Finding an air cooler with a smaller footprint

[MoneyGage]

Hi all!

I'm new here, but I've been watching LTT for the longest time. I'm finally in a position where I have the money to spend on a desktop. I want to have all four RAM slots available in this build, so before I buy a cooler, I need to figure out the proper cooler size and which one to buy. I know this is a commonly asked question, but every build is different, especially in this regard. It's a Ryzen build, so of course the cooler also needs to be able to support AM4.

 

I have the mobo and case already. I'll also add in the RAM for reference. The names of them are:

• Asus - ROG Crosshair VII Hero (Wi-Fi) ATX AM4 Motherboard

• Cooler Master - MasterBox Pro 5 RGB ATX Mid Tower Case

• (Buying two sets) Kingston - Savage 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory

Info on the case:

• My friend had a previous gen Masterbox Pro and had the impression that this one had two removable side panels. This one only has one.
• The dimensions of the case are 19.7 x 8.7 x 18.7 in

If anyone has some suggestions on a compact cooler that will fit in the case, keep the system running strong, and allow me to use all four RAM slots, it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

[ZeusXI]

5 minutes ago, MoneyGage said:

-snip-

not sure why you need a compact cooler, any would do really. personally me, im using the Shadow Rock LP 130w TDP cooler

https://www.bequiet.com/en/cpucooler/570

works well, and im using the Ncase M1 which is a shoebox for size

[MoneyGage]

Because apparently some coolers are big enough to cover RAM slots. How many slots does your mobo have, and is it a standard ATX, or an mATX?

[Jurrunio]

You dont even need low profile coolers. While those using 140mm fans are a super tight fit, 120mm ones leave plenty of room behind. Your Kingston Savage memory are one of the shorter sticks as well, unlike those with fancy decorations all over the place.

 

For example, the Scythe 5 is only 155mm tall. You can even raise the fans covering the RAM slots to fit taller memory. Well, at most 10mm taller than Kingston Savage kits.

 

oh and btw, the Masterbox Pro 5 has 2 detachable side panels. CM will really be stomped if a modern case doesnt have detachable side panels.

https://proclockers.com/reviews/enclosures/cooler-master-masterbox-pro-5-rgb-mid-tower-review-affordable-rgb/page/0/3

5 minutes ago, MoneyGage said:

Because apparently some coolers are big enough to cover RAM slots. How many slots does your mobo have, and is it a standard ATX, or an mATX?

quoting us will give us a notification so we reply back faster  @ZeusXI

[MoneyGage]

11 minutes ago, Jurrunio said:

oh and btw, the Masterbox Pro 5 has 2 detachable side panels. CM will really be stomped if a modern case doesnt have detachable side panels.

https://proclockers.com/reviews/enclosures/cooler-master-masterbox-pro-5-rgb-mid-tower-review-affordable-rgb/page/0/3

quoting us will give us a notification so we reply back faster  @ZeusXI

It does not. It has ONE tempered glass panel with two thumb screws. The other side is entirely metal. It's actually sitting right in front of me as I type this. 

[Jurrunio]

16 minutes ago, MoneyGage said:

The other side is entirely metal.

isnt that metal panel hold on by thumb screws at the back near the rear I/O?

 

https://i.imgur.com/Kd0QZuM.png

[MoneyGage]

4 minutes ago, Jurrunio said:

isnt that metal panel hold on by thumb screws at the back near the rear I/O?

 

https://i.imgur.com/Kd0QZuM.png

Yeah, my bad I'll cop to it: I didn't realize that it could open that way until I watched this:

The only thing I should be concerned about I guess is the lack of ventilation, but I don't plan on overclocking - if I do another build in the future, I might buy a case and other components that have that in mind. I just need something better than a laptop lol

 

[Jurrunio]

6 minutes ago, MoneyGage said:

I just need something better than a laptop lol

a Crosshair 7 hero is completely overkill for that. lemme guess, 2200g CPU?

[MoneyGage]

12 minutes ago, Jurrunio said:

a Crosshair 7 hero is completely overkill for that. lemme guess, 2200g CPU?

I worded that wrong. I'm a programmer and want this so that compile times are far less, as well as moderate gaming, but whether or not a custom-built desktop is worth it for that purpose is a debate for another day. 

[Jurrunio]

3 minutes ago, MoneyGage said:

I worded that wrong. I'm a programmer and want this so that compile times are far less, as well as moderate gaming, but whether or not a custom-built desktop is worth it for that purpose is a debate for another day. 

ah much better. I thought it's a paperwork machine.

