AM2/AM2+/AM3 cooling compatibility?

[Dirtman73]

I've got the Gigabyte GA-MA790X-UD4P mobo, which supports AM2/AM2+/AM3 CPUs. I am looking at purchasing a better cooler, specifically the Gigabyte G-Power II Pro (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835128022). It lists compatibility with the AM2 chipset, but I am curious as to whether it will work with my Phenom II X4 955BE. Since the specs on the AM2 and AM3 processors are just a little different, I'm concerned that the G-Power II Pro may not perform correctly with my CPU.

Since my mobo supports multiple processor types, and it's built to fit coolers for multiple processor types, I'm under the assumption that any cooler that's made for a AM2 or AM2+ will fit properly on top of an AM3. Performance issues aside, am I incorrect in assuming that I can take any cooler made for a AM2/AM2+ and put it on an AM3?

Since I pretty much mangled my stock cooler (don't ask 😗 ), and none of the stores in my area carry anything but Thermaltake crap, I'm getting desperate for a compatible cooler for my system. I think the Gigabyte cooler may fit the bill, plus it looks wicked cool. I've already emailed Gigabyte regarding this issue, but no response from them so far...

Any ideas, oh ye Gods of Hardware?

 

[JohnnyLucky]

Here is a link to a very good web site about cpu heatsinks, including AMD compatible models which you might find interesting:

http://www.frostytech.com/top5heatsinks.cfm

 

[Dirtman73]

Thanks for the list, Johnny! I had originally been looking at the Thermalright Ultra 120, but it's been a huge pain trying to find a retailer that has those in stock at a decent price. Why the heck doesn't Newegg carry those damn things? Or Tiger, for that matter?

 

[JohnnyLucky]

Funny you mentioned the Thermalright Ultra 120. That's what I use for my personal system. The Ultra 120 Extreme can be purchased from the Heatsink Factory:

http://www.heatsinkfactory.com/thermalright-ultra-120-extreme-rev-c-cpu-cooler.html

 

[overshocks]

why not, core contact freezer. it's one of the best coolers. 25 dollars after rebate. just 1-3C degrees performance gap from the thermalright ultra 120. plus are you even overclocking?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835207004&cm_re=core_contact-_-35-207-004-_-Product

 

[JohnnyLucky]

overshocks - Sometimes it is just a matter of personal preference. In my case I have simply been recycling my Ultra 120. I used it for several builds over the past couple of years. I was just surprised Dirtman73 mentioned it. It's usually the veteran posters who bought their 120's a few years ago that mention it. It's one of the original, if not the original tower style cpu heatsink and it has consistently been one of the top 5 cpu heatsinks for AMD systems for a number of years.

On the other hand you are quite correct that a difference of 3C will not make much of a difference for the typical user.

 

[overshocks]

overshocks - Sometimes it is just a matter of personal preference. In my case I have simply been recycling my Ultra 120. I used it for several builds over the past couple of years. I was just surprised Dirtman73 mentioned it. It's usually the veteran posters who bought their 120's a few years ago that mention it. It's one of the original, if not the original tower style cpu heatsink and it has consistently been one of the top 5 cpu heatsinks for AMD systems for a number of years.

On the other hand you are quite correct that a difference of 3C will not make much of a difference for the typical user.

I was just suggesting a cheaper solution because the performance gap is not that big at all. seeing how he never mentioned overclocking, theres no point gettin 120

 

[Dirtman73]

I was just suggesting a cheaper solution because the performance gap is not that big at all. seeing how he never mentioned overclocking, theres no point gettin 120

True, I won't be overclocking too much, if at all. I'm definitely gonna look over all of the coolers you guys have mentioned, but for some reason the Gigabyte cooler just has a strange attraction for me. Like the stars have aligned and everything is right with the world . It's not the best way to make a purchasing decision for most people, but I've learned to trust my instincts when it comes to computer hardware.

 

[dokk2]

Consider the fact,,the primary function of a hsf,,is to exhaust/remove heat away from a given surface,,your Gigabyte selection does not appear to do that it seems that the airflow is downwards ,????,experience and lots of hard earned $$ has suggested that the most co$t efficient way of handling cpu thermals is to encourage movement to the back or top fan even the psu fan,,blowing towards the mobo would add surplus heat to everything around the cpu,not a good idea,,,,,Hmmm..
Consider ,,for example the Arctic Cooler 64 Pro [there lots who use this design]

 

[Dirtman73]

Okay, after reviewing my choices I decided to give the Gigabyte cooler a chance. It's been installed in my system for two days now with absolutely no issues so far. Temps are running at 26°-34°c at stock settings, and my overclocking tests (3.2Ghz o.c.ed to 3.5Ghz so far) show temps at 32°-45°c. I'm hoping that once the cooler gets through its burn-in period, temps will go down even further.

The G-Power II Pro is a pretty neat cooler. I was concerned that it wouldn't fit in my Antec 902, but it's nice and snug with a 1/2" of space between the fan casing and the side of my case. Apparently Intel owners have the option of installing it in any direction, but us poor AMD guys are stuck with the default position: the heatsink fins are aimed directly towards the rear of the case, and the cooler fan itself faces the front where it's blowing cool air (very nifty) onto the right half of the mobo. The package included two plates that screw onto the sides of the heatsink allowing it to fit tightly into an AMD bracket.

It runs at around 800RPM at idle, speeding up to 1300RPM during heavy processor use. The damn thing's virtually silent no matter how fast it goes, so I'm pretty happy that I haven't had to crank up my obnoxiously loud case fans to keep up with the temperatures so far.

So, I'll keep testing the cooler and let you guys know how it's running after a couple of weeks or so. Thanks for all the advice!!!

Edit: Oh yeah, how do I mark this thread as SOLVED?