CPU cooler upgrade question

[VaPaL]

I current have a Xigmatek Dark Knight II CPU cooler and I'm capable of running my i5-6600k @4,7GHz 1,35v within 85°C while during a stress test with AIDA64 with every box checked. With Prime95 I get 100°C and some thermal throttling.

I tried 4,8GHz 1,40v but the system were unstable and while it run I got higher temps (100°C on AIDA64).

I'm want to upgrade to a Noctua NH-D15. I found tests showing temperatures 10°C lower on the Noctua NH-D14 than the Xigmatek Dark Knight Night Hawk, so I should expect similar results.

 

My questions are:

-I plan to replace my CPU in 2019/2020, what are the odds of the Noctua been compatible with the next socket? I know that nobody knows the exact answer, but what should a expect?

-If I was lucky with my CPU, maybe I can go to 4,8GHz 1,45V with the Noctua, but, giving sufficient cooling, can I go over 1,5V safely? if I can maitain my temps lower than 100°C, any voltage is safe?

 

Thanks a lot!

 

 

[Guest]

The higher the voltage the more harmful for cpu. So i wouldnt run a cpu at 1.5v for long.

[191x7]

I would not recommend changing the cooler and spending that much (NH-D15 is not that cheap) to get a few MHz more. 

I'd rather focus on changing the thermal paste to some better, improving the airflow inside the case and maybe even delid the CPU. 

[iRileyx]

Noctua are one of the biggest companies when it comes to air cooling, so its safe to presume that they'll provide(rather, sell) mounting brackets for any new sockets if needed.
 

I also wouldn't push 1.45v let alone 1.5v or anything above, if you're having to push that high voltage you've lost the silicon lottery. It'll also lower the lifespan by quite a few years depending how often you run it at that voltage and not to mention at 1.5volts the temperatures will be stupid high, even with that Noctua cooler.

[A Silver]

Pretty sure 1.4/1.5 volts is in LN2 territory. If you need to push the voltage that high, you lost the silicone lottery. Putting the voltage that high will also shorten the life of your CPU

[VaPaL]

I see, I will keep my OC as it stands then. Thanks for the input!

About the Noctua, I plan to also upgrade my case fans from the 2 included 140 fansto 2 Corsair ML140, but the upgrade to Noctua is intended to also be a life lasting upgrade that will handle every CPU I throw at it, make my CPU run on more confortable temps (now that improve OC is outo of question)

[191x7]

Using a great thermal paste compared to a good one gives a couple degrees lower temperature. For example, switching Arctic Cooling MX-4 with Cooler Master MasterGel Maker (nano) reduces temperatures on average by about 2°C.

Upgrading from a regular thermal paste to a great one might give about 10°C depending on the pastes compared. I've seen a bad paste (Spire Blue Frost) compared to a decent one (MX-4) give a thermal difference of about 15°C but that was in a laptop.

 

Replacing a "regular" fan of a CPU tower cooler with a fan with better pressure results also in a couple degrees lower temperatures. Going with a push-pull fan configuration on the cooler can decrease the temperatures even lower or might help keep the sound (noise) levels lower. Two 15dBA fans working together as push-pull might offer the same temperatures as a single 21 dBA fan but at much lower sound levels.

 

Delidding the CPU (and voiding the warranty) might decrease the temperatures for about ~10 degrees under load.

 

Going with a stronger cooler costs a lot. Fitting such a (huge) cooler into the case requires special care (the case should be wide enough) etc.

Consider all options. Sometimes cooling the VRM additionally (with a small fan) can also lower the CPU temperatures by 5-10 degrees.

 

Which thermal paste are you using? Have you tried using a better fan on the cooler you have? How about 1-2 additional case fans?

 

[VaPaL]

33 minutes ago, 191x7 said:

Using a great thermal paste compared to a good one gives a couple degrees lower temperature. For example, switching Arctic Cooling MX-4 with Cooler Master MasterGel Maker (nano) reduces temperatures on average by about 2°C.

Upgrading from a regular thermal paste to a great one might give about 10°C depending on the pastes compared. I've seen a bad paste (Spire Blue Frost) compared to a decent one (MX-4) give a thermal difference of about 15°C but that was in a laptop.

 

Replacing a "regular" fan of a CPU tower cooler with a fan with better pressure results also in a couple degrees lower temperatures. Going with a push-pull fan configuration on the cooler can decrease the temperatures even lower or might help keep the sound (noise) levels lower. Two 15dBA fans working together as push-pull might offer the same temperatures as a single 21 dBA fan but at much lower sound levels.

 

Delidding the CPU (and voiding the warranty) might decrease the temperatures for about ~10 degrees under load.

 

Going with a stronger cooler costs a lot. Fitting such a (huge) cooler into the case requires special care (the case should be wide enough) etc.

Consider all options. Sometimes cooling the VRM additionally (with a small fan) can also lower the CPU temperatures by 5-10 degrees.

 

Which thermal paste are you using? Have you tried using a better fan on the cooler you have? How about 1-2 additional case fans?

 

My thermal paste is the Xigmatek PTI-G3606 (https://www.overclockers.co.uk/xigmatek-pti-g3606-thermal-grease-3g-th-000-xg.html) it's not the best one, but looks like a inbetween good and great. Yes, my plan for 2018 is cooling upgrades, my case (Corsair 600q) came with 3 Corsair AF140, I'm planing on buying more 2 ML140, but I think I'll keep 4 fans total on my case, (2 in and 2 out) cause I can't think in a good wat to put 3 in and 2 out and I would like to use neutral to positive case pressure.

It's hard to add one more fan to the CPU cooler due to its shape, the way the fan mounts is by using some elastic band that you can see in the picture and there's not much space left fore another, but I may try to put my spare fan into it, will see. But it will be sketchy.

 

The 600q is a big case, so a larger heat sink will fit for sure.

About delidding I'm not sure. I want to do, but I've never done and I'm not planning to buy a new CPU the next year (nor could I afford it without a serious changing in my planing). And there's nowhere here that I know that does it, not near or that I can't trust. But I don't know, I want to do, but I'm afraid of messing things up.