[LogicalDrm]

So... are you looking smaller cooler because you want to see RAM or why actually? Like said, Savage are just like normal non-heatspreader RAM. Meaning that you can pick any cooler and it will fit. Your case has more of issue with 167mm height limit. Though with your ram that only limits Cryorig R1 Ultimate and some other super-high coolers out.

 

So if you want pure performance, Noctua U12S (with chromaxx if you are for looks) might be best pick. If looks aren't important, U14S. If looks are more important, Dark Rock 4 or H5 Ultimate. There are also others, you can check list

Anything tier 5 and up.

[WoodenMarker]

Where are you shopping / located? Budget?

[MoneyGage]

On 7/15/2018 at 12:54 PM, LoGiCalDrm said:

So... are you looking smaller cooler because you want to see RAM or why actually? Like said, Savage are just like normal non-heatspreader RAM. Meaning that you can pick any cooler and it will fit. Your case has more of issue with 167mm height limit. Though with your ram that only limits Cryorig R1 Ultimate and some other super-high coolers out.

 

So if you want pure performance, Noctua U12S (with chromaxx if you are for looks) might be best pick. If looks aren't important, U14S. If looks are more important, Dark Rock 4 or H5 Ultimate. There are also others, you can check list

Anything tier 5 and up.

So, my friend, who also built with this case, told me that some coolers end up covering the two DIMM slots closest to the processor if I'm not careful. He said he didn't know why anyone would want to use all four, but that prompted me to do some research. I haven't fully decided yet on what to get tho. 

[MoneyGage]

On 7/19/2018 at 12:17 AM, WoodenMarker said:

Where are you shopping / located? Budget?

I live in Ohio, USA. I know people from everywhere come here lol. I'm technically in one of the rustbelt-ish areas, so it's not like I can walk to my nearest parts shop, because they don't really exist. The shops that DO exist here don't sell parts, they order parts for repairs. 

 

Scrapyard Wars would not be too great of an idea for where I'm at lmfao

[MoneyGage]

On 7/14/2018 at 5:16 PM, Jurrunio said:

ah much better. I thought it's a paperwork machine.

Yeah, no. If I wanted that, I'd go to Walmart and pick up a $200 ghetto Acer netbook. I just wanted to make it clear that I'm not buying high-end parts for no reason. I might consider doing some experimentation with the Rust programming language (8 cores on the Ryzen 7 1800X), and maybe even Unreal Engine 4 development as a learning project for game development on the Nintendo Switch. 

 

That said, some things on ROG Crosshair Hero VI, like the switch for liquid nitrogen cooling, won't be used for obvious reasons - if I were trying to set a record for OC or something it could be a different story. 

[LogicalDrm]

6 hours ago, MoneyGage said:

So, my friend, who also built with this case, told me that some coolers end up covering the two DIMM slots closest to the processor if I'm not careful. He said he didn't know why anyone would want to use all four, but that prompted me to do some research. I haven't fully decided yet on what to get tho. 

They do cover slots. But as I said, that's not issue with your RAM. It will fit under the fan and fins. Cooler hanging over slots is more issue for people with high RAM or RGB.

 

Here's example of my own rig. Cooler is Noctua U14S. Blue RAM is G.Skill RipjawX, black is Kingston HyperX Fury, both DDR3. Fury is predecessor for Savage. Below is pic of earlier config with cooler in different orientation and Ripjaws in 1st and 3rd slots. Still under fins.

 

[MoneyGage]

14 hours ago, LoGiCalDrm said:

They do cover slots. But as I said, that's not issue with your RAM. It will fit under the fan and fins. Cooler hanging over slots is more issue for people with high RAM or RGB.

 

Here's example of my own rig. Cooler is Noctua U14S. Blue RAM is G.Skill RipjawX, black is Kingston HyperX Fury, both DDR3. Fury is predecessor for Savage. Below is pic of earlier config with cooler in different orientation and Ripjaws in 1st and 3rd slots. Still under fins.

 

Thank you for this. I don't go on forums often asking for advice (in software development, there's a 50% chance a flamewar will ensue) but I've seen nothing but good so far from the PC enthusiast community so far. 

 

You have done two things I normally don't get from people:

1. Given a clear answer, with evidence to back it up, and
2. Given a recommendation based on the current scenario. 

Well done!