Cooling Questions

[bikeracer4487]

K, currently my Q6600 (G0 Stepping) is running at 8x400 MHz = 3.2 GHz w/ a CPU-Z reported VID of 1.376V during a Prime95 test w/ a a Xigmatek HDT-S1283 running at 100% fan speed (fan speed is always 100%). Max core temps during the test were 69, 70, 72, and 72C w/ a room temp of 21.6C, idle temps were 44, 45, 42, and 46C. Oh, and my case is an Antec Nine Hundred if that helps. These temps seem higher than they should be, but maybe I'm wrong? Anyways, assuming there ISN'T something wrong with my cooler I'm try to find a cooling solution (air OR liquid) that will keep my CPU under 60C under load without spending over $200. I've tried looking into various water cooling solutions but they all seem either too expensive or don't perform better than the air cooler I already have. Help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[rubix_1011]

That chip does run very hot, esp when you OC and up the voltages to keep it stable. I run a Q6600@ 3.4 (most of the time) but I have a lower VID than you do (which helps) of 1.2250. It seems like that VID is rather high, now that I think of it...are you sure that isn't the OC CPU voltage? I don't think a G0 would have a VID that high...~1.4ish volts starts to get a little much for that chip and ~1.5 is almost certain death unless you know what you are doing.

As for your cooler, I was under the impression that the Xigmatek 1283 was one of the better air coolers out there...are you sure you have it mounted right and with the correct amount of paste? Do you have the backing plate for your board to make sure its tight, but stays in good contact with the CPU? Just letting you know that a entry level watercooling system is going to run ~$200 for CPU only. Something along the lines of this:

http://www.petrastechshop.com/pecoba.html ~$200

Even this might be a decent alternative, but not a fan of the single 120 rad supplied by the kit:

http://www.petrastechshop.com/swh2cocpulic.html ~$135

You could possibly pick up a bigger rad and be alright with that setup, not a super powerful pump...~300lph is on the low side, but for CPU only, it would work.

 

[bikeracer4487]

Well I think 1.376 V is the actual vCore though CPU-Z says VID since Core Temp reports the VID as 1.225. And I'm okay with spending AROUND $200 for a CPU-only system, but I DO want it to be CPU only, my graphics cards are fine and I hope to upgrade them soon anyway.

 

[rubix_1011]

I would be willing to bet that your actual VID is 1.225 then, and that CPU-z might see the OC voltage and report that as the VID. I haven't used CPU-z lately to see if this is actually the case with mine.

That $200 kit is a good system to start with, esp if you wanted to expand into your GPUs later. Either way, it would be a good entry WC kit.