80mm x 70mm CPU Cooler?

[Mr5oh]

I believe I'm searching for another unicorn. I've built a media / emulator PC, and am currently using the stock intel cpu cooler (G3258). Due to large RAM heatsinks, the CPU cooler can't get any larger than the stock cooler width wise (80-90 mm). My case is also limited to 70 mm in height. Do any smaller / low-profile heatsinks that would out perform the stock intel cooler exsist?

 

[bgunner]

Would either of these fit your needs? the second can run without the top fan to give extra clearance.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835608029

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835608025

 

[Mr5oh]

Would either of these fit your needs? the second can run without the top fan to give extra clearance.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835608029

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835608025

The NH-L9I would fit, however I looked into it some and it's not any better than the stock intel heat sink, in fact worse in some tests.

 

[The Original Ralph]

not sure what tests you looked at - i've got the L9i and it knocked about 7-8C off my idle temps and 5-6 off my full load temps in a small compact case and this was with the psu mounted about 1 & 3/16" above the cpu fan with the psu fan pulling all the air - 140mm fan with serious cfm competing for the same air as the intel 80mm fan, big fan wins

the L9i helped drop the height of the fan down about 3/8" lower than the intel's fan so it had a little better chance of pulling air plus the L9i's fan is 90mm. My only complaint with the fan is it's only got two heat pipes

here's a shot of the case it's in (picture was taken before the intel cooler was replaced

there's also the cryorig c1 http://www.cryorig.com/c1.php it's 140mm with 74mm height but there's a video at bottom of page showing it being mounted on an itx board

 

[Mr5oh]

not sure what tests you looked at - i've got the L9i and it knocked about 7-8C off my idle temps and 5-6 off my full load temps in a small compact case and this was with the psu mounted about 1 & 3/16" above the cpu fan with the psu fan pulling all the air - 140mm fan with serious cfm competing for the same air as the intel 80mm fan, big fan wins

there's also the cryorig c1 http://www.cryorig.com/c1.php it's 140mm with 74mm height but there's a video at bottom of page showing it being mounted on an itx board

Hmm, the tests I wwas looking at were reliable sites. Tomshardware even has one showing it doing basically the same as the stock cooler. The C1 at 74mm is too tall, I'm stuck with 70mm or less, according to Silverstone. Plus whatever I pick has to clear my RAM, which basically means it can be wider than the bolt pattern of the mount.

 

[The Original Ralph]

i can only report what the L9i did in my computer

 

[Mr5oh]

i can only report what the L9i did in my computer

I've found other reporst of people say load temperatures did drop. Looks like the other cooler that would meet these requirements is the Silverstone AR06? Can't seem to find much on it, but it looks larger than the L9i, and has more heat pipes? Any opinions on that one?

 

[Mr5oh]

PCPartsPicker doesn't seem to have any compatibility issues / warnnigs with my parts and the AR06, so hopefully it's right. I ordered an AR06 tonight. I will post up results of Prime95 temperature tests with the stock heat sink, and then the AR06.

Previously with the stock cooler my G3258 was hovering around 50-51 C during Prime95.

 

[Mr5oh]

Ok so installed the AR06, it fits no problems, even with my tall RAM. At idle it 2 C cooler (29), Prime 95 it's 10 C cooler (40-41). Those are actual temps, not above ambient.

 

[bgunner]

Nice. Just wish there was a way to test the Noctua also. Then we would have real word data on how each performs in the same machine. But hey you have dropped temps which was the idea in the first place. Good luck with the build.

 

[Mr5oh]

Nice. Just wish there was a way to test the Noctua also. Then we would have real word data on how each performs in the same machine. But hey you have dropped temps which was the idea in the first place. Good luck with the build.

That would have been good, as there really isn't any test that puts any of the low-profile coolers against each other. Also I don't know why many of the tests don't include the stock heatsink as well.

In the end I assumed the AR06 had to do slightly better, as it's larger and has two extra heat pipes. Thats why I chose that route, as the Noctua was only $4-5 more