How to figure out of a CPU Cooler stands vertical or horizontal.

[Chalkstick]

Im building my first Gaming PC soon, and I want to know some basic info on the CPU standing position. If anyone can please answer this question it will help me out a lot: "How to figure out of a CPU Cooler stands vertical or horizontal. "

I really want to know because I don't feel comfortable having a CPU cooler that stands up right.

EXTRA:

If any one knows THIS, is this a horizontal or vertical CPU Cooler?
http://pcpartpicker.com/part/cooler-master-cpu-cooler-rrt418pkr1

 

[L Helps]

you can mount almost all cpu coolers the way you want horizontal or vertical.

 

[Karsten75]

Not sure what you are on about. I'm going to assume you are referring to air coolers similar to the one you posted a link to. The cooler's orientation is in reference to the CPU, which in turn is mounted on the motherboard. The cooler is at right-angles to the motherboard, and the motherboard is mounted in either a tower case vertically, or in a desktop, or maybe a HTPC the motherboard is horizontal. In most tower builds you can visualize the cooler "tower" sticking out into space and hanging off the motherboard.

 

[Chalkstick]

you can mount almost all cpu coolers the way you want horizontal or vertical.

Oh, so it all depends on how you want it to be placed?

 

[getochkn]

It stands up, as do most cooler. Do you think companies would sell millions of them, yet they fall over and rip your CPU out. No, they are stable and using their bracket provided, and installing properly, can support the weight. If it couldn't support it, they would break and no company would make them.

You can "feel" what you want, but you have no basis over it vs millions of coolers that stand upright.

In addition, they are better because they can direct the heat right towards the back fan of the case and get the heat out rather than a "surface mount" heatsink that is going to blow the heat, straight in to the other side of the case, and keep the heat in.

 

[L Helps]

you can mount almost all cpu coolers the way you want horizontal or vertical.

Oh, so it all depends on how you want it to be placed?

exactly.

 

[Chalkstick]

Not sure what you are on about. I'm going to assume you are referring to air coolers similar to the one you posted a link to. The cooler's orientation is in reference to the CPU, which in turn is mounted on the motherboard. The cooler is at right-angles to the motherboard, and the motherboard is mounted in either a tower case vertically, or in a desktop, or maybe a HTPC the motherboard is horizontal. In most tower builds you can visualize the cooler "tower" sticking out into space and hanging off the motherboard.

Well, im going to post two youtube links in this reply and show you what I mean.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WQxr59KRto&list=UUw7FkXsC00lH2v2yB5LQoYA
At 11:30 he has the CPU Cooler in a horizontal placing.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aykLdaGnZME
At 3:41 he puts the CPU Cooler in a vertical placing.

 

[Karsten75]

you can mount almost all cpu coolers the way you want horizontal or vertical.

Oh, so it all depends on how you want it to be placed?

exactly.

Heck no. The Cooler is at right angles to the motherboard. The motherboard orientation is determined by the type of case. Hence it is the type of case that determines the orientation of the CPU cooler.

 

[InvalidError]

you can mount almost all cpu coolers the way you want horizontal or vertical.

Oh, so it all depends on how you want it to be placed?

Unless there are mechanical obstructions getting in the way such as DIMMs with tall fins, the CPU socket being too close to the x16 GPU slot or too close to the top of the board, in which cases one or possibly both orientations may not be usable with some super-sized heatsinks.

 

[L Helps]

you mean it like that....

the one you mentioned is a vertical one but it wont destroy your cpu or mobo.

 

[InvalidError]

Heck no. The Cooler is at right angles to the motherboard. The motherboard orientation is determined by the type of case. Hence it is the type of case that determines the orientation of the CPU cooler.

The cooling strategy determines the most effective orientation: using a top blower? Make the fins horizontal with the HSF fan blowing up into it. Only using the rear exhaust? Put the HSF in the vertical orientation with the HSF fan blowing into the rear exhaust fan. This way, the HSF's hot air has a fairly direct exit path.

 

[Chalkstick]

you mean it like that....

the one you mentioned is a vertical one but it wont destroy your cpu or mobo.

Okay so my CPU Cooler stands up right?

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Here is the PC BTW: (Everything is compatible even with the CPU Cooler standing up?)
http://pcpartpicker.com/user/Chalkstick/saved/gTYmP6

 

[Chalkstick]

Heck no. The Cooler is at right angles to the motherboard. The motherboard orientation is determined by the type of case. Hence it is the type of case that determines the orientation of the CPU cooler.

The cooling strategy determines the most effective orientation: using a top blower? Make the fins horizontal with the HSF fan blowing up into it. Only using the rear exhaust? Put the HSF in the vertical orientation with the HSF fan blowing into the rear exhaust fan. This way, the HSF's hot air has a fairly direct exit path.

So basically: Point the Fan the direction of the nearest case fan?

 

[InvalidError]

So basically: Point the Fan the direction of the nearest case fan?

Basically, yes.

The more complex answer is: in the direction of the dominant airflow - which is usually dictated by the most powerful/effective exhaust fan in the area when there is more than one. This way, the CPU fan helps the case fan draw air through the HSF and they also help each other shove the hot air out of the case.

 

[Chalkstick]

So basically: Point the Fan the direction of the nearest case fan?

Basically, yes.

The more complex answer is: in the direction of the dominant airflow - which is usually dictated by the most powerful/effective exhaust fan in the area when there is more than one. This way, the CPU fan helps the case fan draw air through the HSF and they also help each other shove the hot air out of the case.

My case has 3 fans, top, front, and back, can I put the PCU Cooler any way I want or will it be determined by the Graphics Card fans as well?

 

[InvalidError]

My case has 3 fans, top, front, and back, can I put the PCU Cooler any way I want or will it be determined by the Graphics Card fans as well?

The GPU fan has almost no influence on airflow within the case but it can have an influence over how hot air is by the time it reaches the CPU area from the lower part of the case. Your CPU HSF's orientation cannot help much with that.

Front-to-back airflow is likely slightly better at reducing the amount of GPU heat getting in the CPU heatsink by drawing air more from the front than directly above the GPU.