CPU Coolers for the CPU Hungy NS2

**solarity** · 01-28-2013, 06:17 PM

All,

I know this would normally go in HW though I would like to let my fellow NS2 friends as couple good CPU cooler deals going on right now. These budget coolers might get you some more FPS in NS2.

COOLER MASTER Seidon 120M
Liquid cooling with a very good price and great reviews. Just came out a few months ago.
$50 after rebate from newegg or $45 after rebate from Tigerdirect (I got it from Newegg since I have heard some not so great things from TigerDirect)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835103179
$15 MIR ends TONIGHT!!! (1/28)

COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 Plus
Best bang for your buck for cooling from what I have seen
$20 after rebate from Newegg
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835103065
$10 MIR ends 1/31

Enermax ETS-T40-TB
Seems to get a lot of good reviews seen a lot of reviews where it out preforms the Hypere 212 Evo, which is also the same price. Also has bigger Heatsink than the 212 Plus or Evo.
No MIR
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835214023

I have spent many hours looking at reviews, benchmarks, and fact sheets. Surprisingly reviews and benchmarks can vary from site to site. I ended up going with the liquid cooler as it was a great price, better performance, doesn't block my stupid window, and geek factor of being liquid cool. If there wasn't a sale on the Liquid cooler, then I might have gotten the 212 plus or waited for the Enermax to drop down in price.

Based on what other people have put I know I could hit 4.2Ghz w/ my 3570K CPU w/ either of the HSF, seen some people claim 4.5Ghz.

One review pushed the Liquid cooler to 4.9ghz with a 3570k, granted the benchmark was done on utube by Cooler Master.

-Solarity

**PricelineNegotiator** · 01-28-2013, 07:04 PM

Dude, I told you yesterday man. Just go with the Hyper212. There's no way to go wrong with it.

**Scram** · 01-28-2013, 07:46 PM

Getting an aftermarket cooler is really only for those that are looking to overclock their CPU. Just having your CPU run cooler by swapping out the heatsink won't make things any better for you in NS2.

Heat on an i5 3570k really only becomes an issue > 4.5 Ghz when you have to push the vcore above 1.3. I have seen 3570k's where you only need 1.2 vcore to OC to 4.6 Ghz and have seen others where 1.2 vcore can't even keep 4.1 Ghz stable. There is a great deal of variability when it comes to the thermal performance of the 3570k since it uses thermal paste between the IHS and cpu die rather than being soldered on like the 2500k.

Getting a good 3570k is more or less by luck - Of the 30 or so computers I have built with this CPU I have seen 4-5 exceptional chips and about 4 that I would consider "Not worth overclocking". The rest have been around average with decent OC headroom.

**solarity** · 01-28-2013, 07:53 PM

Originally Posted by PricelineNegotiator

Dude, I told you yesterday man. Just go with the Hyper212. There's no way to go wrong with it.

I agree as that was on top of my list, though I wanted to try out this other one.

Scream - The reason I am suggesting this is for people who want to OC and I was giving examples specific to my CPU as that is what have experience with.

I am also familiar with the issues of the Ivy compared to the Sandy.

Thank you for the input. My system w/ "Turbo" I have seen about low 60's max at turbo 3.8ghz on my CPU.

**bentring** · 01-29-2013, 01:11 PM

I'll second the Hyper212. Also keep in mind that getting airflow out of the case is just as important.

I've never been very serious about overclocking, but after I built this pc almost 3 years ago, I ran Prime95 with my 555BE (only adjusted the ratio from 16 to 18.5, which translates from 3200 to 3700 everything else was stock so temps wouldn't be nearly as high as some) for 7 hours or so and only had an 11C increase from idle. Played with it again earlier today and after an hour it was about the same increase but with a higher starting temp. I guess it's time to open the case up and clean it out for the third time since I built it.

**Eternaly_Lost** · 01-29-2013, 05:08 PM

Originally Posted by bentring

I'll second the Hyper212. Also keep in mind that getting airflow out of the case is just as important.

I've never been very serious about overclocking, but after I built this pc almost 3 years ago, I ran Prime95 with my 555BE (only adjusted the ratio from 16 to 18.5, which translates from 3200 to 3700 everything else was stock so temps wouldn't be nearly as high as some) for 7 hours or so and only had an 11C increase from idle. Played with it again earlier today and after an hour it was about the same increase but with a higher starting temp. I guess it's time to open the case up and clean it out for the third time since I built it.

I also recommend the Hyper212, but in my experience, you want to have a very good thermal grease before you start looking for a better heatsink and fan. I seen cases were just replacing the thermal grease with Arctic Silver 5 has dropped the temps by a good 8-10 degrees C with nothing more then stock heatsink and fan.

**bentring** · 01-29-2013, 05:21 PM

Originally Posted by Eternaly_Lost

I also recommend the Hyper212, but in my experience, you want to have a very good thermal grease before you start looking for a better heatsink and fan. I seen cases were just replacing the thermal grease with Arctic Silver 5 has dropped the temps by a good 8-10 degrees C with nothing more then stock heatsink and fan.

I think using any kind thermal grease properly applied will be fine, unless of course you decide to use toothpaste.

**Eternaly_Lost** · 01-29-2013, 06:20 PM

Originally Posted by bentring

I think using any kind thermal grease properly applied will be fine, unless of course you decide to use toothpaste.

That chart supports exactly what I said. Using a good Thermal grease can reduce your temp by several degrees. There a 10 degree difference between the worse and the best thermal grease. Although never use chocolate, it makes the CPU run hotter then No thermal grease.

**PricelineNegotiator** · 01-29-2013, 06:54 PM

I was recommended this thermal paste by my gaming bud who has multiple world record clocks:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835100007

**Skud** · 01-29-2013, 07:05 PM

People use something other than Arctic silver?

**Boogalo** · 01-31-2013, 10:47 PM

That reminds me, I need to get off my butt and switch the stock paste on this OEM cooler with arctic silver. I really should get an adapter plate so my zalman cnps9500 will fit, but I don't want to take the motherboard out again to mount it.

**solarity** · 01-31-2013, 11:34 PM

There is a Zalman liquid cooler going for $30 after rebate!!! 0_o that is the regular price of the Hyper 212 plus. I would jump on it before it is to late on newegg http://promotions.newegg.com/NEemail...LS#PERIPHERALS

**Boogalo** · 01-31-2013, 11:42 PM

IMO, liquid cooling is not worth it. Go for the 212 or this zalman beast (this is what I have, it's great) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...35118223-L012A

**solarity** · 02-01-2013, 09:00 AM

I am going off bench marks, the 212 plus does out preform most zalman. The liquid for the price is the best now imho

**bentring** · 02-01-2013, 10:11 AM

Hah, that Zalman is the fan I had on my previous PC. Kept the chip plenty cool even after the fan on it died but it wasn't overclocked either so...

Man, this thread (totally not because of crappy fps and constant hitching in NS2) is making me want to build a new PC. I think it's due time to finally go back to Intel since my first Barton 2500 almost a decade ago.