Quiet cooling options

[mujahid7ia]

Hi
On my current build, I recently switched back to the default AMD heatsink for my Athlon XP 2500+ from my Thermaltake Volcano 9 ( http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=35-106-017&depa=1 ) which was extremely loud (48dB) at max speed (4800RPM) which I had to run it at with my CPU overclocked to 3200+, and it still wasn't cooling well. Right now it's clocked down to 2500+ and it's still getting pretty uncomfortable temps, and that's with 3 case fans (one front intake, one side intake, one back exhaust). My case is an X-Dreamer II ( http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=11-144-025&depa=0 ).

I need recommendations for a heatsink and fan that will keep my CPU cool at 3200+ and is quiet. I looked into watercooling, and the kits were either confusing or too expensive. Still if you can recommend an easy-to-setup kit, go ahead.

My two important factors for my cooling are:

1. NOISE LEVEL
2. Cooling

Thanks in advance.

[808smokey]

use a water cooled setup

or buy better fans

www.xoxide.com has some good stuff for water cooling

[mujahid7ia]

Thanks for the link.

I recently heard about this:
http://www.legitreviews.com/Reviews/gigcoolerpro_1.shtml
http://www.neoseeker.com/Articles/Hardware/Reviews/pcu21vg/
http://tw.giga-byte.com/Peripherals/Products/Products_GH-PCU21-VG(3D%20Cooler-Pro).htm

looks interesting and at max speed is 37 dB, but i can run at less than max, + it cools other components, maybe i can get rid of case fans? But i should wait for the steep 50 dollar (USD) price tag to go down...

[mujahid7ia]

ooooh 21 db:
http://www.xoxide.com/thsibofork7a.html

anotehr:
http://www.xoxide.com/vortexdream7.html

but hows the cooling??

EDIT:
wow lots of stuff http://www.xoxide.com/amdsoc462coo.html

now I'm lost

[rallynavvie]

Swiftech heatsinks and Panaflo medium speed fans work well. I'd recommend the Vantec Stealth fans but they don't move much air. The medium speed Panaflow's are what I use on my Swiftechs. They move 32 CFM @2500rpm and are only 28 dB at that speed. They are also 3-wire fans so you can use speed monitoring or variation.

I like 120mm case fans because they move a lot of air without pressure and are usually really quiet. I have only one front and rear 120mm case fan other than the PSU fans and the only temp that ever gets to 50 C is my northbridge but that doesn't have any aftermarket cooling on it yet. I may get the expensive Swiftech northbridge cooler for it since it would match the rest of my cooling.

I get all my cooling supplies from here:
www.sidewindercomputers.com

[mujahid7ia]

Thanks I'll check that link...

does anyone know what the rated noise level for the default AMD heatsink on the XP 2500+ is? or where i can find that info?

[IAIHMB]

How does water cooling work? Probably the common newbie paranoia, but I'd be afraid to get my setup wet and have it die on me.

[808smokey]

How does water cooling work? Probably the common newbie paranoia, but I'd be afraid to get my setup wet and have it die on me.

Sort of works likes a radiotor cooling system in your car.

But you really don't need it unless you overclock your CPU

[Madz]

I'm wary of water-coolling for the same reason. What if the thing springs a leak (happens in cars all the time!)? My hardware is toast. It's too bad someone doesn't make a small air conditioner that mounts inside the PC (5¼ drive bay maybe?). I sure that'd keep the sucker cool!

[rallynavvie]

There are AC units for computers in a way. The problem is you can't just have an AC unit blowing cold air into your box or you would have loads of condensation build up which will destroy your machine. These units use refrigerant running to your CPU with a heater core surrounding it so no consenation builds up on the outside. It works much the same as the liquid cooling setups in that you have to get extensions for other system parts like GPU and northbridge. If they made a good kit for dual CPU systems I'd already have one because the compressor on those are super quiet and you can get killer overclocks from them.

[gitreel]

I read several months back about a heat sink that has holes all over it. There was a casing that shot water through the holes to keep the processor cool. I may have messed the description up, but from what I read, I am considering that approach.

[mujahid7ia]

If I buy a new fan/hsf, it must be from a local PC store, not a website because I have to run it and hear the noise level, and if it's not acceptable, I'll just return it.

I'm still trying to find out the rated noise level for the default AMD heatsink (2500+) for a point of comparison.