler so it is a great deal. 

 

Cooler Master 212 Evo

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103099

 

XIGMATEK Dark Knight II

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233029

 

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—Glenwing

[BeyondNight]

XIGMATEK Dark Knight II

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233029

Get the Dark Knight II, amazing cooler, relatively inexpensive, and just looks awesome aswell.

[Brian]

Before you do anything, find out what the max allowable cooler height for your case is.  You can get this information from the manufacturer, or simply remove the stock cooler and measure from the CPU heat spreader to the case side.   This is critical.

 

Once you know that, can you tell us what your approximate budget is?  If you don't you'll likely just get a LOT of Hyper 212 recommendations, wand it isn't a bad cooler but might not be the best bang for your particular buck.

[ZeroDollarz]

If you can afford it and fit it in your case go for Noctua NH-D14  - build like a tank big and heavy but it has a  perfect mount. The back plate is super strong , you can`t bend it no matter what. 

 

But the cooling is just :wub:  I am running 2500k@ 4.5ghz PASSIVE  on IT (around 40~45 degrees celsius)  for everything except gaming - so that is 70% of the time it makes NO noise - cant beat that even with water (gotta have a pump running)  

If you are not planning to  OC  go with the NH-D14 and go passive it rocks.

 

 

ps: while gaming it reaches around 70 78 degrees celsius @4.5 ghz (passive) and like 38 - 45 with fans on .

[Matsy]

^ Depends allot on where you live.

My evo which is set to the lowest speed (no noise) all the time never goes above 35 while idle on my i5 2500k and never goes above 50 while on BF3 etc.

[KyonCoraeL]

Side Note:

Considering the reason you want to change your CPU cooler is that you want it to be quieter, have you considered using a program like speedfan or Asus Fan Xpert to limit the speed of your heatsink fan? or you can try limiting your cpu speed or undervolting to reduce the thermal output. Generally, if you have an intel processor with speed boost it is probably already doing this. While you are at it you can play around with some of your case fans if they are hooked upto your motherboard and vary their speeds. My stock cpu fan super quiet and rarely needs to exceed 50% fan speed even with terrible cooling, but I run my cpu until it is 75 degrees celsius. From saving your money by not replacing your CPU cooler, you can buy 100's of timbits. lol

 

My suggestion if you do need a new cpu cooler is the hyper 212 cooler. you can get it for approximately 30$ in most computer stores in Canada. 

[DaftBehemoth]

If your case has a 92mm exhaust fan at the back, the chance of a hyper 212 fitting with the side panel closed is extremely slim. The same is true with most tower coolers. The low profile noctua cooler that was suggested by Unidentical over in your post in the liquid cooling forum is probably your best bet. The Noctua NH-L9i.

[grayperview]

Gelid Solutions GX-7 is worth considering

 

I have one really nice cooler that doesn't intrude on ram slots. 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxfImHYxvGc

[TechTheWorld]

Hyper 212 evo.

[lol1419]

I''l check my case clearance for the CPU cooler. Maybe then I'll be more sure of which cooler to obtain.

[temmerich]

I love my Cooler Master v6gt, its a little pricy though and tall so make sure you have room for it. Keeps my i7-3770K OCed to 4.4GHz nice and cool

[Blade of Grass]

If you're looking for something at around $30, the Hyper 212 Evo is the best. If you need something cheaper, the Hyper 212 Plus is AWESOME for about $10-$15 on sale.

[SkulD]

Post a pick of your rig, so we can have a better understanding of the airflow inside your case, and space available :D

[lol1419]

Sorry it took so long for me to reply, thanks for the help everyone. I measured my case and found enough room for a Hyper 212 Evo. I think at this time it would be my best bet with reasonable performance at a low price point. Once again thanks for everyone's help.