Thread: My new CPU cooler

im running the 9700 right now, and i think jason is also. its works for me!

Originally Posted by Cecil900

I have benchmarks that say other wise:
http://www.maximumpc.com/article/rev...n_cnps9900_led

Now take the idle and the burn in from that review (i.e. Q6700 at stock), and it makes the top of your list (i.e. Core i7 with a 40% overclock). And it beats the duo orb.

Cecil, the review you posted was hardly comprehensive (stock cooler + 2 other options), but more importantly, you can't compare the temps from the link I posted to the temps from the link you posted. Why? Well, for starters, the first review is using Core i7's overclocked to 3.76GHz, while the second review is using Q6700 at stock clocks. Can you say apples and oranges? Even if the two reviews were using the same CPU at the same clock (which they aren't) there are a dozen other variables that must be controlled in one experiment for isolated independent variables (i.e. the scientific process). Room temp, case/cooling, mobo, etc. I have seen a review of several coolers by another professional site that lapped their 920 and OC'ed it, and they were getting worse temps than my non-lapped, non-OC'ed 920. But the important thing is that whatever was causing them to get such high temps was consistent from test to test (ambient, or a poor case), so it was still an accurate comparison between the coolers they were intending to compare.

The 9700/9900 is not a bad cooler, I'm sure it will do the job for most. But there are better options out there for better prices, like the Dark Knight that PBS posted above. Or the TRUE, or the Noctua, or the Mugen, or the V8 (not all of those are necessarily cheaper).

Originally Posted by Cecil900

The man isn't even running an Intel CPU, he is running an AMD CPU.

What does that have to do with the thermal performance of a HSF? Heat is heat.

Originally Posted by Cecil900

Your the one arguing the Zalman 9900 isnt as good because it doesnt do as well on Core i7's.

No, I'm not. Read my post again. I'm saying that putting one HSF in one condition and comparing it to another HSF in a different condition is foolish and makes no sense.

And saying "Zalman's don't work well on Core i7's" again shows you're missing something very basic. A HSF has no idea what chip is under it. It doesn't matter! Saying that a HSF works well on a certain chip makes no sense by itself. A HSF can only "work well" in comparison to another HSF on the same chip (which is why I linked a review that compared several HSF's all under the same conditions).

I can beat a Corvette in my Corolla, if I'm going downhill and he's going uphill.

Originally Posted by Cecil900

But AMD cpu's do run hotter Phenom 1's and athlon 64's. So it has to be able to deal with hotter temperatures, your talking 60-70 on Stock cooling under load. Intel CPU's typically don't get taht hot.

Ok, so you're running even hotter, so you have even more of a reason to want an efficient HSF. There are still plenty better choices than the 9900, regardless which CPU you put under it.

Originally Posted by Cecil900

Copper is a better material for the job for aluminum at higher temps. Thats not even debatable.

Copper is more thermally conductive than aluminum. That is not debatable. Whether or not it is needed for the job is an engineering decision that should take many things into account (system design, budget, operating range/requirements, etc). All of these variables (not just material choice) combine to create an effective (or ineffective) product.

This is proven by the fact that there are dozens of aluminum coolers on AMD platforms doing a better job than all copper coolers.

http://www.frostytech.com/articlevie...id=2362&page=4

And there are also plenty of copper coolers above the 9900 too. The point still being that copper vs aluminum is not all that matters.

To repeat what I said earlier, what I like about the newer style 120mm "block" HSF's is that they allow you to add whatever 120mm fan (or fans) you want, which dramatically can change the performance. With the 9900, you're stuck with the same fan forever.

If copper is so important, then choose the TRUE copper, it is fantastic from what I've seen.