Heatsink Help (and Cable Question)

[flavoi]

I am building a computer for the first time, and I do not know how to choose the right heatsink.
My processor does not come with a heatsink. I have heard any heatsink i buy should be better then stock, but i have no stock... I need it to be as cheap as possible, so i found this. i just dont know how to tell if it would work right, fit right, or keep my cpu cool enough. A few other parts: Mobo, case

Anything else, ill be glad to add.
Thanks in advance.

 

[flavoi]

Make sure that mobo supports ddr3 memory.
You have ddr3 memory listed.

It may only run ddr2 memory.

" Memory Standard DDR3 1333/1066/800 "

 

[AMW1011]

A few suggestions:

This is a good case for less:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129070&cm_re=antec_two-_-11-129-070-_-Product

That RAM is notoriously horrible. This is what I just got and has been winning a lot of rewards lately for budget DDR3:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148262&cm_re=crucial_ddr3-_-20-148-262-_-Product

I must HIGHLY recommend that you try to squeeze out enough for this GPU:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814500113&cm_re=9800_GT-_-14-500-113-_-Product

For the extra $30 you get a LOT.

 

[sirheck]

" Memory Standard DDR3 1333/1066/800 "

Ah k then the rest looks good, you should be set then.

Just looked at the case that AMW listed, GO for it, it is a very nice case.
Especially for the price.

 

[flavoi]

A few suggestions:

This is a good case for less:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129070&cm_re=antec_two-_-11-129-070-_-Product

That RAM is notoriously horrible. This is what I just got and has been winning a lot of rewards lately for budget DDR3:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148262&cm_re=crucial_ddr3-_-20-148-262-_-Product

I must HIGHLY recommend that you try to squeeze out enough for this GPU:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814500113&cm_re=9800_GT-_-14-500-113-_-Product

For the extra $30 you get a LOT.

Thanks for the ram. I have grown to like the case i choose ( i have no idea why)
And i plan to update later and get a screaming gpu (6 months depending on how the tech looks)
This is my "bare bones and upgrade later" machine

 

[flavoi]

This is a good case for less:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129070&cm_re=antec_two-_-11-129-070-_-Product

Rosewill Wind Knight- 49.99 free shipping 49.95
Antec Two Hundred Black- 39.95 18.95 shipping 58.9

And i assume it doesnt matter that the ram suggested has no heatspreader?

 

[AMW1011]

Rosewill Wind Knight- 49.99 free shipping 49.95
Antec Two Hundred Black- 39.95 18.95 shipping 58.9

And i assume it doesnt matter that the ram suggested has no heatspreader?

Ah, it was free shipping a few days ago, I just ordered one.

No, it doesn't matter at all. DDR3 uses much less power and therefor produces less heat than DDR2.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/ddr3-4gb-p55,2462-7.html

 

[sirheck]

For the ram, ive had four sticks of the Crucials and four sticks of the OCZ,s
I always used the OCZ,s to get my machine running caused the Crucials
(i had) and RMA,ed never worked.

Nothing against crucial just the sticks i had booted about 50% of the time.

You should be good either way ya go.

 

[flavoi]

Thanks. And, I assume the cpu will not come with thermal compound (unless it has a pad), so whats good (and cheap)?

 

[sirheck]

The Athlon X II you listed should come with a heatsink with preapplied
MX2/MX3 paste.

Just take the plastic off and slap it on.

 

[flavoi]

Out of curiosity, how did you know that? Experience, or did i miss it labeled somewhere?

 

[sirheck]

Experience, they put the plastic on to keep the paste from getting smeared.
it will be a grey color and very thin.

 

[flavoi]

Ok. Thats it for me. This will be great. Now all i have to do is wait 3 days, and go find a monitor at best buy (gift card)

 

[Keiki646]

A few suggestions:

This is a good case for less:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129070&cm_re=antec_two-_-11-129-070-_-Product

That RAM is notoriously horrible. This is what I just got and has been winning a lot of rewards lately for budget DDR3:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148262&cm_re=crucial_ddr3-_-20-148-262-_-Product

I must HIGHLY recommend that you try to squeeze out enough for this GPU:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814500113&cm_re=9800_GT-_-14-500-113-_-Product

For the extra $30 you get a LOT.

Well there is someone here that is clearly not reading the replies or topic. Makes me wonder if they half skipping thru
the important information that has been said here.
That video card that you have pick out recommends a 400 watts PSU, he only has 400Watts. That's cutting too close

 

[Keiki646]

Good luck Flavoi with your hardware parts...

Some unacknowledged information I see in the last six replies to help Flavoi

 

[sirheck]

Well there is someone here that is clearly not reading the replies or topic. Makes me wonder if they half skipping thru
the important information that has been said here.
That video card that you have pick out recommends a 400 watts PSU, he only has 300Watts

He has a 400 watt PSU, figured you read that.

I did.

 

[AMW1011]

Well there is someone here that is clearly not reading the replies or topic. Makes me wonder if they half skipping thru
the important information that has been said here.
That video card that you have pick out recommends a 400 watts PSU, he only has 400Watts. That's cutting too close

The 400w requirement is assuming the 400w PSU is of average quality, the Corsair 400w PSU he has listed is of excellent quality and will run the card perfectly fine.

 

[flavoi]

Yay I picked a good PSU

 

[sirheck]

Yay I picked a good PSU

Yes you did.
Shouldnt have any problems with it.

 

[flavoi]

One building question. The guide i will be using suggests you let the thermal compound dry over night. in the guide, he used Arctic Silver 5, which is a liquid. Since i am using a pad (i highly doubt its liquid), do i need to let it dry overnight?

 

[AMW1011]

First, Arctic Silver 5 as well as most thermal paste, is just that a paste.

There is no drying but there is a cure time where the thermal paste changes state slightly and may offer better performance after a lot of hours, but over night is not long enough we are talking 50 hours. This happens naturally and does not need to be specially done, just let it go.

Why are you using a pad? Pads tend to perform quite poorly. I recommend spending the $5-$10 on some OCZ Freeze, Arctic Cooling MX-2/3, or Tuniq TX-2 which are all top rank thermal compounds.

Refer to this guide to learn how best to apply the paste:
http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=170&Itemid=1

 

[sirheck]

One building question. The guide i will be using suggests you let the thermal compound dry over night. in the guide, he used Arctic Silver 5, which is a liquid. Since i am using a pad (i highly doubt its liquid), do i need to let it dry overnight?

its not a liquid, its more like toothpaste.
Just slap it on and go.

No need to let it dry.

 

[flavoi]

Ok.
I went back and read the guide, and it said "cure", not dry.

 

[sirheck]

Ok.
I went back and read the guide, and it said "cure", not dry.

Yeah just apply it and go.
Dont worry about if it cures or dry,s it will do that on its own with thermal cycles.
Which really doesnt matter, i have tried just about every paste under the sun
and have never seen a difference in temps at all after the so called curing time.

Main thing is to apply the proper amount, not too much and not to little.

 

[B-Unit]

My prefered method of 'curing' Arctic Silver 5 is to go straight into my OCing adventure after I apply the heatsink. 6-12+ hours of Prime95 followed by 4-6 hours shut off. Generaly I can gain 2-3C in the first week like this.

 

[bystander]

One note on the aftermarket heat sink. If you can, get it before you put your computer together, many of them require you to completely remove the motherboard to install it after the fact due to a bracket that needs to be in place behind the motherboard.