Question Socket 478 low profile cooler ?

[Vukodlak]

Hi,

I'm in need of a low profile, no taller than the Noctua NH-L9x65 for an ASUS P4S266-VX Socket 478 board.
Looking for a modern cooler that is not the original Intel stock one.
Open to any recommendations.

Thanks.

 

[BFG-9000]

That's a pretty tall order given modern coolers are seldom available with S478 mounting hardware. The only reason Noctua coolers work is because their SecuFirm2 mounting system hasn't changed since then so old parts fit onto their new coolers.

I'll suggest the Noctua NH-L12 which is exactly the same height as the NH-L9 you mentioned (provided you bottom-mount the fan), but 120mm fan instead of 92mm. These are even shorter than vintage heatsinks that were available at the time like the Zalman CNPS8700. The CNPS8900 Extreme was another 5mm shorter though, at 60mm. But you'd have to check if you have room for a 120mm or 110mm fan around the socket.

I don't care for how the stock coolers bend the motherboard

 

[Vukodlak]

Thanks for the reply,

I know that what I'm asking for is rarer than a unicorn.
One thing I forgot to add was that the cooler will have to come with compatible mounting hardware. I used the NH-L9 as an example because I used to have one in a LGA 1151 system. It seemed as a good size replacement if it was compatible right out of the box.

I am going through a lot of efforts to keep the theme going here, else I would have re-cased the system.
Limiting height factor is the PSU that sits right above the CPU cooler.
(finding the correct monitor is even harder or more expensive than finding a two headed unicorn)

 

[BFG-9000]

I had a pretty similar situation with Core 2 and used a Scythe Big Shuriken 2 which is only 58mm tall with fan and 42mm without. It ended up being so close to the PSU's topmount fan intake that airflow was enough to omit the fan

Socket 775 mounting holes are 72mm x 72mm though, while 478 is 76.2mm x 59.44mm so it doesn't appear anywhere close enough to adapt the bracket to fit. However something like the vintage Thermalright XP120 is 63mm tall without fan, if you wanted to try mounting that in a similar way. Or their XP90 heatsink is taller at 75mm if you needed it closer to the PSU's fan.

Modern Noctuas don't come with 478 hardware in the box, but you could probably get them to send you it for free. Unlike the Noctuas which screw through the mounting holes where the stock bracket was, the Thermalrights clip onto the stock bracket with metal clips, while the Zalmans came with little aluminum bars that fit in the stock bracket and screw onto the heatsink. If you don't like the stock plastic bracket, the Coolerguys still sell a metal one including a backplate for $4.95

12-15mm thick fans (or even 10mm for 80mm fans) are available in case a heatsink you find barely doesn't fit with the stock 25mm fan

 

[Vukodlak]

I will try getting in touch with Noctua and see what they have to say.
Thanks for the suggestions in the meantime.