HTPC Cooling

[Tau]

Well i have the new HTPC together and working (yay) though ran into a few issues during assembly that I am now just getting around to fixing.

I have a Q6600 in there, though i was forced to use the stock cooler as my freezer 7 pro (that i had planned to use) will not fit. There is a cross-case support beam directly over the CPU, and the Freezer 7 is to tall, i cant remove the beam either as the case will loose most of its rigidity. The specs for this freezer 7 pro says its 126.5 mm tall (4.9"), and i figure i need something that comes in around 4" tall (all in), thats ~95-100mm tall.

I have been looking at some of the Zalman coolers, though i dont hold alot of confidence in them from past experiances. It seems like most of the newer coolers are going for tallness and mounting the fans on the sides of the coolers, are there some decent ones that mount the fans on top still and blow downwards? (such as the XP-90, XP-120, etc).

Also how do you think an XP-120 (or equvelant) would fare for this Q6600? (I do plan to overclock it here pretty soon as well)


Next on the agenda is cooling this beastly X1900XT that i have in there as well. Currently has stock cooling. Something thats ALOT quieter would be nice (its pretty damn loud when the fan throttles up) as well as something that still exhausts the hot air out the back of the case would be nice.

I plan on Flashing the X1900XT to XTX, and probobly leaving it at XTX speeds.

Both of these heatsinks need to be able to handle 24/7 load, as both the CPU and GPU will be folding most of the time.

[p_o_s_pc]

The xp120 should be ok if your not pushing alot of voltage.. on another forum there was a guy using the xp-90 on his quad and had it overclocked to 3.4ghz temps were like 70c+ underload...so the 120 should give you OK temps but not the best.
as for the x1900xt http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835106112
by the reviews on newegg it seems to be a good cooler.

[Cold Storm]

For your cooling on the CPU, a HTPC needs to have a up right cooler. When I say up right, I mean the normal cooler is like a freezer 7, and a up right is like the intel heatsink that comes with the chip it self...
I think the [Scythe "Samurai-Z" (]http://www.frozencpu.com/products/1421/cpu-scy-04/Scythe_Samurai-Z_Dual_Heat_Pipe_CPU_Cooler_-_Rev_B_SCSMZ-1100.html?tl=g40c14s52) would be good for ya. Its 85mm high.
I'll look now for a cooler for the x1900xt.

[p_o_s_pc]

hey cold sperm how about this for the CPU http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835109122

[WarEagleAU]

Scythe has a low form fitting cooler as do a couple other well respected manufacturers. You can look on newegg.com for a few of them.

[Tau]

What are the thoughts on the Coolermaster Gemini 2?

Considering right now everything bonestock with the intel cooler on there its loading at 65-70*C. Its a little warm for my tastes as i want this thing to last more than 2-3 years ;)

What about the Accelero models for the videocard?

http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/PID-MX19892(ME).aspx

http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/PID-MX11516(ME).aspx

[Cold Storm]

Scythe has a low form fitting cooler as do a couple other well respected manufacturers. You can look on newegg.com for a few of them.

Your right there, instead of the 2.5mm fans, they usually use 1.5mm... I wouldn't think of them as using 3.5mm fans because of how big they are and damn the kaza's heavy! lol...

P.O.S.: Its of the right hight and so I believe it would work in that case also.

[Tau]

For reference the case is a Silverstone LC14

[p_o_s_pc]

the Gemini 2 is quite a tall cooler..the Accelero for the video card may not work.. it goes higher then the card its self

[Cold Storm]

What are the thoughts on the Coolermaster Gemini 2?

Considering right now everything bonestock with the intel cooler on there its loading at 65-70*C. Its a little warm for my tastes as i want this thing to last more than 2-3 years ;)

What about the Accelero models for the videocard?

http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/PID-MX19892(ME).aspx

http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/PID-MX11516(ME).aspx

The Gemini 2 is a nice Cooler, but it is 124mm high, and thats without any fans to help cool... So its up to you on that...

THe Accelero has been given great reviews for the fact that it cools pretty nicely. Just have to make sure you have enough room.. Whats the case, and whats the motherboard your using?

[Tau]

The Gemini 2 is a nice Cooler, but it is 124mm high, and thats without any fans to help cool... So its up to you on that...

THe Accelero has been given great reviews for the fact that it cools pretty nicely. Just have to make sure you have enough room.. Whats the case, and whats the motherboard your using?

tigerdirect says the gemini is 81.5 mm tall :S


Case is a Silverstone LC14 (pretty much a 4U case) Motherboard is an old Abit AB9 i had kicking around (had all these parts save for the CPU kicking around actually ;))

[Cold Storm]

tigerdirect says the gemini is 81.5 mm tall :S


Case is a Silverstone LC14 (pretty much a 4U case) Motherboard is an old Abit AB9 i had kicking around (had all these parts save for the CPU kicking around actually ;))

lol... forgot that Newegg has hight at the last number set, and to where FrozenCPU is the middle number set... Then I think that could be good for ya. you can post two fans on there and do cooling to your CPU and probably Ram, or NB.

[WarEagleAU]

Here are some coolers on the egg that should fit that case.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835185042
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835185046 (Scythe Ninja Mini)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835128012 (Gigabyte one, 109mm tho)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835185063 (Scythe Shuriken)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186009 (Arctic Cooling Alpine 7)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835106075 (Thermaltake Mini Typhoon? This may work)

There are tons more on there. I tried to find high quality type ones. Mass cool has a bunch on there.

[Tau]

lol... forgot that Newegg has hight at the last number set, and to where FrozenCPU is the middle number set... Then I think that could be good for ya. you can post two fans on there and do cooling to your CPU and probably Ram, or NB.

The reviews of the Gemini look decent, when i have the case appart later today i will measure and see if i can get the Gemeni in there, if not i think ill try an XP-120... I could always take the SI-120 off this computer and try it in that one see what the cooling is like.... Gah so much work for the lazy guy ;)

Thanks for the input guys, what do you think about Videocard cooling?

(BTW i live in Canada)

[Cold Storm]

all right, I would also look at what Wareagle has shown... then check at NCIX if they have those coolers...

I would say a toss up on the Orbs and the Acc. cooler for the video card.. I haven't seen much on the orbs, but it cools just the same as the Acc..

[Tau]

Well i slapped an XP-120 and a yate loon 70CFM on the CPU.

Idle dropped 8*C, and load dropped 20-25*C (not to bad)

got the accelero all mounted up, put the card back in the case, and it turns out the cooler is about 1.5" to tall, had to take it off and return to stock. I did some more research and looks like all the other decent coolers are the same height :(

So any other ideas for a cooler for this X1900?

[Cold Storm]

What store did you get them from? and 1.5" tall... back to the drawing board!

[p_o_s_pc]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835110015
I am not sure if it fits the x1900 maybe someone could answer that for you but it is a good cooler..

[Tau]

What store did you get them from? and 1.5" tall... back to the drawing board!

www.memoryexpress.com local place that the owner owes me a few favors, got everything for cost. Will be taking the Accelero back though.

I might just leave the videocard as is... unless i can find something worth it.